The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) has joined hands with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) to promote sustainable practices and foster a green building movement within the hospitality industry. The MoU was signed between the two organizations at a recent seminar organized by HRAWI on Life, Property and Environment Safety for the Hospitality Industry in Mumbai. This marks a pivotal moment for the hospitality sector as HRAWI and CII-IGBC come together to create a sustainable built environment for hospitality projects across India. With a shared vision to prioritize environmental conservation and sustainable growth, the collaboration aims to raise awareness, implement best practices and drive positive change in the industry.

“By prioritizing life, property and environmental safety, we not only fulfil our ethical obligations but also lay the foundation for sustainable growth and success. The signing of the MoU between HRAWI and IGBC is a stepping stone in this direction. We will continue to hold awareness programs and seminars to educate stakeholders on the conservation of water, food and energy and to share best practices, most importantly about how to achieve a Net Zero energy, water, waste and achieving carbon neutrality. IGBC will play a crucial role in helping us with various ideas of recycling and reusing and will assist us in execution. With this collaboration, HRAWI and CII-IGBC aim to inspire and support the hospitality industry in implementing sustainable development practices, promoting environmental stewardship and contributing to a greener and more sustainable future for India,” says Mr Pradeep Shetty, President, HRAWI.

The MoU signifies HRAWI’s commitment towards promoting water conservation, energy efficiency and responsible waste management within the hospitality industry. Through joint efforts, HRAWI and IGBC will provide guidance and support to stakeholders, facilitating the implementation of sustainable measures and enabling long-term cost savings for businesses.

“Back in 2001, Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) started the Green Building movement in the country and its vision is to enable a sustainable built environment for all and facilitate India to be one of the global leaders in the sustainable built environment. Towards this effort, HRAWI and IGBC have come together to raise awareness about the benefits of building sustainable properties across the hospitality industry. This will include incorporating existing establishments as well. The country has 17.65% per cent of the world’s population but only 4 per cent of its fresh water resources. If we do not conserve, preserve, reuse and recycle, then we will have a major problem on our hands in the near future,” says Mr Gurmit Singh Arora, Chairman, IGBC.

“Through sustainable green building practices, our hotel in Phaltan has achieved remarkable results. Our monthly electricity bill has decreased from Rs.9 lakhs to just Rs.1 lakh, showcasing significant cost savings. Additionally, despite operating in a water-scarce region, we are proud to say that we no longer rely on borrowed water. This demonstrates that while sustainable building practices may require initial investment, they lead to substantial long-term savings. With the signing of the MoU, our goal is to inspire other hotels to embrace sustainable development. HRAWI is fully committed to this endeavour,” concludes Mr Sandeep Talaulicar, Executive Committee Member, HRAWI.