Welcomhotel Amritsar is now Punjab’s ‘First LEED Certified Hotel’ under the aegis of USGBC (US Green Building Council). Spread across eight acres, Welcomhotel Amritsar has achieved a Platinum rating under LEED 2011 for India NC (New Construction) program within just seven months of its launch.
This is yet another accolade for ITC Hotels-the first and largest chain of hotels in the world, with maximum LEED Platinum Certified properties.
Platinum rating is the highest category of certification preceded by Gold, Silver and Certified. Welcomhotel Amritsar met the coveted rating for energy efficiency by using 33% less energy, reducing the water consumption by 46%, developing rainwater harvesting capacity of 30% of the peak rainfall, and reducing the cooling demand with over 75% of roof area covered with high Solar Reflective Index tiles, among many such sustainable initiatives. Commenting on this momentous achievement, Nakul Anand, Executive Director-ITC Ltd said “ITC Hotels is committed to sustainable business practices. As per USGBC built to LEED or LEED equivalency doesn’t exist — there is no substitute to LEED certification. This is a proud moment for the Welcomhotel brand. Green buildings are energy efficient, utilize renewable energy, conserve and recycle water while taking concrete steps to preserve the eco-system around them. Our commitment to Responsible Luxury has given ITC Hotels the unique distinction of being the greenest luxury hospitality chain in the world.” ITC Hotels has always prided itself for being future-ready. Be it, ITC Gardenia – the first LEED Platinum-certified hotel in Asia-Pacific (2009) to ITC Maurya – the first hotel in the world to be awarded LEED Platinum in the existing building category (2010) or ITC Grand Chola – the largest LEED-certified hotel (2012). ITC Hotels currently has 18 LEED Platinum Certified Properties including it’s corporate office, the ITC Green Centre which was the first corporate building in India to be LEED Platinum rated as well as the biggest Platinum rated green building in the world in 2004. Launched in November 2019, the Welcomhotel Amritsar is centred around a colonnaded mansion, which traces its origins to the early 1900s and has been painstakingly restored with all modern comforts while preserving the cultural, architectural and culinary nuances of a splendid era. The hotel redefines the tourism landscape of Punjab and makes a meaningful contribution to the tourism potential of the state.
