Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) services company Farnek says it will participate as a sustainability partner in the Hotel Show that will open next week at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

Farnek, which recently launched a dedicated standalone hotel management company called Trendz, offers a unique 360-degree service for hotel owners and operating companies with an accent on sustainability, technology and outsourcing, three of the most important trends in hospitality.

“Guests today demand green, tech-driven hotels that offer value for money. That puts pressure on hotel operators to present credible environmental programmes and investment in technology while striving for cost-efficiency,” says Walter Knight, director of hospitality, Farnek.

Established over 40 years ago, with 8,000 employees, Farnek has traditionally provided manpower and outsourcing services, such as cleaning, security and property maintenance, all areas of a hotel’s operation that are now integral to sustainability and cost-efficiency.

During the Expo2020 Dubai that concluded recently after a successful 6-month run, thanks to its 360° services, Farnek was chosen to manage the 2,273 apartments in Expo Village, including reservation services, concierge, front office services and housekeeping.

In terms of technology, Farnek has developed an in-house app called ‘Flexi-Guest’, which digitalises the guest journey from pre-arrival to check out. The app interfaces with a hotel’s property management system (PMS), affording guests a whole suite of services from uploading travel documents, such as vaccination certificates, ordering a car on arrival, room service and laundry. The hotel app can also send automated electronic updates and alerts to the guest, as well as e-registration documents, e-invoices and e-receipts, all in one convenient space.

Sustainability is another key issue for hotels. At the Hotel Show, during a conference session entitled Sustainable Procurement – a 360 degree overview of ESG compliant Procurement, Nadia Ibrahim, Farnek’s Associate Director of Consultancy and Sustainability, will share her thoughts with industry professionals on the adoption of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) standards in the procurement process and how this can be integrated into a hotel’s supply chain process, as well as collaborating with suppliers to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of business through responsible sourcing.

“With the UAE strategy to turn Net Zero by 2050, it is vital that hotels consider the impact their operations have on the environment and put a strategic roadmap in place to reduce their carbon emissions. The UAE government can’t achieve its sustainability goals without support from the private sector,” says Ibrahim.

Hotel owners and operators will also need to implement strategic plans to initiate large-scale retrofitting and energy efficiency projects, for which sustainable design and energy-efficient performance will be of paramount importance.

Integrating with Building Management Systems (BMS), Farnek’s HITEK digital solution is fully equipped to identify, design, deliver, and finance energy reduction for and on behalf of building owners, which creates more cost-effective buildings and a cleaner environment.

Farnek will also focus on outsourcing, particularly in housekeeping, an area Farnek believes training is of the utmost importance. “Outsourced staff must be highly trained in all areas of their job; that’s fundamental. But it is just as important that they understand the essence of the brand they are working for and how to become an integral part of the hotel team, not just a contracted worker in a uniform,” says Knight.