A total of 14 hotels applied for the Macau Green Hotel Award 2014, of which four were new applications by 2-star hotels and 2-star guesthouses; nine hotels hoping to strive for a higher level of participation and awards re-applied; another one, although unsuccessful last year, continued to participate in the fight for an environmental protection award.

Now in its eighth year, the Macau Green Hotel Award is an initiative organized by the Environment Council, with the collaboration of Macau Government Tourist Office, and sponsored by Macau Hoteliers & Innkeepers Association, Macau Hotel Association, Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre and the Macau Hotel Employees Association. The award seeks to promote the importance of environmental management, acknowledging establishments which have adopted environmental practices at an operational level. In addition, it seeks to encourage the lodging industry to streamline the implementation of measures strengthening and underscoring the Green Hotel concept.

Macau Green Hotel Award 2014 specifically sought the ‘source reduction of waste,’ ‘reduction of food waste’ and ‘improved air quality’. Accreditation requires a minimum of eight defined achievements, with hotels helping promote the preparation of excellent food, with environmental initiatives reducing food waste. During the review it was found that hotels that were actively involved in reducing food waste by implementing a food waste reduction programme, posting notices to cherish food, producing environmentally friendly menus, and setting up the purchase of kitchen waste recycling bins and kitchen waste processing devices not only helped reduce waste at source but also reduced costs for the hotel, thus contributing to environmental protection and social responsibility.

The Macau Green Hotel Award 2014 on-site assessment work has been successfully completed, with follow-up assessment reports submitted by consultants to analyze and review the results ahead of their release in the second quarter of 2015. In addition, to enhancing Macau Green Hotel Award propaganda benefits, the EPA is also updating the Macau Green Hotel Award webpage, adding more hotel environmental information for hotel operators, visitors and the public at large. For Macau Green Hotel Award information, please log onto the Macau Green Hotel Award webpage (www.dspa.gov.mo/h_index.aspx#).