Experimenting with Sustainable Hospitality: A Life Cycle Assessment Analysis of the Set-Up Phase of a Public Hostel in Italy

This paper investigates a sustainable proposal for tourist hospitality. It presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis to evaluate the set-up phase of a new hostel by comparing two different scenarios of interior design: one with new furniture and another with reused furniture (collected thanks to the involvement of the local community). This LCA analysis is applied to the case of a public hostel located in a small village along the Italian VENTO cycleway. By focusing on the reuse of existing structures and objects, rather than constructing or producing new ones, the study aims to explore environmentally conscious hospitality, which can also include positive social impacts. The results of the analysis also demonstrate the relevance of applying sustainable practices during the setting-up phase of the hospitality building, enlarging the usual approach that is more dedicated to the “using” phase (concerning the energy savings in heating and cooling or the reduction in plastic waste, the laundering of towels and bedding, and the single-use of personal care products).