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MIDDLE EAST
SIMPLE WATER MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS CAN IMPROVE A HOTEL ’ S SUSTAINABILITY WITHIN MONTHS , SAYS DAKE RECHSAND
smart and proactive approach to sustainability , while enhancing the property , and the guest experience they offer . A water-wise hospitality property can :
Dake Rechsand , a Dubai-based company offering sustainable solutions in water conservation and desert farming , has showcased solutions that could help shape the future of UAE ’ s hospitality industry , as the due date for compliance with Dubai Tourism ’ s Sustainability Board guidelines approaches . The company has pitched in with products and solutions that it believes address a key component of sustainability and carbon emissions in the hospitality industry : water use .
“ The per capita water use in the UAE is already three times higher than the global average ,” said Chandra Dake , CEO and Founder of Dake Rechsand . “ The hospitality industry accounts for disproportionately high water usage – from laundering to landscaping . Additionally , since much of the UAE ’ s water supply is produced through desalination , involving unsustainable use of fossil fuels , it has embodied carbon at every stage , from procurement , to transportation , to end use ,” he added .
The Middle East has had a limited choice of water sources . Scarce groundwater reserves , with high salinity and limited re-use , have compounded local water security issues and the arid climate makes landscaping irrigation-intensive .
However , this can change , according to Dake Rechsand . Taking the 3Rs approach : ‘ Reduce , Recycle , and Reuse ’, hotels in the Middle East can take a
• Reduce : Hotels can reduce water usage , by using innovative techniques and products , which help plants thrive despite less volume , or lower frequency , of irrigation .
• Recycle : Solutions that recycle water that has been used to wash paving , and other surfaces in the property , can make a hotel dramatically more efficient in water use , without altering the guest experience .
• Reuse : Following on from the principle of recycling water , the reclaimed water can be used for landscaping and watering plants , after it has been filtered .
Greywater reuse is an increasingly popular strategy , being adopted by hospitality and residential properties around the world . Several approaches , including using physical and chemical filteration , and / or constructed wetland areas , are being implemented to make bath and laundry water suitable for reuse in keeping the property ’ s landscaping lush and green .
Dake Rechsand ’ s ‘ breathable sand ’ technology offers a simple , decentralised , water harvesting and storage solution , which also empowers water-wise landscaping . This can help hoteliers drastically reduce the volume of water used for landscaping , while also allowing them to develop their own water reserves , to become partly or fully self-sustainable .
Planting more trees on their expansive grounds can enhance the ambience and beauty of a hospitality property in a way that nothing else can .
“ Water scarcity presents a major hindrance to sustainability in the UAE . So , it ’ s strategically crucial for the hospitality industry to evolve in how it procures water and uses it . Bearing that in mind , we have curated our solutions to not only address embodied carbon footprint , but also induce circularity , reusability and cost-effectiveness in the hospitality industry ’ s water infrastructure ,” Chandra concluded . �
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