By late 2025, most hotels have have done the visible work: LEDs, towel reuse, refillables, less plastic. But the biggest impacts may still sit out of sight in how we build, furnish, supply, and host. From a supplier’s lens (GCSTIMES), three blind spots now matter most:
- Embodied carbon in construction and FF&E. Trend-driven refresh cycles, high-carbon materials, and short-lived imports quietly inflate footprints. Shift to specify low-carbon materials with EPDs, choose modular and repairable FF&E, prioritize refurbishment over replacement, and make warranties and take-back programs as standard criteria.
- Scope 3 supply-chain emissions. Purchased goods and services, F&B, contractors, freight, waste represent the bulk of impact. Changing these requires supplier-level data and governance: require emissions disclosures, flag catalog items with CO₂e and chemistry indicators, set basic carbon standards for vendors, and link contract renewals to verified improvements.
- Guest travel and events. Flights, ground transport, conferences, and weddings often outweigh any building-level efficiencies. Hotels can influence these emissions by integrating rail and shared mobility into booking flows, offering incentives for low-carbon arrivals, and providing “carbon-light” event templates with transparent reporting.
The opportunity now is to convert these unseen impacts into visible value. Properties that master what guests don’t see will gain preference, resilience, and margin in 2026.
ABOUT GCSTIMES
Since 2011, GCSTlMES has pioneered sustainable development, evolving from smart card R&D to sustainable material innovation. Today, we stand as a global platform for sustainable solutions.
Sustainability is our foundation. Through technological innovation and creative solutions, GCSTlMES delivers diverse services and tangible products, positioning ourselves as both manufacturers and innovators.
GCSTlMES believes technology should empower human progress and cultural preservation. By integrating sustainability into technology, we aim to make it “warm” and purposeful. Our products serve as cultural ambassadors, promoting local heritage worldwide.
Brand Portfolio: GCS, AUROkeys, Xenyra, and Glint Spot, offering sustainable smart cards, creative (custom-shaped) key cards sustainable supplies, cultural gifts, and bespoke design and related services.
Currently, GCSTlMES has five operational centers in China, US, UAE, France, and Australia, along with 14 subsidiaries and offices worldwide. Its services extend to over 140 countries and regions supporting more than 100,000 international hospitality group in achieving low-carbon and sustainable development goals.
GCS Times
MKT Team
