EcoGreenHotel

Is that possible? Hotel Andaluz in Albuquerque, New Mexico, claims they’ve done just that. Reopening after a $30 million remodel, the Andaluz reduced their water use by 78% with their water savings program.

The Andaluz, which previously existed as the La Posada hotel, was extensively remodeled according to LEED standards. In order to cut water use, the Andaluz developers implemented numerous water and energy saving conservation measures, including:

1. “Oxygen-assisted” low-flow shower heads
2. Rainwater collection system for irrigation (in process)
3. Efficient low-flow toilets
4. Solar panels to heat about 60% of the hotel’s hot water (which will cut energy use by 20%)
5. Guestroom controls
6. Fluorescent and LED lighting

The result, in May 2004 the La Posada used 1.2 million gallons of water. In May 2005, the last year of operation before remodel, La Posada used 730,000 gallons in a month. After remodel, in May 2010, the Andaluz significantly reduced usage to 300,000 gallons of water. Although this is one month, it doesn’t dictate what the new hotel will average through the months to come, especially considering it’s a new hotel. Looking at eight different months of usage over the years, the new hotel averaged 770,000 gallons less than its predecessor La Posada.

Lets put that into perspective. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection estimates a hotel to average around 200 gallons per room per day. Assuming these numbers, Andaluz, in its best month, used 300,000 gallons in a month, which is 10,000 gallons each day – and with 107 rooms and suites, it averages around 93 gallons each day per room. That is better than the low average.

Andaluz took on aggressive green measures, including energy efficiency, in its remodel and operations that the hotel is applying for LEED gold status (it had previously aimed for silver). Once certified, it will be one of the first historically renovated gold LEED hotels in the U.S. -

Visit Green Hotel Directory for more green hotels.

By Susan Patel

I was watching clips of the Today Show a few days ago and found a segment titled “Green Your Routine,”which brought attention to green cleaning products. It got me thinking: why isn’t there a law or regulation requiring manufacturers to list ingredients? Not knowing what chemicals are in products can be dangerous. You don’t know what you’re using and how it could destroy our immune system, cause cancer, lung disease, and death – a health and safety nightmare!

Companies are shockingly allowed to use general terms for chemicals such as “fragrance”or “preservatives.” This wouldn’t make the cut with the Food & Drug Administration, but apparently products we touch and breatharen’t that important on the list. What we need is national regulation so that companies must disclose every ingredient in a product.

So, what are we to do? Warning labels are useful, first line of defense. But we need to start gradually creating a system that works for our well-being and us.We have to start somewhere, right? Why not with all of us – you!

At the frontline of the EcoGreenHotel Store, I’m on a mission to know exactly what we’re selling. One form of verification I’ve become familiar with is the Green Seal, a third-party certifier. Of course there is also EcoLogo, Environmental Choice and EPA’s Design for the Environment Program that test products for effectiveness, besides health and environmental considerations. I wouldn’t say one is better than the other since each is slightly different, however a certified product is better than none at all.

When hotels purchase products certified by Green Seal or any of the other eco-labels, they know that the products meet good standards and consumers aren’t completely on their own. Still, some green cleaning products are not certified. There are several reasons for this: the product might be new on the market, the company that produces it has chosen not to pay the fee the certifying agencies charge to evaluate it, or that they didn’t meet the criteria of that certifying organization.

When it comes to what we sell on EcoGreenHotel Store, we’ve made sure our green cleaning products are Green Seal certified. For example, the Proxi hydrogen peroxide multi-purpose cleaner, a versatile, environmentally friendly cleaning product formulated with an active ingredient that is safer than aggressive acids and bleaches. Added bonus, due to its high concentration (dilute 1oz per quart water to make 128 quarts), it’s actually saving you money too!

Aside for looking for a third-party certification, Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) is another tool that helps hoteliers to make a well-informed decision. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) also has information about many toxic substances at www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/index.asp.

Next time you’re purchasing your green cleaning products, make sure you know what chemicals are in the products you’ll be using at your green hotel.

