• In line with company strategy to combat climate change, Meliá Hotels International is using the renovation and repositioning of these two iconic hotel to make them two of the most sustainable and efficient hotels in Spain
  • The Menorca project aims to be a prototype for future renovations by achieving carbon neutrality (scope 1 and 2 emissions)

The renovation of the future Gran Meliá hotel on the island of Menorca and the transformation of the Meliá Tamarindos in Gran Canaria into the future Paradisus Gran Canaria Resort have been named winners of the Rethink Hotel Award. The award is presented by the Habitat Futura Group at the FITUR International Tourism Trade Fair in recognition of the most sustainable hotel refurbishment projects based on criteria including energy efficiency, renewable energy use and production, waste management and water use.

The two Meliá nominations for the 2022 awards involved two hotel renovation projects, both of which were named in the TOP10 winners in the ReThink (projects pending or under way) category.

Two milestones on the road to carbon neutrality

In line with its commitments to combat climate change and apply sustainability criteria in all of its works and renovations, the project under development in Menorca aims to become a prototype for future renovations, becoming the first hotel with almost no carbon footprint (for scopes 1 and 2 emissions). The project aims to achieve total decarbonisation by reducing current CO2 emissions by 87%, with the remaining 13% offset by the use of renewable energy, thus reducing the hotel's carbon footprint to zero.

The hotel will work mainly with renewable energies such as biomass, geothermal energy and solar energy and will also reduce its electricity use by 40% thanks to energy-efficiency measures. For example, the heat generated by air-conditioning systems will be used to preheat the hotel hot water circuit and heated swimming pools. It will also have a Building Management System (BMS) which will constantly adjust and improve the hotel's energy performance using artificial intelligence.

The project in Menorca will also introduce more efficiency measures regarding water use, thanks to a digitalisation process that will allow continuous optimisation of the water cycle using home automation technology and sensors to guarantee minimum consumption. Consumption will also be reduced through the recovery and reuse of water for different purposes:

backwash water from the main swimming pool for cleaning, rainwater collection for watering the gardens, the recovery of grey water for use in restrooms.

Combining these energy and water management measures, CO2 emission levels are expected to decrease from 638 tons to 81 tons (-87%), raising the hotel's energy certificate score to peak performance levels.

As the Executive Vice President and CEO of Meliá Hotels International, Gabriel Escarrer, stated at FITUR, the company was once again named in 2021 as one of the two most sustainable hotel companies in the world by the Corporate Sustainability Assessment published by Standard & Poors Global, and "the Gran Meliá Menorca will be a major milestone on our road to decarbonisation, in a destination that is also a Biosphere Reserve, a milestone of which we feel extremely proud".

In line with the company's commitment to prioritising sustainability criteria in the design and operation of hotels, the refurbishment of the Melia Tamarindos hotel - the future Paradisus Gran Canaria - also includes actions to minimise emissions in systems such as air-conditioning, hot-water production and lighting, among others, introducing greater energy efficiency and the production of renewable geothermal energy. This project also involves reductions in water use through more efficient equipment and taps. This will improve the building's energy rating by two levels, as well as saving 490 Tn of CO2 emissions per year.​

About Melia Hotels International

Founded in 1956 in Palma de Mallorca (Spain), Meliá Hotels International has more than 400 hotels open or in the process of opening, in more than 40 countries, and a portfolio of ten brands: Gran Meliá Hotels & Resorts, ME by Meliá, The Meliá Collection, Paradisus by Meliá, Meliá Hotels & Resorts, ZEL, INNSiDE by Meliá, Falcon's Resorts by Meliá, Sol by Meliá, and Affiliated by Meliá. The Company is one of the world's leading hotel chains in the leisure segment and its experience in this area has allowed it to consolidate itself in the growing market of urban hotels inspired by leisure. Its commitment to responsible tourism has led it to be recognised as the world's most sustainable hotel in 2022 according to S&P Global's Corporate Sustainability Assessment, as well as being a "Top Employer 2023" brand in Spain, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Italy and Germany. Meliá Hotels International is also part of the IBEX 35. For more information, please visit www.meliahotelsinternational.com