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6/13/2016 Colombo Courtyard recertified CarbonNeutral :::DailyFT http://www.ft.lk/article/433819/ColomboCourtyardrecertifiedCarbonNeutral 1/4 Colombo Courtyard recertified CarbonNeutral :::DailyFT 00
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Colombo Courtyard recertified CarbonNeutral ___DailyFT - Be Empowered

Feb 13, 2017

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Page 1: Colombo Courtyard recertified CarbonNeutral ___DailyFT - Be Empowered

6/13/2016 Colombo Courtyard recertified CarbonNeutral :::DailyFT

http://www.ft.lk/article/433819/Colombo­Courtyard­recertified­CarbonNeutral 1/4

Colombo Courtyard recertified CarbonNeutral :::DailyFT

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Page 2: Colombo Courtyard recertified CarbonNeutral ___DailyFT - Be Empowered

6/13/2016 Colombo Courtyard recertified CarbonNeutral :::DailyFT

http://www.ft.lk/article/433819/Colombo­Courtyard­recertified­CarbonNeutral 2/4

Colombo Courtyard has measured its carbon footprint for the second time in accordance with the internationallyrecognised GHG protocol published by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council forSustainable Development. This independent assessment was conducted by the Carbon Consulting Company.

Colombo Courtyard has renewed the certification with Carbon Consulting Company for the second time stillbeing the first CarbonNeutral city hotel in South Asia.

On 5 June by the Amber Poolside, they celebrated their re­certification on Environmental Day to createawareness among invited members and press/media by Carbon Consulting Company.

They are taking the baton further to minimise emissions produced by purchasing carbon credits. The goal ofColombo Courtyard is to offer guests around the world a unique experience without the guilt of beingresponsible for carbon emissions by offsetting the total hotel carbon footprint produced during the operation ofthe hotel.

First CarbonNeutral boutique

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6/13/2016 Colombo Courtyard recertified CarbonNeutral :::DailyFT

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city hotel in Asia

Stylish and eco­friendly, Colombo Courtyard is an urban boutique hotel that was designed to provide guestsluxurious accommodation, dining and spa facilities with responsibility. The hotel has now stridden further in thiseffort, by taking steps to neutralise its carbon footprint, making it the first CarbonNeutral boutique city hotel inAsia.

Global warming is an undeniable factor in the changing climate patterns of our world today, which is fasttransforming landscapes, destroying life patterns of human and animal life, and increasing the frequency andimpact of natural disasters. Despite the denial of climate change by some experts, the continuous study andresearch of weather patterns over the last decade have proven that global warming is, in fact, responsible forrising sea levels, melting of snow and ice, increased heat content of oceans and levels of humidity, and the shiftin the timings of winter and spring seasons. Various causes, both natural and manmade, contribute to thegrowing warmth of our planet; but its alarming increase over the last century is undoubtedly a result of thegreenhouse effect.

The greenhouse effect is the process by which absorption and emission of infrared radiation by gases in aplanet’s atmosphere warm its lower atmosphere and surface. Major greenhouse gases (GHG) are emittedthrough various everyday human activities, such as using heat and electricity, and transportation.

Pollution has increased percentage of greenhouse gases

However, pollution caused by rapid industrialisation, deforestation and the careless utilisation of naturalresources have increased the percentage of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, resulting in the currentglobal warming crisis. This crisis calls for the attention of everyone, to pay attention to one’s carbon footprintand mitigate the ways in which we harm our planet.

Colombo Courtyard was able to do this, with the expertise of Carbon Consulting Company (CCC), anorganisation that strives to reduce the environmental impact of the corporate sector of Sri Lanka through arange of services that promote sustainable practices. The CCC carried out a GHG assessment to measure theemissions the hotel made, directly and indirectly, through its various activities in the last year. This GHGassessment was carried out in accordance with the GHG Protocol, developed by the World Business Council forSustainable Development (WBCSD) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Carbon DisclosureProject.

A GHG assessment quantifies all six Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide,hydro fluorocarbons, sulphur hexafluoride and perfluorocarbons) where applicable and is measured in units ofcarbon dioxide equivalent. Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) is a distinct measure that describes how muchglobal warming a given type and amount of greenhouse gas may cause, using the functionally equivalentamount or concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) as the reference. The assessment allowed the hotel tounderstand its impact on climate change and gain insight on how to better manage its carbon footprint.

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“Colombo Courtyard is a hotel that already focused on being environmentally­friendly, by taking energy savinginitiatives and using up cycled materials,” explains CCC Chief Executive Officer Sanith de S. Wijeyeratne. “Itensures that the hotel has a comparatively lower carbon footprint.” The assessment quantified the hotel’scarbon footprint under three scopes. Scope one measured direct emissions released from sources that areowned or controlled by the company, including corporate car fleets, captive power generation facilities, or fuelcombustion for heat. Scope two measured indirect emissions associated from the generation of importedenergy carriers such as electricity, heat and steam. Scope three measured all other indirect emission sourcesthat are not released from sources mentioned under scope one and two, typically including business travel,waste disposal and outsourced activities.

Purchase carbon offsets

to make carbon footprint net zero

The one way in which corporate entities can achieve carbon neutrality, according to Wijeyeratne, is bypurchasing necessary carbon offsets to make its carbon footprint net zero. In this case, Colombo Courtyard wasable to purchase carbon offsets that funded a methane capture project in China. The CCC also believes in thecontinuous effort of its clients to be environmentally­friendly, sustainable and ethical, even after the verificationand certification process, therefore recommending a Carbon Management Response Plan (CMRP), whichincludes in­detail monitoring and mitigation strategies for reduced carbon footprint. By following thesestrategies, Colombo Courtyard is committed to report its emissions while it has implemented a sustainableenergy saving and water efficiency practices with a proper waste management system. This requires carefuland responsible methods of using lighting, heat and water, as well as cooking and food storage.

As the first hotel to make a conscious effort to be entirely carbon neutral, Colombo Courtyard has taken asignificant and exemplary step towards making our planet a safer, more habitable place to live in, and one canhope that this sets a trend amongst all other business entities across various sectors – to reduce carbonfootprints and take strides toward being environmentally­friendly, sustainable and, most importantly, responsiblecitizens.

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