Not what you might expect!

A new study of the workplace preferences of Generation Y (people born between 1981 and 2000) reveals some striking information – and provides an important heads up for green hotels that hope to attract this up-and-coming demographic.

Not surprisingly, Gen Y’ers want their workplace to have the latest technology and to be set up to allow for greater teamwork, creativity and multi-tasking.  But an overwhelming number also expect their employers to provide an eco-friendly work environment that not just meets but exceeds minimum compliance standards.

For example, 96% of those surveyed said they demand an “environmentally-aware or friendly workplace,” and close to 60% said they expect their employer to go above and beyond the regulatory requirements. They want more than just strategically-placed recycle bins – they want real water conservation efforts and the highest level of energy efficiency to be standard operations at work.

The report recommends that employers bring their green initiatives front and center, and that they make sustainability policies a meaningful part of day-to-day operations, because the eco-savvy Gen Y’ers are clearly on the lookout for environmental-friendliness in all aspects of their daily lives.

“[Gen Y] preferences for an environmentally focused working environment are very strong; not only in the physical aspects of the workplace, but also in their way of working: flexible working, travel patterns, etc.,” said the report.

Are you listening, green hotels?Clearly, if the members of Gen Y are that determined to make eco-friendliness an integral part of their work-lives, they’re probably equally determined to exercise that same level of sensitivity when making travel and lodging decisions.

And there will be no fooling this knowledgeable bunch. They’ve grown up alongside the environmental movement. They know green-washing and lax or phony eco-standards when they see them.

If you’re ready to boost your hotel’s energy efficiency and water conservation efforts to prepare your property to attract a new generation of environmentally-aware consumers – contact EcoGreenHotel today.

From ENERGY STAR benchmarkingof your energy usage to finding rebates and incentives to help pay for energy efficiency upgrades to targeted, industry-specific marketing services, our professional green team has got you covered.

Excellent News for Green Hotels

In a move that will undoubtedly benefit green hotels across the country, the Obama administration recently announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy have teamed up to create an action group that will assist states in improving energy efficiency in residential, industrial and commercial buildings – including green hotels.

The group, called the State Energy Efficiency (SEE) Action Network, will partner with representatives of state and local governments, public utilities, business leaders and associations to assist states with their energy efficiency initiatives, including energy efficiency programs for homes and businesses,funding opportunities to invest in carrying out innovative energy efficiency policies, and improving the availability of energy usage information.

The action network’s goal is to jumpstart the National Action Plan for Energy Efficiency, which calls for maximum energy efficiency to be achieved in the United States by 2025.  SEE’s ambitious mission is to beat that deadline by five years. It aims to do so by providing technical assistance and funding “to states that seek to create new results-based policies and programs that encourage energy efficiency.”

For green hotels, we envision a lot of good coming out of this partnership.  SEE’s fierce determination to beat the 2025 deadline by five years creates a much-needed sense of urgency that has been sorely lacking over the past few years.  The network’s goal of promoting energy efficiency through a web of statewide, regional and nationwide partnerships means there may finally be a coordinated, orchestrated and cohesive effort to get the job done.

And additional funding means that good state and local energy efficiency programs that have great potential to make a lasting difference – those that never received quite enough funding to get off the ground, or those whose funding was slashed – (remember Florida’s outstanding Green Lodging Program that was gutted due to budget shortfalls in 2009?) may once again have a fighting chance.

Thanks to the formation of this new action group, we see a future filled with wonderful possibilities for green hotels to take advantage of energy efficiency programs, rebates and incentives.  Members of the network began meeting a few weeks ago, so we should begin to see positive movement very soon.

EcoGreenHotel will be monitoring SEE events as they happen, and we promise to bring you the latest news about how the green hospitality industry – and your green hotel – can benefit.

At EcoGreenHotel, clients are always asking for our advice about how to go green in the quickest and most affordable way possible. And our advice is always the same: operating a truly green hotel is not a piecemeal proposition. It’s not about switching a few light bulbs or putting out some recycling bins (although those are all good things to do!).

