SUSTAINABILITY

PLANNING FOR THE LONG TERM AND SUSTAINABILITY

Good and better for the best

Social responsibility and sustainable development mean looking differently at designing projects, managing worksites, organising teams and making establishments more dynamic by focusing on local sourcing, farm-to-table or short supply chains and upcycling.

Sustainable development is a key EquipHotel theme, and a central feature of the trend book produced by Cédric Martineaud, artistic director of Agence 14 Septembre, for this 2022 edition. “Local sourcing is becoming important”, he says. This applies to the materials used to build or renovate an establishment, as well as in restaurant kitchens and staff recruitment.

2022 THEMES

MAKING BUSINESSES MORE ATTRACTIVE // PLANNING FOR THE LONG TERM AND SUSTAINABILITY // MAKING GREAT THINGS WITH GOOD PRACTICES // FOCUSING ON SELF-CARE // KEEPING A HUMAN FACE ON DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

A CLOSER LOOK

In June 2022, the 2-Michelin starred chef will be opening Fleur de Loire in Blois. This 5-star hotel with 44 rooms and gourmet restaurant, pastry-stand, Sisley spa and swimming pool has been designed and created with eco-responsibility in mind. We took a detailed look at the sustainable characteristics of this 17th century building, renovated in line with a commitment to promote the local area, something that is important to Christophe Hay, who was born and raised nearby.

What material did you choose for the Fleur de Loire project?

All of the hotel's furniture is made of wood from sustainably managed and environmentally certified forests (FSC or PEFC certifications). In addition, I’m trying to limit the use of plastic, so the room keys are also made of wood, to avoid disposable cards.

What kinds of things have you done when it comes to energy?

All the light bulbs are LEDs and the building is powered by wind energy. A closed-loop air conditioning system has also been installed, to avoid wasting electricity with energy-intensive heat pumps. Outdoor heating and air conditioning have been excluded from the project. Finally, there are two collapsible rain barrels in the cellar stores for recovering rainwater, which will eventually be used to water the Fleur de Loire gardens.

The establishment blends into its environment without distorting it. How have you achieved this?

The gardens have been designed as an extension of the Loire River, located downhill from the establishment. Each plant species has been selected because it is endemic to the region and adapted to the Loire valley climate. Finally, we have 1.5 hectares of vegetable gardens around the building, in the centre of Blois, on an area that used to be market gardening land.

Note: The Michelin starred chef Christophe Hay, committed to promoting the riches of the Loir-et-Cher département where he was born.

DECODING DESIGN

EquipHotel 2022 will be welcoming around fifty light manufacturers and one hundred companies in the outdoor design and furnishings sector. These exhibitors come from France and across Europe.

High in fibre

Made of 100% regenerated and recyclable fibres from industrial waste such as used fishing nets, the Highline carpet from Ege Carpets will be presented at EquipHotel in 2022. Tufted with 1,100 grams of fibre per m², this range offers the highest quality in terms of finish, design and comfort under foot. The Highline range is “Cradle to Cradle” and “Indoor Air comfort Gold” certified: two certifications with high environmental value.

© Ege Carpets - A carpet that is good for the planet.

Dinner time!

The Dizy company develops bistro tables with a difference. Two things make them stand out. The first is that they are 100% “made in France” and manufactured out of wood from sustainably managed forests. The second is that they are finished with materials made from recycled objects, like badminton shuttlecocks. Every year in France, 450,000 feather shuttlecocks are destroyed, amounting to around 20 tonnes of unused waste. Find out more at EquipHotel 2022.

(Member of L’Ameublement Français)

© Dizy - Coffee tables made from badminton shuttlecocks.

Ethics and plastic

Upholstery fabrics made of 100% recycled plastic waste really exist! All thanks to Vescom, who will be at EquipHotel this year. Vescom uses thread made out of locally-sourced recycled plastic bottles to offer a range of four soft-feel fabrics that meet the highest standards of the hotel and restaurant industry.

© Vescom - When plastic becomes fabric...

FROM THE EXPERTS

When sustainability inspires

With each new project, Cyril Aouizerate takes sustainable development awareness and standards up a notch. In 2017, he pioneered an AB organic certified restaurant in the Mob Hotel he was opening in Saint-Ouen. Five years later, he chose straw and clay walls for the brand-new Mob House, which he has also just inaugurated in Saint-Ouen. Now, he wants to produce 60% of the energy used in his establishments by 2025. The future Mob Hotel in Bordeaux, planned for spring 2024, will therefore have a 2,000 m² roof covered with solar panels.

“We're seeing a change in behaviour,” says architect and designer Patrick Nadeau. He's talking about an increasingly environmentally-conscious approach among professionals in the hospitality industry. Today, when he is asked to integrate plants into an establishment, “there is a real interest in living things”. For example, he is designing a hanging plant installation for a hotel in London, with a watering system that will also be a design feature. The idea is to make it an experience that arouses guests’ curiosity, as well as developing a show-stopper that is part of the life of the hotel.

Note: Patrick Nadeau will be taking part in the “Decorating, design and architecture: adopting the green attitude” conference session, on Tuesday, 8 November 2022 from 10:30 to 11:15 am at EquipHotel (conference will be in French).

INNOVATIONS

Innovation is a way of improving the performance of an establishment and is an important aspect of marketing, which is why it is central to the 2022 edition of EquipHotel. The highlight will be the Innovation Awards that rewards the best innovations (in products and services) from hospitality suppliers.

It's all about water

Hydrao offers solutions including a smart shower head, a smart rainfall shower and a smart meter, which are all being exhibited at EquipHotel this year. One thing that makes them unique is that their manufacturing process uses more than 25% recycled plastic, and their products offer savings on both water and energy bills. Finally, their playful and educational approach encourages consumers to adopt eco-responsible behaviour.

The benefits of bamboo

The bath linens designed by Comptoir du Bambou offer a number of advantages. The fibres used last three times longer than conventional cotton. They are soft, fluffy, highly absorbent and breathable. What's the secret? They come from bamboo. This innovation both improves the customer experience and reduces operating expenses. Discover them at EquipHotel.

It adds up!

EquipHotel is partnering with Werner & Mertz to invite hospitality professionals to calculate how much CO₂, petroleum and plastic they can save when cleaning their establishments, by using the “Green care calculator” (get.wmprof.com). This digital tool is the first to quantify the environmental benefits of using sustainable detergents.

© Werner & Mertz - At the end of EquipHotel, the tool will calculate the savings in CO2, oil and plastic made during the show.

EXPERIENCE

The short supply chain by Collège Culinaire de France

What if short supply chains were not just about distance? “It's also about having as few links in the chain as possible. And where different partners are involved, we have to say so and make transparency a real asset,” explains Célia Tunc, Secretary General of the Collège Culinaire de France (CCF), who will be at the 2022 edition of EquipHotel. The CCF, which includes 3,000 artisans across France, is convinced that “the future of culinary diversity and artisanship lies in high relational value.” To this end, the College has been working to create more opportunities for its members to meet, talk and share, “to inspire and enrich each other.”

According to Célia Tunc, these include “cooperative ventures” that bring together expertise at “Marchés des Ravitailleurs”, “Marchés Complices” and even the CCF's annual convention. “Our members are delighted,” says Celia Tunc. “These exchanges save them time by helping them improve their sourcing strategies and create real connections.” “We need to involve kitchen and front of the house teams in sourcing, and make it something that attracts both employees and customers,” she adds.