Energy-efficiency initiative for tourism launched in New Zealand

The Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) have launched a new energy-efficiency initiative aimed at improving the environmental per

The Tourism Industry Association New Zealand (TIA) and the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) have launched a new energy-efficiency initiative aimed at improving the environmental performance of tourism businesses by reducing their energy use, reports Business.Scoop.

The free energy-efficiency package worth about $3,000, offered to a limited number of TIA members as a pilot project, is targeted at small and medium-sized operators, since they make up about 80 percent of tourism industry businesses, according to the article.

Tourism contributes more than 9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) for New Zealand, and is a $59 million per day industry, according to TIA.

The package includes a free energy assessment by an EcoSmart electrician and a subsidy to implement the recommendations. TIA said in the article that most businesses can reduce their energy cost by 20 percent and even more with smarter energy use.

The initiative is an extension of the Tourism Energy Efficiency Programme (TEEP), a partnership project between TIA and EECA launched in 2008 to help tourism businesses reduce their electricity consumption, fuel consumption and carbon emissions.

Energy audits conducted at 25 tourism businesses in 2008 and 2009 found that in total they could potentially save $797,521 in energy costs, cut energy use by 6.8 million kWh and reduce CO2 emissions by 1613 tonnes.

Of the energy efficiency measures recommended in the audits, 60 percent would have payback in less than 12 months with many of the projects costing little or nothing to implement.

A study conducted last year โ€” by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives and KDS โ€” of 329 travel managers and business travelers from around the world found that 61 percent of organizations had a CSR charter, compared with 59 percent in 2008, and almost 30 percent of corporate travel departments were required to report carbon emissions performance to management.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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