Luxury with a Conscience

Staying true to the title of one of the first and largest luxury chains with maximum LEED Platinum-rated properties, ITC Hotels weaves eco-conscious initiatives into each of its hotels.

IT WAS 2009 WHEN ‘Responsible Luxury’ became the bedrock for ITC Hotels. The guiding premise of the concept is crafting luxury experiences in harmony with the environment and society. The hospitality giant has since climbed its way up to the top to become one of the first and largest chains in the world to have received LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification for all of its luxury properties in the country. Today, with its decade-long eco-conscious ethos and dedication to contribute to the ‘green economy’, ITC Hotels has created a fusion of wellness and contextual design.

The LEED Platinum rating is the highest possible distinction granted by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), and the brand’s countless planet-positive initiatives do justice to the title. Abiding by the primary rule of LEED-oriented architecture, ITC Hotels builds its spaces in harmony with nature. ITC Kohenur in Hyderabad, for instance, is erected in such a manner that optimises its interaction with the sun, giving its guests great access to natural light. On the other hand, ITC Gardenia in Bengaluru not only boasts a naturally wind-cooled open lobby but also delivers clean, fresh air that is pumped through superior quality equipment, helping the guests as well as the staff breathe easy.

New Delhi’s ITC Maurya, the world’s first hotel to have been awarded Platinum rating under LEED’s Existing Building programme, operates a private biogas plant as part of its efforts to recycle and reuse 99 per cent of solid waste, the organic portions of which are converted into manure. Natural materials like stone, silk, and sustainably harvested wood are chosen over synthetic alternatives when it comes to decor. ITC Grand Chola’s in-house water purification system, ŚūnyAqua, enhances the wellness quotient of drinking water while ensuring a planetpositive experience. The same model has been mirrored at several other ITC hotels. From eliminating single-use plastic to installing wind farms, ITC Hotels has been combating various environmental and community crises, and is determined to continue safeguarding biodiversity, natural resources, and human health with its innovative measures. itchotels.in

ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata blends European and indigenous architecture. Above: ITC Grand Chola in Chennai has an in-house purification system that enhances the quality of drinking water. ITC Kohenur in Hyderabad is angled to enhance its interaction with the sun, giving its guests access to natural light.