Environment

Hotel Holmenkollen - The Nordic Ecolabel

Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica was the first hotel in Norway that met the new stringent environmental requirements of The Swan (The Nordic Ecolabel) for hotels. This is the world's highest hotel standards, and we are proud to take an environmental responsibility and hopefully lead way for other hotels to do the same.

The Rica hotels has always been a pioneer when it comes to safety and environmental conservation. We are inspired by the fresh air and the stunning scenery around the hotel. The desire and the duty to preserve this for future generations, sits as a reflex in the hotels backbone. This is also an important part during training of our staff, so that measures are a matter of course - not just a necessity.

Environment

Less energy and water

With stringent control of our energy consumption, we have reduced kilowatt hours per guest. These are small, but many changes, which in total make a big difference. Light sensors in halls and garage, timers for light switches, less use of gas torches and reduced outdoor lighting on the facade, are some of the measures we have taken. We have also reduced the water consumption by 50 percent in the guest rooms by using filters on all faucets and adjusting the toilet cisterns. Reuse of water fountains etc. provides additional savings in water consumption. Common to all these measures is that they do not intervene with our guests' needs or pleasures.
 

Fewer disposable products

By switching from disposable packets of butter, to small bowls of butter, we have saved approximately 270 kg of plastic waste. This is equivalent to over 500 kg of crude oil. The transition from egg cups in plastic to porcelain, has saved the environment for additional 100 kg of plastic waste. Once we have gone through all of our consumer products, we have saved the environment for a huge amount of waste.
 

Stringent requirements for suppliers

We have reduced the use of environmentally harmful chemicals, by focusing on suppliers that are also eco-labeled. At the same time, we use a laundry chain that focuses on reducing the consumption of energy, detergents and water - a focus that awarded them the same Nordic Ecolabel we are certified with - the Swan. This means that the towels and bedding you use as a guest, are healthy for our environment. Our energy supplier Troms Kraft, delivers electricity that is exclusively produced by renewable sources such as hydropower and wind power.
 

Waste management

We ensure that all our suppliers are members of "Grønt Punkt" (The Green Point). "The Green Point" secures financing of the return arrangements for plastic, metal, glass and cardboard, while they account for collection and recycling.

The hotel produces nearly 80 tons of biological food waste during a year. This is handled in our own composting facility. Waste are put in a grinder and transferred to a compost machine where air and heat are added. The result is 1.5 tonnes soil improvement material each year. In addition we do not have to transport the waste materials, or cool down waste rooms.