By Rafiq Vayani
DUBAI: Armani Hotel Dubai’s sustainability initiatives have been recognised at the 2017 Dubai Sustainable Tourism Awards with Abdul Quddus Sheikh, Director of Engineering, honoured as ‘Sustainability Champion’ for demonstrating excellence in implementing and delivering sustainable development initiatives at the hotel.
Under Abdul Quddus Sheikh’s leadership, Armani Hotel Dubai achieved impressive results in energy and water savings in addition to reducing its carbon footprint, and reinforced responsible environmental practices as an organisation-wide commitment.
The recognition follows Armani Hotel Dubai winning its first Green Globe Certification, a strong testament to its commitment to be a socially and environmentally responsible hotel operator that is focused on international best practices in energy and water use efficiency and sustainable development.
Mark Kirby, General Manager of Armani Hotel Dubai, said: “We are proud of the prestigious recognition for Abdul Quddus Sheikh, who plays a significant role in driving our sustainability initiatives. His passion, drive and commitment to set sustainability standards inspires our team to implement and adhere to green best practices that help reduce our carbon footprint and serve as a model for the hospitality industry. It is no easy task to set green standards for our hotel, located in an iconic super-tall structure, and his experience, domain knowledge and networking with environmental champions contributed to this recognition.”
Further highlighting its sustainability initiatives, Armani Hotel Dubai is part of the UAE Food Bank, an initiative announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The hotel is one of the key hospitality partners for the project that further promotes the noble ‘Year of Giving’ initiative marked by the nation in 2017.
Launched this year, the Dubai Sustainable Tourism Awards recognise and reward companies within the tourism sector that have demonstrated best practices in reducing their carbon footprint, to promote sustainability of the tourism industry.
The objectives of the awards are to develop guidelines that enable the tourism industry to become more sustainable; create a network on sustainability and enable sharing of best practices; and to recognise sustainability efforts and achievements within the industry.
Armani Hotel Dubai has replaced all incandescent lights with power saving LEDs. Motion detectors have been installed in back office areas, and water saving devices and water aerators have been fitted resulting in a significant decrease in water consumption. Armani Hotel Dubai is a certified member of Emirates Environmental Group, a professional working group focused on protecting the environment through education, green programs, and community involvement.
