Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI)

The Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) is a methodology and tool enable hotels measure and report on carbon emissions in a consistent way.
It was developed by the International Tourism Partnership and the World Travel & Tourism Council in partnership with KPMG (multinational professional services network, Netherlands) and 23 global hotel companies.
HCMI is free and can be used by any hotel anywhere in the world, from small guesthouses to 5 star resorts.
Over 15,000 hotels around the world have so far adopted the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) methodology that allows them, for the first time, to calculate and communicate the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings in a consistent and transparent way.
The methodology was first developed in 2011, applying a number of aspects of the GHG Protocol Standards.
During 2012 its practical applicability was tested in hotels of different styles and size in different geographical locations.
It was further refined following a subsequent stakeholder engagement program, including a number of Hotel Associations and a review by the World Resources Institute (WRI), one of the GHG Protocol development partners.
During 2013, the Working Group gathered further feedback from users of the methodology and stakeholders, reviewed research by Cornell University’s Center for Hospitality Research, and updated the methodology accordingly.
The Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative demonstrates how effective collaboration can provide solutions which benefit customers, individual companies, and wider industry. Through common measurement and language, stakeholders will now be able to greater understand their footprints and impacts.
The methodology provides hotels with a carbon footprint: per occupied room on a daily basis, and per area of meeting space on an hourly basis.