No, developing and maintaining a green hotel requires a holistic approach that begins with a shift in the way everyone thinks about what it means to own and operate an eco hotel. At the precise moment that everyone from the owner on down starts thinking about environmental sustainability as a business strategy – that’s the moment your hotel begins to go green in a meaningful way.

Formulating a business strategy means that you meticulously choose and apply your business’s resources in a way that you think will bring some sort of competitive advantage in the future. Your team already does this at your hotel. Whenever you make a decision to upgrade the carpeting or offer a new amenity, you’re strategizing. You’re betting that the upgrade and new amenities will pay off in the long run through higher guest satisfaction, which translates into repeat bookings, which means increased revenue for your hotel. You are banking on that strategy.

But have you ever thought about how going green might be an equally good business strategy? Without a doubt, the most strategic way to go green is to increase your hotel’s energy efficiency.

Energy efficiency means using less energy to obtain the same quality of service. Here’s why energy efficiency should be the centerpiece of every hotel’s business strategy:

• The hospitality industry spends $3.7 billion a year on energy.
• Electricity use accounts for 60-70% of the utility costs of a typical hotel.
• Energy-efficient lighting can reduce electricity use up to 75%.1

Clearly, making your green hotel more energy efficient will positively impact more than the environment. It will positively impact your bottom line, and no matter how you slice it, that’s just good business!

EcoGreenHotel’s team of energy efficiency experts can help your green hotel plug energy efficiency into your business strategy, quickly and affordably. Contact us and get started today with our Energy Efficiency Analysis Program.

¹ California Hotel and Lodging Association

Gulf front resort hotels are taking an economic hit without one drop of oil soiling their pristine beaches

We’ve all watched in horror as the ever-growing BP oil slick reaches shorelines along the northern Gulf of Mexico.  Not only did eleven men lose their lives in the Deepwater Horizon disaster, but the spill that resulted from it is now fouling gulf waters in an area the size of some states – water that’s home to sea life including dolphins and sea turtles.  It’s destroying precious marshlands that served as safe, healthy nurseries for all kinds of baby birds and fishes, right at the height of nesting and spawning season.  It’s also wiping out the livelihoods of fishing families and obliterating the culture of some of the sweetest, hardest working people in America.

And it’s also adversely affecting the hospitality industry.  In spite of BP’s multi-million dollar grants to gulf coast states to fund additional tourism advertisement, hoteliers from Texas to the east coast of Florida – many of whom are hundreds of miles from the nearest oil – report that they are dealing with a devastating economic fallout caused by cancellations from nervous travelers.

The director of Mississippi’s lodging association has estimated that beachfront bookings were down 50% with Memorial Day approaching, and the same was reported in the Florida panhandle.  This is all in addition to the hit the region took from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the recession that followed right on the storm’s heels.

How much more battering can the hospitality industry take?  How much more can any of us take?

If there was ever a wakeup call for America – including those in the hospitality industry – to get on board the energy efficiency and clean energy train, this oil spill is it.  At last, it appears that Americans are finally getting the message that we must wean ourselves off foreign oil – and our dependence on fossil fuels in general – and turn our collective attention to developing clean, renewable energy sources for our country as quickly as we possibly can.

Imagine the good we could accomplish if we took all the brain power and resources we’re currently using to try and plug that oil gusher in the Gulf, and applied them to developing cleaner energy!

On a day when we’re all feeling so helpless and frightened at the devastating environmental and economic news we’re hearing today, imagining that kind of good – and vowing to work toward making it our new American reality – may just be the most righteous thing we can do.

If you read any hospitality industry news, you’ve undoubtedly seen stories of green hotels that are saving big money by becoming more energy efficient.  You might wonder how they do it.

Indeed, hoteliers across the country are always asking us the same question: What’s the quickest, most affordable and meaningful way for our aspiring green hotel to begin reducing its negative impact on the environment while also saving money in the long run?

Our answer – Conduct an energy efficiency analysis!

