It ain’t always easy, being green.

But one Cork hotel has made a mammoth effort to make every part of its operation more sustainable… and it’s paying off in more ways than one.

Cork’s Imperial Hotel has been given the stamp of approval for sustainability after earning a prestigious award in the Fifty Shades Greener national environmental programme run in conjunction with Cork College of FET in Bishopstown.

After investing nearly €400,000 into a sustainability programme over the last four years, The Imperial is the first Cork hospitality venue to be awarded Fifty Shades Greener’s prestigious Gold Label.

Having recently signed a contract with an electricity provider for 100 percent renewable energy, the hotel has also removed all single-use plastics from its rooms.

The in-house purchasing policy is to source all food as locally as possible, with 67 percent of ingredients locally sourced at present.

The Imperial is also working to reduce water consumption, installing pressure-compensating water systems and replacing glass bottled water in bedrooms with sustainable Tetra Pak water. Their cleaning products are all sourced from green providers and they are looking to start rainwater harvesting, which could be used to supplement water for showers or cleaning.

“We are shouting from the rooftops because we are so incredibly proud,” said The Imperial’s General Manager Bastien Peyraud, who, along with his ‘Green Team’ has been working hard to make the multi-award-winning hotel carbon neutral.

“We are always looking for ways to reduce our footprint, care for and protect the environment, and give back to the communities we are part of.

‘’We are not only tasked with significantly reducing our energy consumption and carbon footprint, but we are also responsible for taking care of a historic building, which has been a part of Cork City for over 200 years.”