An Interview with Amber Zhao, Director of Operations at Artyzen Habitat Hengqin Zhuhai, on the Future of Technology and Green Hotels

About the Interviewee

Amber Zhao is the current Director of Operations at Artyzen Habitat Hengqin Zhuhai and has extensive experience in hotel management. She studied Hotel Management and previously worked for international hotel groups such as IHG and Marriott, focusing on human resources and operations management. After joining Artyzen in 2022 when Artyzen hotel was in the construction phase, she oversaw the growth of the hotel from breaking ground to move-in, her role has also shifted from director of HR to Operations. As the Director of Operations, Amber has driven the hotel’s innovative practices in green and sustainable development, successfully helping Artyzen Habitat Hengqin Zhuhai achieve the Five-Leaf China Green Hotel certification this year.

Amber is captivated by Artyzen’s commitment to empowering its team to drive initiatives that embody the brand‘s vibrant, sustainability-focused identity. A prime example is the innovative green walls and automated irrigation system at Artyzen Habitat Hengqin Zhuhai. The hotel's indoor trees and plants thrive under a time-regulated irrigation system, enhancing the guest experience while authentically reflecting Artyzen’s dedication to its sustainability goals. Amber excels at using technology to enhance operational efficiency.

She championed the adoption of the Neuron Smart Energy Management System to optimize energy use and leverage dynamic pricing, driving cost savings and enhancing efficiency. She believes a green hotels' future hinges on technological innovation and owner support, advocating for practical ESG integration into daily operations to meet the hotel group’s sustainability goals. Additionally Amber is also known for her flexible customer service and crisis management skills, skillfully balancing the hotel’s interests with customer needs while demonstrating outstanding leadership and industry insight.

Technological Innovation Boosts Green Hotel Rating

Amber Zhao emphasized that the Neuron system played a pivotal role in the green hotel evaluation process. The assessment panel highly praised the system’s exceptional and flexible energy and waste management capabilities, recognizing it as a pioneer in energy and carbon emission management within China’s hospitality industry. “It not only enables precise energy management but also served as a significant advantage in our certification,” Amber commented. “To put it in perspective, while our hotel’s entire rainwater irrigation system can only earn 1 point, the Neuron system helped distinguish our hotel during the accessment.”

A Win-Win for Technology and Operations

Artyzen Habitat chose to implement the Neuron system not only to meet its green development goals but also for the operational benefits it can bring. Amber pointed out, “The system can intuitively analyze data like energy consumption and hotel occupancy rate, helping us optimize our business operation and reduce costs. For instance, by monitoring data on swimming pool usage, we can adjust its opening hours to cut down on unnecessary energy and labor.”

Furthermore, the Neuron system enables more precise dynamic pricing management for the hotel. Amber explained, “Previously, we could only roughly allocate energy costs. Now, we can accurately calculate them down to the room level on each floor, which is crucial for our pricing strategy.”

Owner Support and Industry Trends

Amber emphasized that the application of technology in the hotel industry largely relies on the support of the owner. “As a publicly listed company, Shun Tak Holdings Group prioritizes ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) as a key development direction and requires the implementation in every project and daily operation work. This top-down support is critical.” She believes that technology will play an increasingly larger role in the hotel industry in the future, but its widespread adoption depends on whether owners are willing to invest. Artyzen’s owner, Shun Tak, is a forward-thinking listed company.

Challenges and Rewards of the Green Hotel Assessment

Speaking of the assessment process, Amber found the self-assessment stage to be the most time-consuming. “We had to self-score against over 150 criteria while compile supporting documentation before the actual audit, but the Neuron system made capturing and analyzing energy data efficient and transparent, providing solid evidence for the panel’s review.”

Outlook: The Deep Integration of Technology and Green Principles

Amber is full of expectations for the future of Neuron platform: “It’s not just a management tool; it helps the hotel prevent issues before they arise. For example, by flagging abnormal energy consumption through data alerts, we can identify problems in advance.” She believes the combination of technology and green concepts will become a core competency for the hotel industry, not just a trend.

More about Five-Leaf China Green Hotel Standard

“Green Hotel” (GB/T 21084—2007) is a recommended national standard jointly issued by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China and the Standardization Administration of China on September 20, 2007, under the administration of the Ministry of Commerce, and officially implemented on March 1, 2008. This standard was jointly formulated by six ministries including the Ministry of Commerce and the National Development and Reform Commission. With environmental protection, health, and safety as its core principles, it requires hotels to promote efficient resource utilization and pollution prevention and control through green management, and establishes a five-leaf rating system (with five-leaf being the highest level). The National Green Hotel Working Committee is responsible for organizing experts to conduct on-site evaluation and certification. As of December 2024, more than one hundred hotels nationwide have obtained five-leaf certification.

To find out more about Neuron’s smart energy management system, contact us today!