An energy efficiency analysis, also known as the E²A program, is an examination and analysis of a building’s energy flow by an expert, for the purpose of identifying ways to monitor and conserve energy without negatively impacting overall productivity.  In the case of green hotels, an energy audit would allow the property to figure out, quickly and precisely, how to reduce it’s consumption without having an adverse effect on the guest experience or on the green hotel staff’s work environment.

Here’s how it works: our EcoGreenHotel team of qualified energy efficiency professionals uses a variety of specialized tools to determine exactly how much energy is being used at the property. We take things like weather, occupancy, and other factors into account to arrive at an accurate benchmark, or measurement standard, that your green hotel can use to begin tracking – and lowering – its energy consumption over time and results in savings.

We use the most trusted measurement tools and hospitality-specific resources in the industry – chiefly those developed by ENERGY STAR – to calculate the benchmark, so you can be sure it’s a valid representation of your property’s actual usage.

Our team then recommends concrete ways to reduce consumption at your green hotel – ways you may never even have thought of.  For example, after one energy efficiency analysis, we recommended that the hotel install wireless energy management guest room controls that interface with the hotel’s software to give management direct control over energy use in unoccupied rooms. The savings for a 100-room hotel?A whopping 30% of the total energy used for guest rooms!The system paid for itself in no time. Of course, the key is to find the right technology, provider and price for it to make sense.

Whether it’s implementing new policies (linen re-use, for example), upgrading electrical and HVAC systems, exploring alternate energy or looking for ways to maximize your energy purchasing power, we’ll turn you on to all the hundreds of ways you can get more bang for your energy buck.

And speaking of bucks, we’ll help you identify and apply for all the rebates, incentives, grants and other funding available to help green hotels like yours go even greener, and we’ll do it faster and more affordably than you ever dreamed was possible.

Are you ready for an energy efficiency analysis at your green hotel?  Contact an EcoGreenHotel energy efficiency professionalat info@ecogreenhotel.comtoday and let’s get started!

Why? Read our Triple Bottom Line & Eco-Efficiency article for more information.

Six Things No Green Hotel Should be Without–By Scott Parisi, President, EcoGreenHotel

It seems as if you can’t turn around anymore without running into something “green.”  Nowhere is that more true than in lodging.  Green hotels – or at least, those calling themselves green – are sprouting up everywhere, and travelers are becoming increasingly more aware of what to look for and how to judge whether or not a green hotel actually is… well, green!

You want your guests to know without a doubt that there’s no green-washing happening at your green hotel.  I’ve put together a green hotel checklist so you can see how your property stacks up.  Does your property have:

• Staff Buy-In and Ongoing Education: In a truly green hotel, everyone – from the front desk staff to the owner and everyone in between – fully understands, supports, practices and can communicate the property’s environmental policies.
•   A Working (and funded!) Energy Strategy: Today’s green hotelsgo beyond just changing a few light bulbs and implementing a linen reuse policy.  They analyze their energy efficiency – including conducting Energy Star benchmarking –  and then seek out and apply for incentives, rebates and loans that allow them to make meaningful changes in their consumption.
•   A Green Purchasing Plan: From locally-grown organic produce for its banquet salads to environmentally sensitive cleaning products and furnishings, green hotels know where and how to source the most cost-effective earth-friendly products.
• Green Hotel Certification: A green hotel designation from a certifying body that does on-site audits assures your guests that your property has met rigorous environmental standards.
• Specialized Marketing: Green hotels recognize that expertly targeted internet marketing is vital to their ongoing success in an increasingly competitive industry.

So how does your property stack up?  I know it seems daunting to meet all those requirements, to track down trustworthy, LEED-Accredited Professional advisors, find rebates and incentives, train everybody, and still manage to run a lodging facility… who has time for that?

That’s why I created EcoGreenHotel to be a one-stop shop.  We have trainers, engineers, financial advisors, purchasing and marketing specialists, thousands of quality green products and a certification program to meet the needs of every type and size of lodging facility at all stages in the green hotel process. We are LEED-Accredited Professionals specializing in energy efficiency.  We can help your property achieve all of the above in the most cost-effective way possible, and we can start today.

