Environmental Policy

Have we really got the power? YES, WE DO! We’ve reduced our total energy use and Co2 emissions a lot by making changes such as lighting and boiler upgrades, insulation, and oil to gas projects.

• Our boiler room was upgraded in 2021 to a condensing boiler allowing an annual saving of 135 MWh in heat and 20 MWh in electricity. In addition, do we make use of 100% green electricity. We regulate the temperature in the atrium area with 95% piping isolation since 2018 and new ventilator installed in 2023 to ensure building efficiency.

• The temperature in each room is under thermostatic control which can be adjusted independently, and the air conditioning turns off when the guest checks out. During noon and 14:00 the air conditioning in all rooms is turned off. The entrance doors are equipped with porches and air curtains.

• We can prevent the unnecessary waste of energy by using lights with motion detectors and 100% low energy LED lights in the entire building. Lights in the lobby and back of the house are dimmed every day after 9PM, Hubert hour.

• Sensorea company provides sensing, monitoring, alarming, forecasting and investigation services to keep us on the right track to achieve our targets. This helps us control our carbon footprint making it possible for us to reduce our CO2 from 198 tons in 2019 to 148 tons of CO2 in 2023.

We avoid unnecessary water consumption by using special water taps and shower heads with water pressure regulation and have only showers, which consume a third of the water a bathtub would – 26 bathtubs equal 1 pair of cotton jeans. I train our staff to locate and prevent leakages in the rooms and general areas. There is also an ongoing implementation of the 4-minute challenge water for my guests.

We harvest rainwater and reutilize it to water our plants à 4 000 L of rainwater saved per year. That is equal to the water consumption required to produce one cotton T-shirt.

Guess what? Only one glass water bottle provided per room and soon, water fountains in each floor will be installed, allowing my guests to fill in reusable glass bottles and take it to their room (installation ongoing). Water fountains are available for the team and at the gym to avoid the use of disposable water bottles.

No single use in-room and bathroom amenities provided, after all what’s the point? We use refillable shower gel and shampoo and conditioner dispensers.

Me and my team take recycling very seriously, that is why we have a recycling procedure and recycling bins in public areas. During Covid my new maintenance office was built with the material that was left from the refurbishment.

We minimize paper waste by sending the invoices via email, making use of digital check-in and check-out, and having one note cloud for all my departments.

DYI IDEA  - Do you see these lovely terrariums? These glass containers used to have a meal inside and now these are now a home to a green plant.

I don’t have my own restaurant to minimize food waste , but my partner, The Foodmaker, located in the lobby, focuses on local ingredients, no addition of preservatives and sufficient organic and vegan options.

We buy as much as possible from local suppliers, helping to support local producers as well as cutting down on unnecessary food miles: cheeses and cold cuts come from a local cheese maker, located 1 km away from the hotel. We dehydrate fruits and use it for drinks - long lasting consumption period. All my juices, beers, softs and pasta bowl are from a Belgian supplier.

Wine-by-the-glass with INVINEO wine machine: INVINEO chills and serves our wines at their ideal temperature and serves exact quantities, reducing our wastage. The packaging is also recyclable and reusable. They serve a selection of French wines only.

We recently implemented Too Good To Go since May 2023. So far we have saved 10KG of CO2 and 4 meals.

Need another DYI idea? My team reutilizes Nespresso coffee pads to make coffee scrub as a gift for the team and VIP guests.

Say what? My housekeeping team provides room cleaning and change of linen & towels only upon request and uses Raypath microfibers, allowing the cleaning of all washable surfaces in the hotel without detergent products.

Blycolin, our linen supplier, focuses on the circular economy and is committed to give the linen a second lease of life or to recycle it.

Use of Enozo Pro Spray bottle, a natural O2 cleaner, for lobby surfaces.

We make use of refillable and eco-labelled body wash and shampoo and 80% of our cleaning products are chemical free (vinegar & water).

My place is a 100% non-smoker, so my guests are invited to smoke outside and 10 meters away from the door to make sure we keep a fresh and non-polluted air inside.

With a perfect geographical location, we encourage guests to make walking tours or use bicycles or scooters’ app by partnering with Pro velo, Groovy Brussels and Oh My Guide! If not possible, we always encourage the use of public transportation like metro, train, or tram. Inside the hotel, a bike parking area is available for our guests and my team.

Our lobby is used as a co-working space and a place where we stream eco-system documentaries. On the hotel’s rooftop are four bird nests installed to support the local animals.

In 2021, Mr. Hubert has decided to highlight Brussels’ know-how and promote local craftsmen by offering them a space – my beautiful living room – to express themselves and show the public their art. Each month a new local craftsman was featured and was launched with a vernissage (Ben Artside; Solizandre ceramic; …).

In 2022, we welcomed refugee families from Ukraine in our complimentary rooms.

In 2023, our ongoing project is to support Cinema Nova and Nativitas. We will sell goodies and donate a part of the income to buy Cinema nova tickets, and then distribute it to Nativitas, which will ultimately allow people in difficult situations access to culture. Cinema Nova is a non-profit organization located in front of the hotel, whose goal is to help independent artists. Nativitas is also a non-profit association that helps precarious and isolated people.

My team really is the best and together we can accomplish the unthinkable!

In my team of 21 member we already have 9 different nationalities, promoting cultural diversity.

As a reward, since 2018, Hotel Hubert’s team has unlimited access to the fitness. Recently, we welcomed all Pandox* employees in Brussels interested in our fitness with complimentary use. There is also a special staff rate available for my team for all Belgian Pandox hotels.

Frequent team building sessions and professional trainings are organized throughout the year to keep my team members motivated. Public transportation and employee meals are also paid by the company. To celebrate my team efforts on their birthdays, a personalized gift and cake is offered to each one of my team members.

As a result of a survey sent every 3 months, we have an employee satisfaction score of 86.1% (data from December 2022).

*Pandox group is the owner of Hotel Hubert.