Sustainable Water Stewardship in a Tropical City Hotel Chain

Thesis Abstract

Sustainable water stewardship in tropical city hotels is increasingly critical as urban demand, climatic variability, and tourism-related water use exert pressure on municipal supplies and hotel operations. The study addresses the gap between policy aspirations and on-the-ground implementation of water sustainability practices within a major hotel chain operating across a tropical megacity. The aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of integrated water stewardship strategies and to identify leverage points that enhance resilience, efficiency, and stakeholder engagement. Specific objectives include (1) assessing current water use intensity and wastewater reuse rates across ten properties; (2) evaluating the adoption, performance, and social dimensions of water-saving technologies and behavioral interventions; (3) quantifying the environmental and economic outcomes of green water management practices; (4) identifying organizational, regulatory, and cultural barriers to implementation; and (5) developing a context-specific framework for scalable water stewardship in tropical hotel settings. The methodological approach integrates a mixed-methods design combining quantitative and qualitative data to ensure a comprehensive understanding of both outcomes and processes. The population consists of all water-related management records from the ten hotels over a three-year period (2019–2021) and a purposive sample of 180 staff members across facilities, including facilities managers, engineers, sustainability coordinators, and frontline hoteliers. Data collection instruments include (i) utility bill and metered data records to derive water use intensity (liters per occupied room and per square meter) and wastewater treatment/recirculation rates; (ii) a structured survey measuring adoption of water-saving technologies, perceived behavioral controls, and organizational support, with a target response rate of 70%; (iii) semi-structured interviews with 20 managers and 20 frontline staff to capture contextual factors, incentives, and cultural dynamics; and (iv) environmental and financial performance reports to quantify cost savings, payback periods, and GHG implications. Validity and reliability are ensured through triangulation, pilot testing of instruments, and Cronbach’s alpha thresholds above 0.7 for all multi-item scales. Data analysis employs (a) descriptive statistics and time-series analysis to track trends in water use and efficiency across properties; (b) regression analysis to identify determinants of water-saving adoption and its impact on operational costs; (c) a difference-in-differences approach to estimate the causal effects of implementing a centralized water stewardship program; (d) structural equation modeling to test the theoretical relationships among organizational factors, staff behavior, and water conservation outcomes; (e) thematic analysis of interview transcripts to reveal emergent themes related to governance, incentives, and barriers; and (f) a cost-benefit analysis comparing pre- and post-intervention performance. Expectations include substantial reductions in water use intensity and wastewater discharge after deployment of sensor-driven monitoring and low-flow fixtures, with an estimated 15–25% improvement in water efficiency and payback within 2–4 years; enhanced reuse of treated graywater in landscape irrigation contributing to a 10–20% reduction in potable water demand; and improved stakeholder engagement yielding higher compliance with conservation protocols. The study contributes to knowledge by advancing a context-specific integrative framework for water stewardship in tropical hospitality settings that links technological, behavioral, and organizational dimensions, and by providing empirical evidence on the economic viability and social acceptability of water-saving interventions in high-density urban hotels. The findings will inform policy recommendations for hotel chains pursuing scalable, resilient, and financially sustainable water management strategies in tropical climates. The main conclusion anticipates that coordinated governance, targeted incentives, and continuous monitoring are pivotal to achieving sustained water stewardship, while recommendations emphasize adopting modular, data-driven water management platforms, embedding water stewardship in staff training, and mainstreaming graywater reuse within regulatory and safety constraints.