The Hotel and Catering International Management Association (HCIMA) has added three new Hospitable Climate fact files to its portfolio of free-of-charge energy efficiency advisory documents.

They are: Renewable Energy (number 25); Heat Recovery (number: 26); and "Making the Most of Your Hospitable Climates Membership (number 27).

The fact file on Renewable Energy suggests there are three practical ways of harnessing renewable energy

• using the design and construction of buildings to take advantage of the natural energy;
• investing in small scale renewable technologies on site that harness the power of the sun, wind, water or biomass;
• purchasing "green" energy from a utility company that uses renewable natural resources to produce their supply.

The new fact file on Heat Recovery has been designed to help managers understand "heat recovery" technology , such as a Combined Heat and Power (CHP) unit, which  saves energy by making a generator’s heat, which would normally be wasted, available as hot water or steam.

The third fact file – Making the Most of Your Hospitable Climates Membership has been written to help Hospitable Climates users improve their profile, by publicising their membership of the programme.

By Ross Bentley

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