10.22.2025
Few properties embody the future of sustainable hospitality quite like the Hilton Geneva Hotel & Conference Centre, which ranks a one of Switzerland’s largest and most forward-thinking hospitality destinations, featuring 496 rooms, three restaurants and 37 meeting spaces. Under the leadership of François Morvan, the hotel has become a model for how technology and regenerative practices can work hand in hand to create measurable environmental and social impact.
With more than two decades of leadership experience across Europe and the Middle East — including previous posts at Hilton St. Petersburg ExpoForum, Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya, and several Marriott properties — Morvan has overseen Hilton Geneva since its pre-opening phase in 2020. His career reflects a deep understanding of both large-scale operations and the evolving relationship between innovation, guest experience, and sustainability.
In this interview, Morvan shares how Hilton Geneva is leveraging advanced systems — from AI-driven energy forecasting to the pioneering GeniLac lake water cooling network — to advance Hilton’s Travel with Purpose strategy. He also discusses how data analytics, smart resource management, and local partnerships are redefining what “regenerative hospitality” looks like in practice.
How would you define “regenerative hospitality” in the context of Hilton Geneva, and how does technology help bring that vision to life on a daily basis?
At Hilton Geneva, regenerative hospitality goes beyond sustainability. It’s about creating a net-positive impact on our environment, our people, and our community. This aligns perfectly with Hilton’s Travel with Purpose strategy, which focuses on three key areas. First, our hotels — we use technology to cut energy, water, and waste through smart systems and data tracking, making operations more efficient and restorative. Second, our people — we invest in inclusion, training, and well-being programs so everyone can contribute to our purpose. And third, our communities — we give back locally through volunteering, partnerships, and responsible sourcing that supports Geneva’s social and environmental fabric. Technology helps us measure progress and make our impact real, ensuring that every stay at Hilton Geneva contributes to a better world.
The GeniLac water system is an impressive innovation. Can you explain how it works technically and how it differs from conventional heating and cooling systems used in hotels?
GeniLac is a unique water-cooling system that uses Lake Geneva — the largest lake in Europe — as a renewable energy source. It draws water from 35 meters deep, where the temperature stays around 8°C, or 46°F. That water cools the hydraulic circuit connected to our building, giving us chilled water at about 14°C for our air-conditioning system. We expect to be connected by the end of 2026, along with the rest of the airport district, which makes this one of Geneva’s biggest sustainability milestones. During our renovation, we replaced all fan coils and thermostat controls, added new insulation, upgraded the façade and roof, and installed automated blinds that self-adjust based on weather conditions.
What kind of data or analytics are being collected from the GeniLac system, and how do you use that data to optimize performance and reduce energy consumption?
The GeniLac program constantly analyzes our water consumption, so we can adjust usage in real time and always operate as efficiently as possible.
Has the integration of GeniLac required any special building management systems (BMS) upgrades or IoT monitoring tools to ensure consistent efficiency?
Yes, the GeniLac system is fully integrated into our hotel’s BMS. That allows us to monitor performance continuously and make sure it runs at maximum efficiency.
The hotel’s smart bin system is particularly interesting. Could you describe how the technology analyzes food waste and how the resulting insights influence kitchen operations and menu planning?
We regularly review the reports generated by the smart bins and use that data to make practical changes in the kitchen. For instance, leftover croissants from the breakfast buffet become almond croissants the next day, and breakfast bacon gets reused in Caesar salads. The system also shows us what guests are leaving behind — maybe portions are too big or certain garnishes aren’t eaten. That helps us fine-tune menus and portion sizes. We also track buffet consumption so we can adjust the selection and quantities based on guest trends.
Are the smart bins connected to a broader data platform or sustainability dashboard that tracks food waste metrics over time?
Yes, they are. The system keeps historical data so we can track trends and measure our progress over time.
Beyond food waste, are there other AI- or sensor-based systems in place to monitor resource usage—such as water, lighting, or HVAC performance—across the property?
Absolutely. Our building management system has a smart supervision program that optimizes electricity use, especially ventilation. We’ve also installed motion sensors for most of the public lighting, and our weather station automatically manages room blinds to help regulate temperature and light.
How does the technology used in your waste management program align with Hilton’s broader sustainability targets or carbon-reduction goals?
Everything ties back to Hilton’s global sustainability strategy through monthly data reporting on our LightStay platform. LightStay aggregates information from all Hilton properties worldwide and helps guide corporate sustainability policies and carbon-reduction targets.
The mobility plan for staff involves behavioral change as much as technology. Are there digital tools—apps, ride-sharing platforms, or data tracking systems—being used to support or measure its impact?
Yes, we’ve integrated BlaBlaCar Daily into our mobility plan. It encourages carpooling and helps reduce our carbon footprint. Employees track their rides and savings through the app, and we receive company-wide reports showing total shared trips, CO₂ saved, and team engagement. It’s a great way to promote responsible habits while also strengthening team spirit.
Have you implemented any gamification or incentive systems using technology to encourage staff to participate in sustainable commuting programs?
