Consultus: Achieving Net Zero, from Planning to Results

The hospitality industry faces complex challenges on the road to net zero – building retrofitting, complex waste management, supply chain volatility and guest experience just to name a few.

Originally established in 1994, Consultus has grown to become one of the UK’s largest net zero consultancies specialising in hospitality. 

Consultus experts help to tackle sustainability challenges across hospitality, from understanding trends and baselines, to identifying demand-led initiatives and justifying key investment decisions. 

Bradley Wilson, Commercial Director at Consultus, feels that net zero is “very realistic” for hotel chains but the importance is building a blended, balanced strategy that considers the constraints of the portfolio and all options available, including new technologies, progressive policies and solutions.

“Key to making net zero a reality is the ‘buy-in’ and commitment from both the business and the partner,” he says.

Delivering improvements for L+R Hotels

Consultus has been working with L+R since 2020 when it was originally contracted to enhance utility purchasing and manage its property portfolio. 

Bradley explains: “This included adopting a unique, pioneering, flexible trading strategy that has returned market leading results for over five years now, such as navigating L+R through the energy crisis unscathed. 

“Another big part of our service is the maintenance and management of their portfolio including the highest level of data integrity across all three fuels: electricity, gas and water. 

“Having advanced metering and the right data structure has allowed L+R to have financial control, contributing to us being able to provide surety around budgeting, forecasting and overall cost control - which is vital to the hospitality sector.”

Consultus has since used its position as a key strategic partner to expand its remit, supporting L+R with building a bespoke, robust net zero strategy. 

Bradley says: “Our work to create a foundation of data integrity and high performing purchasing was the first building block to this strategy. 

“We then enrolled them onto our Net Zero Pathway, which is designed to bring key stakeholders together and run a series of workshops and audits to build a strategy which includes agreeing appropriate targets, solutions and implementation projects fit for L+R.”

Consultus’ commitment to net zero

For L+R Hotels, which has an international portfolio, Consultus’ baseline assessment revealed opportunities for immediate improvements in energy efficiency and renewable sourcing.

Consultus developed a tailored, phased roadmap, starting with operational changes that deliver quick wins, before addressing more complex structural challenges.

"Our initial focus is optimising existing systems and procurement strategies, which can reduce emissions by 15-20% without major capital investments" Bradley says.

The company's expertise extends beyond just energy procurement to encompass comprehensive sustainability management, with specialised services for organisations seeking to reduce their environmental impact.

Now the strategy has been built, Consultus will continue to work closely with L+R to reach net zero. 

Bradley explains: “This work will include controlling access to data across the portfolio, analysing insights in patterns of usage, carrying out full audits of the portfolio, exploring new technologies for onsite generation, assessing and recommending energy efficiency schemes, cultural engagement programmes, designing and implementing on-site projects and then reporting on the impact year on year.”

To read the full L+R Hotels' Digital Report, click HERE.

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