UAE's Time Hotels receives Green Key award

UAE-headquartered hospitality company, Time Hotels Management, has achieved Green Key status for all the hotels and hotel apartments across its entire portfolio.

The Green Key award is a voluntary eco-label that represents a commitment by hospitality and tourism establishments to adhere to the strict criteria as stipulated by the Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC).

To qualify for the award, Time Hotels had to pass an exhaustive audit, which recognised the operator's contribution towards eco-friendly programmes, such as energy and water-saving initiatives, as well as waste management projects, all of which help to reduce Time’s carbon footprint, limiting its negative effect on the environment.

Time Hotels CEO Mohamed Awadalla said in a statement: "The whole ethos of Time Hotels is built on pursuing an active sustainability strategy that gain stakeholder traction, without whom, we would not be able to incorporate the various initiatives, events and programmes across our entire portfolio. We are no strangers to Green Key certification, but it is testament to the team that we refuse to rest on our laurels and continue to strive to become a more responsible corporate citizen."

Time Oak Hotel and Suites, Time Grand Plaza Hotel, Time Ruby Hotel Apartments, Time Opal Hotel Apartments, Time Topaz Hotel Apartments and Time Crystal Hotel Apartments were all successful in the latest round of Green Key assessments.

Awadalla added: “Of course, the implementation of sustainable initiatives makes perfect sense from a business point of view as reducing our carbon footprint also saves us money on our utility bills.”

The audit addressed 12 key areas, which not only covered energy-saving, water conservation, waste management systems and the indoor environment, but also staff involvement and guest awareness. Improvements of between 5%-10% had to be achieved, before certification would be renewed.

Beyond Green Key, Time Hotels has previously participated in the EEG Can Collection Campaign, with a total of 14 kilograms/4,500 cans collected over a period of two months.

The company also launched the Time Urban Garden project, located at Time Oak Hotel & Suites in Al Barsha Heights in Dubai. The project is designed to provide better nutrition and health for the community and educate people of all ages about the upkeep and care of a living garden.