The result of the 2013 Macao Green Hotel Award was announced earlier and among the 16 awarded hotels, the Educational Hotel of IFT - Pousada de Mong-Há is one of the 4 hotels earning the Gold Award. Organising by Environmental Protection Bureau and co-orgnaised by Macau Government Tourist Office, the Macao Green Hotel Award is widely recognised and supported by the hotel industry. Through participating in this event, hotels can maintain and improve their performance in the green policies.

Pousada de Mong-Ha, a graceful hotel of history, is one of IFT’s training units. It received its first Green Hotel Award in 2007 and has continuously earned this award in the following years. With support of its staff, students and guests, its achievement of environmental protection is highly recognised. It has been adopting a series of measures to save energy and implant environmental protection awareness to its in-house guests including:

1) Adopts heat recovery system that provides hot water in guestrooms;

2) Adopts solar photovoltaic modules that provide lighting to the Institute’s car park so as to reduce electricity consumption and CO2 emission;

3) Uses e-document to reduce paper consumption;

4) Uses energy-saving lights;

5) Adopts segregated recycling;

6) Increases recycling rate of waste materials such as turning old curtains to bed and cushion cover, turning old table cover to pot cover, turning old towel to weight scale cover, etc.;

7) Adopts water-saving taps, shower heads and toilet;

8) Uses micro-fabric cleaning cloths to reduce the use of cleaning chemical;

9) Adopts “Upon request” and refillable guestroom amenities policy which uses clay containers to replace one time off plastic shower gel and shampoo bottles; guests are also encouraged to bring their own amenities;

10) Encourages guests to make their Green Commitment, and will mail guests the postcards which they have written their commitments on in 3 years time, serving as a reminder and souvenir purpose;

11) Utilises e-channels such as provide e-newspaper via computers and provide environmental bags in guestrooms;

12) Provides bed linens and towels for continued staying guests upon their requests to minimise the use of water and electricity resulting from laundry.

In the academic year of 2012/13, IFT achieved a 7.17% drop in the energy consumption per user. To facilitate the measures for environmental protection and update IFT’s environmental policy regularly, the Institute established the Occupational Safety & Health and Green Committee which comprised members from all departments. IFT also joined an energy management programme organised by Public Administration and Civil Service Bureau and Office for the Development of Energy Sector in order to further promote energy saving on campus and strengthen energy management. In addition, IFT held “2014 Healthy and Green Month” from 24 March to 16 April, offering a series of events for students and staff to join for raising their awareness of environmental protection and healthy lifestyle, as well as building a healthy and green campus environment together with joint effort.

By carrying out promotion and education over the years, IFT staff and students are aware of the importance of environmental protection. IFT will continue to be dedicated in building Macao a livable and sustainable city with citizens in Macao.