ITC Mughal, located in the historical city of Agra in India, has made history by becoming the first hotel in the world to receive the prestigious LEED Zero Water Certification. This certification is awarded to buildings that have achieved net-zero water consumption by implementing sustainable water management practices.
The ITC Mughal is a stunning hotel building that boasts of an impressive array of features designed to reduce its water consumption. One of the key features of the hotel is its Sewage Water Treatment Plant (STP) with a design capacity of 400 KLD. The STP treats all the sewage generated by the hotel and produces clean water that can be reused for various purposes, such as flushing, irrigation, hardscape cleaning, and HVAC cooling tower.
Another noteworthy feature of the ITC Mughal is its rainwater harvesting system, which consists of 16 pits on the site to collect rainwater from roof and non-roof areas, and a rainwater harvesting pond to capture rainwater. The harvested rainwater is treated and reused for non-potable purposes, further reducing the hotel's dependence on freshwater.
In addition to these features, the ITC Mughal also reuses RO reject water after treatment from the STP plant, thereby minimizing water wastage. The hotel has also taken a proactive approach towards landscaping by planting native adaptive species in an area of 396,154 sq. ft., which represents approximately 65% of the total landscape area. This move has significantly reduced the hotel's water usage for irrigation purposes.
The ITC Mughal's achievement of the LEED Zero Water Certification is a testament to the hotel's commitment towards sustainability and its efforts to minimize its impact on the environment. The hotel's sustainable water management practices not only help conserve water but also promote the efficient use of resources, making it a role model for other hotels and buildings across the world.
In conclusion, the ITC Mughal's LEED Zero Water Certification is a significant milestone that highlights the hotel's dedication to sustainability and sets an example for others to follow. The hotel's innovative and eco-friendly water management practices demonstrate that it is possible to achieve net-zero water consumption while maintaining the highest standards of hospitality.