Tourism’s Impact on Sustainability in Hawaii

The Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa is showcasing the opportunities of sustainability in Hawaii and inspiring change throughout the world, proving that sustainability not only protects the environment but also has economic and social benefits. The progressive changes that the resort has undertaken have benefitted in reducing fossil fuel energy use, water efficiency, waste diversion, cultural understanding, local food production, all while increasing the resort's occupancy and reducing the overhead cost of operations.   

In the last 15 years, the Hyatt Regency Maui has seen a 40% energy use reduction through significant energy-efficiency retrofits. Changes included: 

• LED lighting retrofits throughout the entire resort. 
• Heat exchange technology for water heating at the pool and domestic water use. 
• High-efficiency chiller replacement. 
• Fan coil unit-variable frequency drive fans in every room. 
• Building automation system optimization.  

This energy use reduction has avoided almost 4,000 metric tons of CO2e – the equivalent of 10,000,000 miles driven in an average American car.  With one of the largest rooftop PV installations in the state, the Hyatt Regency is producing more than 5% of its energy through onsite renewable energy. This may not sound like much, but considering the facility houses and employs over 6,000 people per month, it significantly impacts the local energy production and distribution systems. 

Indoor water use was reduced by over 50% in the last 15 years through high-efficiency pool filtration, water fixture efficiency, and lower service industry water use. The benefits of potable water use reduction help avoid taking away from the aquafer of the island. The resort has also used reclaimed water for irrigation use to avert millions of gallons of potable water every year. 

In an effort to reduce waste going to the landfill, Hyatt Regency Maui started a program that allowed pig farmers to come to the resort to pick up food waste. The resort paid the farmers to pick up the food waste to avoid hauling costs from the landfill and to incentivize the farmers into the program. This food waste went to the pigs, which were later brought back to the resort to be roasted for the luau’s to feed the guests. 

Through all of these initiatives, Hyatt Regency Maui has achieved some of the highest occupancy levels in all of the resorts on Maui and possibly in the state of Hawaii. It has the largest number of guest rooms throughout Maui and the most guests visiting per month. Sustainability doesn’t just mean saving the environment, but it also means economic and social sustainability    for international corporations and small organizations worldwide.   

Hyatt Regency Maui has proved that there are far more benefits to being environmentally and socially responsible than being a “green” organization.  It increases the human experience, cultural understanding, and environmental impact that can be achieved by making environmentally, socially, and fiscally responsible decisions. 

Contact Energy Efficiency Specialist, Austin Van Heusen, of EnergyLogic's Green Building Hawaii division.