In the wake of disasters in two of the world’s greatest tourist destinations (the 2004 tsunami in Asia, Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005, most recent Gulf Coast oil spill), tourists discovered that a vacation or meeting that includes volunteer time is a rewarding way to enjoy a trip away from home while also giving back to their host community.

In the last half of this decade, volunteer travelers, or voluntourists, have begun combining vacation or business travel with charitable work in and around their destination in greater numbers than ever before, and voluntourism has quickly become one of the fastest growing segments of the travel industry.

These days, savvy green hotel marketers around the world are finding inventive ways to attract volunteer-minded travelers.  Is your green hotel doing everything it can to appeal to voluntourists?  Here are a few of the many imaginative ways that green hotels and trip organizers are rolling out the welcome mat for volunteers:

• The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention and Visitor’s Bureau created a special program called “Meet Responsibly” which helps local green hotels garner more convention and meeting bookings.  Meeting planners choosing to hold their event in the Fort Lauderdale area can choose from a menu of volunteer opportunities for their attendees – things like helping at a nearby food bank, cleaning up a park, beach or bike trail, or planting trees.
• Give eight hours of community service to a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and receive a 50% discount – or in some cases, a free night’s stay! – at over fifty Sage Hospitality properties across the USA.
• Volunteers at the recent 2010 Albany Tulip Festival in Albany, New York were treated to lodging discounts from several hotels during their stay.
• Green hotels along the Gulf coast – including the Port Inn and Mainstay Suites in Port St. Joe, Florida, are offering discounts to oil spill volunteers.
• The Four Seasons Austin’s “Pay It Forward” program links volunteer-minded guests with a food bank and a downtown beautification project and rewards them with up to 46% off their room rate.

Voluntourism is clearly here to stay, and figuring out how to get in on this lucrative new segment need not stress you out.  We volunteer to help!  If you need some fresh ideas for attracting voluntourists to your green hotel, simply contact us today and let’s brainstorm!

June 7, 2010, Robbinsville, NJ – EcoGreenHotel today announced a fundamental commitment to protect the environment by becoming an ENERGY STAR partner. Through its voluntary partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR Program, will work to improve energy efficiency and fight global warming.  EcoGreenHotel believes that a strategic, corporate energy management program will help us enhance our financial health and aid in preserving the environment for future generations.

“The EcoGreenHotel team is excited to partner with the EPA and the DOE through their highly-regarded ENERGY STAR program, which is recognized worldwide for its excellence,” said Scott Parisi, President of EcoGreenHotel. “ENERGY STAR is among the most trusted and demanding certifying bodies there is, so earning partnership status with them means a great deal to us and the industry we serve.”

In partnership with ENERGY STAR, EcoGreenHotel will:

• Measure and track the energy performance of our client’s facilities where possible by using tools such as those offered through ENERGY STAR;
• Develop and implement a plan consistent with the ENERGY STAR Energy Management Guidelines to achieve energy savings;
• Help spread the word about the importance of energy efficiency to our staff and community;
• Support the ENERGY STAR Challenge, a national call-to-action to help improve the energy efficiency of America’s commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more;
• Highlight our client’s achievements with recognition offered through ENERGY STAR.

“Environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility – and today I’m pleased EcoGreenHotel is taking this motto to heart,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson.  “By making smart energy choices, EcoGreenHotel is helping improve our nation’s energy and environmental outlook.”

ENERGY STAR was introduced by EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products, new homes and commercial and industrial buildings. Products and buildings that have earned the ENERGY STAR designation prevent greenhouse gas emissions by meeting strict energy-efficiency specifications set by the government. In 2007, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved about $16 billion on their energy bills while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of 27 million vehicles.

For more information about EcoGreenHotel, visit www.EcoGreenHotel.com or call 1-888-229-0213 for program details. Visit www.energystar.gov for more information about ENERGY STAR.