Tune Hotels intends to invest between RM60mil and RM90mil in cost-saving green technology for its 30 new hotels due to be opened next year in the United Kingdom, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, India and Malaysia.
The implementation of sustainable energy solutions for the budget hotel chain is via collaboration with General Electric International Inc (GE).
Tune Hotels chief executive officer Mark Lankester said that pending project studies, the estimated investments in green technology would range from RM2mil to RM3mil per hotel over the next two to three years.
“Our current operational hotels will also be upgraded further with green technology. These investments would be recovered through operational cost savings over a period of three to four years,” Lankester said yesterday after signing a memorandum of collaboration with GE Asean.
The signing was witnessed by Energy, Green Technology and WaterMinister Datuk Seri Peter Chin.
Lankester said the group aimed to further reduce its energy costs by 30% to 40% via green technology.
“It is a huge number when you have so many hotels across the world. This will allow us to pass the cost savings to our guests and provide better room rates.”
According to Lankester, Tune Hotels will be the first branded budget hotel chain in Asia to be certified to the standards of Malaysia’s Green Building Index.
GE will assist Tune Hotels in reviewing, planning and designing properties by contributing its knowledge and expertise in the areas of low-cost operational “modeling,” sustainable development, cost-saving infrastructure, energy efficiency and green technology.
GE Asean chief executive officer Stuart Dean said the collaboration with Tune Hotels was the first such partnership with a major budget hotel chain for GE in this region.
“We have been working with a few five-star hotel chains on green technology. In addition to lighting and water systems, many hotels in the Asean region also use GE power generation equipment. Both the Hyatt hotels in Singapore and Jakarta use GE gas engines to provide back-up power.”
