The Ambassador’s Award for Excellence is intended to recognise the U.S. firms in Malta that have demonstrated the ability of being environmental leaders over the past year. The award recognises those organisations that are contributing to safeguard environmental challenges by innovative and environmentally sustainable practices.

Hilton Malta is this year’s winner of this prestigious award. Our submission for this year is the Waste Heat Recovering Unit. Normally, the waste produced from the cooling of the chillers, which is actually warm water, is disposed of directly into the sea. This year, Hilton Malta has invested in a heat pump that transforms this warm water into a heat source that is being used to preheat the hot water used by the hotel, which was previously produced by gas fired burners. The application of the heat pump was unprecedented and required us to operate this equipment outside its design limits. This system proved to be very effective and efficient, and following a full year of operation the gas burners were no longer needed except when maintenance was being carried out to the system. As a result,we consumed 280m3ofLPG gas less, with a net energy reduction of 2,000,000 kwh. A Co2reduction of 280 tonnes and a net cost savings of or €120,000 per annum was registered.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility,in addition to continuously striving to remain competitive and abreast with the latest technology developments, Hilton Maltais committed to continuously improve its sustainability through initiatives that lead the industry. The successes achieved motivate us to seek further opportunities in this sector which also distinguish Hilton Malta as leaders within the industryas well as a benchmarkfor our competitors.