We have. The BlaBlaCar Daily app tracks trips, miles traveled, and CO₂ savings, which keeps people motivated. Hilton Geneva also covers the cost of trips for colleagues using the service. For those who bike to work, we offer two weeks of free parking when they travel by plane or train from the airport. Employees using public transportation receive a 10% reimbursement toward their annual pass. We also take part in challenges like “Bike to Work,” where teams compete to log the most miles, with real-time tracking online. And each year, we recognize our most engaged team member with the “Travel with Purpose Champion” award — which includes a two-night stay at another Hilton in Europe.
Local sourcing is a key aspect of regenerative hospitality. What digital tools or supply chain management systems help you track sourcing origins, transport distances, and carbon impact of ingredients for Oxbo?
We rely on the BirchStreet procurement system for all of that. It helps us track supplier orders, prioritize local Swiss vendors, and identify sustainable products through its green labeling feature. Our Chef works closely with suppliers to ensure selections are aligned with the right origin, price, and seasonality. To go further, we use the Agribalyse tool to measure the carbon footprint of ingredients. Each year, we set new local sourcing goals to shorten transport distances and reduce emissions.
Is technology also being used to communicate these sourcing stories to guests—for example, through QR codes on menus or interactive digital displays?
Yes, definitely. We use QR codes throughout the property to share everything from allergen details and menu information to our ESG initiatives and social media links. Guests can scan them in the restaurant, in their rooms, or around the hotel, which makes it easy to engage with what we’re doing.
From an operational standpoint, how has digitalization helped you reduce waste, streamline processes, and improve accountability in sustainability reporting?
We use FCS1, Hilton’s cloud-based operations platform, to automate many of our day-to-day functions. It handles task assignments for housekeeping, schedules and tracks maintenance, and manages guest requests in real time. It even lets us build custom inspection checklists with photos and follow-ups. Going digital has reduced paper use and manual errors, extended equipment life through preventive maintenance, and helped us schedule cleanings based on occupancy so we’re not over-servicing rooms.
What KPIs do you monitor most closely to measure progress toward regenerative goals, and how are those tracked technologically?
We focus on a few key metrics. Energy and water consumption are tracked in real time through Hilton’s LightStay platform, which compares usage to reduction targets. Carbon emissions are also monitored there to ensure we’re on track with our science-based goals. In the kitchen, our Winnow Bin system tracks food waste and landfill diversion. We also monitor community engagement by tracking volunteer hours and local partnerships, and we measure employee participation in ESG programs. LightStay pulls everything together so we can analyze, benchmark, and improve performance across all areas.
Are there any predictive technologies—such as AI or machine learning—being explored to forecast energy usage, guest demand, or resource allocation more sustainably?
Yes. LightStay already uses AI to forecast energy, water, and waste usage and alerts us if something deviates from expected levels. Our revenue management system, GRO, also uses machine learning to forecast occupancy based on past trends, seasonality, and local events. These predictive tools help us plan ahead and use resources more responsibly.
How do you ensure that your sustainability technology stack integrates seamlessly with Hilton’s corporate systems while maintaining operational autonomy?
We operate within a centralized but flexible digital ecosystem. LightStay is our backbone — it consolidates all data on energy, water, waste, and carbon emissions and syncs automatically with Hilton’s global reporting system. Around it, we integrate local technologies like our smart BMS and food waste tracking tools. Everything connects through standardized interfaces and regular audits. It’s what we call a “global framework, local action” model — technology gives us consistency, but autonomy lets us innovate.
Are you collaborating with local universities, research institutions, or startups in Switzerland to co-develop or test new sustainability technologies?
Yes, we are. One great example is our partnership with EHL. We recently held a regenerative CANVA workshop where our team co-designed strategies to make our operations even more regenerative. It was a hands-on collaboration that helped us test new approaches in areas like energy use, waste reduction, and guest engagement, while also benefiting from EHL’s research and fresh perspectives.
What role do guests play in your regenerative hospitality journey? Are there apps, digital dashboards, or in-room systems that help them monitor or offset their own impact during their stay?
Guests play a huge role in what we’re doing. We encourage them to make sustainable choices — things like reusing linens and towels, sorting waste, and being mindful about energy use. For meetings and events, we help planners minimize their impact with vegetarian options and our Meeting Impact Calculator, which shows them the carbon footprint of their event.
Looking ahead, what new technologies or innovations are you most excited about implementing to further advance Hilton Geneva’s sustainability goals?
We’re really excited about expanding our solar panel installations to generate more clean energy on-site, and about connecting to the GeniLac network to improve water efficiency. These projects, along with new digital tools that engage guests and event planners, will help us test regenerative practices in everyday operations. We’re also planning to install a next-generation BMS to better control our energy and heat use, and to connect our future PEP reservation software so rooms can be managed automatically based on occupancy.
Finally, do you see regenerative hospitality—and the technologies enabling it—as a model that can scale across the global Hilton portfolio, or is it inherently site-specific to Geneva’s environment and community?
We absolutely see it as a scalable model. Regenerative hospitality has worked really well at Hilton Geneva, and it can be replicated across Hilton properties worldwide while still adapting to local conditions. Through Travel with Purpose, we partner with organizations like Le Caré, Aigues Vertes, and Association Découvrir to create positive social and environmental impact. By engaging both guests and local communities, we’re showing that regenerative hospitality can be global in scope yet deeply rooted in local relevance.
Appeared first on: hoteltechnologynews.com