Cradle to Cradle as an important quality feature in the hotel industry

Recyclable building products as a credible sign of responsible action: JUNG switches and smart KNX technology with C2C certification

Environmentally-friendly construction and renovation as well as sustainable building operation are increasingly becoming important marketing tools in the hotel industry and positive messages for environmentally-conscious guests. The primary objective of sustainable construction measures is, of course, environmental protection. Resource-saving materials help reduce the ecological footprint and minimise the use of harmful chemicals, while efficient technologies also reduce energy and water consumption. However, sustainability aspects are also becoming an important marketing tool in the hotel industry and a growing market segment.

Environmental protection and social responsibility are gaining importance in all industries – including for many travellers who consciously choose sustainable hotels. By making environmentally-friendly measures such as energy efficiency, water conservation and waste reduction a concept, hotels not only create a sustainable image for themselves, but also reduce their consumption and costs at the same time. Certifications, including increasingly Cradle to Cradle, are used to evaluate the measures. The C2C certificate is currently the most important international standard for sustainable, recyclable and responsible products.

C2C in the hotel industry

Cradle to Cradle can be relevant in the hotel industry in many ways. C2C-certified building materials and interior furnishings are evaluated for their health and environmental impacts. The entire value chain is examined to ensure that products do not have a negative impact on people or the environment throughout their entire life cycle. All the materials used can either be returned to the biological cycle after use or remain permanently in a technical cycle through recycling and reuse instead of ending up as waste. The C2C philosophy can also be successfully integrated into the operation and management of hotels. It encompasses everything from the optimisation of energy and water efficiency and the use of renewable energies, through to the use of environmentally-friendly cleaning and care products and the implementation of a comprehensive waste management system.

Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze for JUNG switches

Over 50 individual JUNG products, including rocker switches, push-buttons, frames, inserts, classic sockets, sockets with USB connections and Safety+ inserts, covers and entire KNX modules have received the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze certification. One particular challenge was the certification of the entire KNX technology for smart home solutions, such as the push-button sensor module and the room controller module with their small-scale and complex technology. Thus, in the future, with the help of the C2C-certified switches from the LS 990, LS CUBE, AS 500, A 550, A FLOW and A CREATION ranges, smart hotels will not only be able to be controlled intelligently and automatically, but will now also demonstrably contribute to a closed circular economy. Initially, JUNG focused on the products in alpine white. During the process, 120 individual elements were also awarded the C2C Material Health Certificate™ Bronze. The Material Health Certificate creates certainty about the materials used in products and their supply chain.

Environmentally-friendly switches and sockets

All the certified JUNG series are produced using renewable energy. The materials are separable by type and can thus be fed into the recycling cycle. Plastic switches from JUNG are made of an environmentally-friendly thermoset material. The manufacturer is one of the main players in the field of research, production and processing of "green" chemicals worldwide. The material used for the JUNG switch range consists of a mixture of α-cellulose (100% from sustainable production with international FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification) and additives. The material is environmentally friendly, ecologically sustainable, not based on petrochemicals and not oxidatively degradable, i.e. no microplastics are produced.

More and more travellers are looking for environmentally-conscious accommodations and opting for hotels that are committed to sustainable practices. C2C certification is an internationally credible and recognised mark of environmentally-responsible action. It is currently gaining in importance as a tool to promote sustainability and circular economy in the hotel industry, and therefore represents an important step towards a sustainable tourism industry.

Further information at: jung.de/c2c and jung.de/hospitality

Reference feature
A sustainable hotel concept at the Landhotel Bohrerhof, Hartheim am Rhein

The Landhotel Bohrerhof is part of a farming operation in the Black Forest. In line with a holistic concept for the management of the farm, the hotel's new building as well as its operation have been designed on the basis of the criteria of sustainability, energy and resource efficiency. LS 990 switches and hospitality solutions in alpine white, which have been awarded the Cradle to Cradle certificate, as well as smart JUNG KNX equipment help ensure that the ambitious project leaves the smallest possible ecological footprint.

The farm focuses on growing various vegetables and fruits on 200 hectares of land with around 50 employees. Over time it has been supplemented with a farm store and bakery as well as its own restaurant and the recently opened country hotel. The person who came up with the idea for the future-oriented Bohrerhof with production, sales and tourism according to the "farm-to-table" principle was Bruno Bohrer, who unfortunately passed away shortly before the hotel opened in 2022.

The sustainable hotel concept was developed jointly by the family and the architect Rudolf Lais from Eschbach. With 64 rooms as well as event and meeting rooms, the building now blends harmoniously into the agricultural setting with its regionally typical glulam construction using local woods. In combination with the materials glass, steel and stone, a modern facade appearance is created. The interior is dominated by brown wood and natural tones, supplemented with carefully placed touches of colour. The style specification for the interior was to create a "rural-modern-comfortable" atmosphere. This can be found especially in the guest rooms, which are kept in a friendly yellow/green on the 1st floor and a warm green/blue on the 2nd floor. The furnishings, some with organic shapes, are made of natural woods, thereby further emphasising through the design the special connection with nature.

To create maximum comfort for guests, the hotel is equipped with a powerful Smart Home KNX system from JUNG, controlled via a JUNG Visu Pro server. Various spatial scenarios can be called up via F 50 push-buttons and the temperature, lighting and shading can all be individually configured by the guest. Complementary sensors also optimise the energy efficiency of the building. Design-wise, the switches and push-buttons of the LS 990 range blend in perfectly in either alpine white or antique brass, depending on the background. In the bathrooms, the white switches look stylish on an exposed concrete background. A special feature of the electrical equipment can be found in the entrance/reception area. Here, electrical charging columns with LS 990 sockets and USB sockets with USB type A and C connections have been installed, so that guests can conveniently charge their mobile devices. All the switches and sockets used in the LS 990 range in alpine white are Cradle-to-Cradle certified and thus contribute to the sustainable architecture of the country hotel.

Most of the energy needed for the hotel is created on site or in the immediate vicinity: In addition to a photovoltaic system for generating electricity on the Bohrerhof, energy is also generated by a nearby biogas plant that is operated with organic waste from agriculture. A groundwater heat pump reduces cooling energy in the summer and heating energy in the winter. The energy goal is to achieve a zero energy standard with the hotel and farm as far as possible. The charging stations for electric cars and e-bikes also benefit guests. The investment sum of over 13 million euros for this ambitious project was raised by means of crowdfunding. The Bohrer family is now planning to do the same for the next expansion step for their 'farm of the future' – a bathhouse with sauna.

Location
Zum Bohrerhof 1
79258 Hartheim am Rhein
www.bohrerhof.de/landhotel

Technology
KNX with:
F 50 push-button sensors in WW
F 10 pushbutton sensors – brass
KNX Presence Detector Mini 3361-1MWW
JUNG Visu Pro
REG actuators

Design
LS 990 in alpine white
LS 990 in antique brass

Client
Landhotel Bohrerhof / Bohrer family
79258 Hartheim am Rhein
Web: www.bohrerhof.de/landhotel

Architecture
LAIS Architekten
Dipl.-Ing. Rudolf Johannes Lais
Freier Architekt
79427 Eschbach
Web: www.lais-architekten.de

Electrical planning and electrical installation
Hermann Bieg & Sohn Elektrotechnisches Unternehmen GmbH
79418 Schliengen-Obereggenen
Website: www.bieg.de

Images:
© Henrik Schipper