Killarney resident Odran Lucey, who is executive chef at the Rose Hotel in Tralee, has become the first person in the world to successfully complete a new qualification for environmental sustainability management in hospitality.
Fifty Shades Greener and the Confederation of Tourism and Hospitality joined forces in 2021 to create the first award of its kind to be regulated as an official qualification on the Ofqual framework of education. It is targeted at reducing carbon emissions through education and to provide personnel with the skills to influence employers, politicians and the wider society.
Engaging with the programme in 2021, Odran implemented an environmental management system at the hotel with many different reduction initiatives, including installing sensor lighting, collaborating with a local garden centre to utilise disposed of coffee, forming a green team and actively monitoring utilities and CO2 every month.
So far, hotel has achieved a reduction of energy of 16 per cent and food waste by 26 per cent.
Odran, a father of two who lives in Tiernaboul, Killarney, remarked: “While somewhat aware of the environmental issues we face, I was completely unaware to what extent our business was contributing to some of these issues”.
He added: “As the course progressed and we began completing the workbooks, we immediately saw areas where much improvement could be made, from an environmental and financial perspective.”
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