In April 2008, the family behind the Brochner hotel group in Copenhagen, Denmark, purchased its way to CO2-neutral energy consumption in their four hotels. The Brochner’s motivation for choosing to become CO2-neutral was a keen desire to participate in the limitation of the global emission of greenhouse gases.
The following 5-point climate plan was initiated: 1. Brochner Hotels has set up a working group which
works constructively towards the future reduction of the consumption
of CO2 in all four hotels. In addition, Brochner Hotels is in the
process of formulating a range of environmental requirements for
the hotels' suppliers.
2. Brochner Hotels is committed to purchasing CO2 quotas to the equivalent of the total CO2 emission such that the whole hotel group is CO2-neutral in its energy consumption.
3. Brochner Hotels has developed a concept of a CO2-neutral hotel stay during which hotel guests will be offered the opportunity to purchase a CO2 quota in connection with their stay at the hotel.
4. Brochner Hotels has taken the initiative to create this website offering other hotels the opportunity to support the concept of being CO2-neutral and, thus, to share in the responsibility for the climate.
5. Brochner Hotels wishes to enter into climate-friendly alliances and has already begun cooperation with the Danish Ministry of Climate and Energy “1 ton less” campaign and the new, climate-friendly, energy company Modstrøm.
“We do not wish to confine ourselves to a few initiatives to reduce our energy
consumption. Brochner Hotels would like to be the first CO2-neutral hotel group.
We calculated our total emission of CO2 for 2007 and, subsequently, purchased an equivalent amount of CO2 quotas. Thus, the hotel group was already CO2-neutral in 2007. The decision is forward-looking as we have committed to purchase CO2 quotas to the equivalent of our total energy consumption in the future too.
This balances our climate accounts and, at the same time, provides us with an incentive to do something about our energy consumption. You could actually say that we have signed our own mini Kyoto Protocol.
At the same time, we give our guests the opportunity to fight against climate change. We are offering our customers a new product: A hotel stay with a CO2 quota. For example, a weekend stay where the classical bottle of champagne is replaced by a CO2 quota. Purchase of a CO2 quota takes away the right to emit 1 ton of CO2 into the atmosphere. In other words, we give our guests the opportunity to purchase CO2-neutrality on their energy-intensive weekend trip.
CO2 quotas can be purchased on the stock market, so by purchasing CO2 quotas we force energy-producing companies to think in terms of climate-friendly energy as quotas become both more difficult to get hold of and more expensive."
Kirsten Brøchner, Managing Director
Brochner Hotels
April 2008
