Tag Archives: green news

Green Hotel Third Party Certifications Increasing

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green hotel newsTen years ago a business traveler looking for green lodging options would have to search long and hard for accommodations that offered in-room recycling, linen re-use programs, energy efficient light blubs, and water saving fixtures. Five years ago “certified green” hotels were tiny blips on the traveling public‘s radar.

Nearing the close of 2010, the business traveler has over 2000 “third-party certified” hotels in North America, dozens of USGBC LEED hotels and conference centers, corporate brands offering sustainability programs and LEED certified prototypes, numerous certifying organizations, Travelocity and Expedia “green lodging” search engines, and 35 State and Local Green Lodging programs to aid them in their quest for a sustainable overnight stay.

However there is no hospitality industry standard definition of a green hotel. Some will argue that simply implementing guest room recycling, using green cleaning products, and linen re-use programs are enough. Others say a self-certified audit program from an outside party such as following state lodging guideline qualifies. Even more say only a third party audited and certified hotel is the only way to guarantee compliance to strict standards.

Most sustainable industry professional’s definition of green hotel include green policies and procedures in place that at a minimum take into account energy, water, waste streams, indoor air quality, and green cleaning. Furthermore and most importantly, the hotels are audited and certified on a consistent basis from an independent third party organization. A third party certification provides accountability and assurance that the various standards are followed and to avoid “green washing”.

GreenKey’s Certification program has made tremendous gains throughout North America over the last five years. Currently they have over 1500 certified green hotels in the US and Canada and expect that number to increase with recently signed agreements with Hyatt, Carlson, Motel 6 and MGM Resorts.

According to Zach Cohen, GreenKey Global VP of Sales & Marketing, “the GreenKey Program has been well received because it allows for flexibility in the certification process by using a earn/deduction point scoring system rather than a pass/fail method. We expect to see another 1000 to 1500 properties earn their certification in 2011.” Additional programs such as EcoRooms/EcoSuites, LEED, GreenSeal and EnergyStar for hotels are available to hotel operators. All of which have their strengths and offer marketing advantages.

The green hotel movement is only going to gain momentum as more states and municipalities create green lodging initiatives and corporate brands adopt certification programs as standard practice. It will be exciting to see how the next ten years un-fold.

Third Party Certifications 2005-2010

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About Author

Jeff Kiec, LEED-AP and Director of Sustainability at EcoGreenHotel, is a veteran of the environmental service industry. His experience includes engineering building assessments, operational sustainability audits, and environmental site assessments. He has project experience in a range of property types including industrial, multi-family residential and commercial office buildings. As the Sustainability Director for Deep Ellum, a historic arts and entertainment neighborhood in Dallas, Texas, Kiec is responsible for education and working with neighborhood businesses and property owners to incorporate sustainable building technologies.

Finally! Eco-Friendly Details That Make a Difference

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Brand your hotel’s image with the right sustainable materials

It is no secret that guests today are well informed about recycling, eco-friendly materials, conservation, and disposal. So what impression do hotels make when they market themselves as “green” but guests see the services directory printed on recycled paper (we hope) held in a non-environmentally friendly binder or cover?

These are products that your guests come in contact with frequently or use daily. They include accessory items such as guest service directory covers, binder covers, menu covers, and presentation folders to ice buckets, trays, desk blotters and tabletop accessories. Hotels should recognize these as one of the most visible ways to make a statement about their property, services, goals and vision and demonstrate the hotel’s green initiatives to guests!

What better way to show your commitment to sustainability than through the product itself! Not only will guests be impressed, but they will also appreciate to know the environmental benefits of that specific product: reduce waste and contamination of landfills and our water – that is a major one!

MOVING BEYOND DESIGN CONVENTIONS
As a pioneer of innovative menu cover manufacturing, Impact Enterprises, have been researching and creating solutions for quality eco-friendly materials for several years by simply listening to their clients needs (but you don’t have to take our word for it, just take a look at the impressive client list at the end).

Their products are manufactured from materials that are:

  • Natural and environmentally friendly
  • Durable, reusable and safe
  • Attractive and upscale

Click here to see creativity at work and samples of client products

GREEN SOLUTIONS
Understanding the impact of your purchasing decisions is critical to supporting environmental responsibility.

Top 10 Green Details You Should Know About

  1. ‘Poly’ materials – polyethylene and polypropylene are available in recycled format. Both are durable, however, polyethylene is the more durable of the two ‘polys’. For lasting durability make certain the spine is a heat-scored spine. Recycled polyethylene Guest Services Directory covers and Menu covers are popular and economically priced.
  2. Farmed Woods – products manufactured from solid woods harvested from Verified Sustainable Forests are the most environmentally responsible products. Solid wood accessory items are durable, recyclable, reusable, decompose quickly, and contain no contaminants.
  3. Bonded Leather – this recycled smooth finish leather is durable and contains natural materials. Verify that the polymers used for bonding are non-toxic.
  4. Chipboard Presentation Products – this is a recycled product that decomposes quickly when disposed of.  It is usually used as a base (support) for other materials. However, chipboard by itself creates a unique and durable product. Why cover this eco-friendly material with a vinyl or laminate. Use eco-friendly soy inks for decoration.
  5. Wire Binding – use wire binding instead of plastic coils because it can be recycled.
  6. Recycled Boards and Paper – use 100% recycled binder boards and paper to make covers and do not forget about the many sheets inside. 100% post-consumer papers choices are available.
  7. Eco-Friendly Inks and Coatings – lots of eco-friendly ink choices. Good options are soy ink, and UV screening inks that contain no solvents. Use only aqueous coated products as these contain no solvents also. Solvents contaminate landfills.
  8. Verified Sustainable Forests – make sure wood products are certified by a reputable forest certification program such as Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) that was also adopted by the American Forest & Paper Association. This ensures that we will have forests and wildlife for the future generations.
  9. Metal – copper, brass, and aluminum are available in recycled format. These metals create durable products, can be recycled several times, and are available in a wide selection of natural (organic) patina finishes. Impact is the first manufacturer of copper, brass and brushed aluminum binder covers, menu covers, and other presentation products. All of their metals are recycled, and have an international following.
  10. Ring Mechanisms – request that the ring mechanisms used in binder covers and guest services directory covers be installed with screws, nuts and bolts, or custom clips. These will then be easily removed for reuse or recycling. If riveted, these mechanisms will just end up in landfills.

STRONG CUSTOMER BASE
Impact Enterprises meets the criteria and offers a very substantial array of quality upscale green products. Their solid wood products have not only been tested by Impact, but also by their customers including Live Nation Entertainment (House of Blues clubs), Primland (an international eco-resort), Trump International, Paramount Pictures, Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, and the Borgata Resort Casino to name a few.

Best news of all, these products are affordable! Even though the green products are in the White House and the Smithsonian and are being used by the U.S. Military, Harvard Law School and all major hotels, restaurants, resorts, casinos, spas, and golf clubs – they are economical for the hotel industry.

To find out more information about custom binders, menu covers, presentation folders, award covers, sales kits, tabletop and desktop accessories, custom signage and boxes, portfolios, corporate gifts and other products visit www.impactenterprises.com.

National Building Competition Midpoint Update

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It’s been four months since the launch of the EPA’s National Building Competition and fourteen contestants have been in fierce battle to win! They’re at the midpoint of the first-ever national contest to reduce their energy use. Currently, there is only a one percent margin that separates the leader from the next contestant.

The fourteen contestants have together reduced their energy consumption by over 24 billion Btu and reduced their carbon dioxide emissions equal to the electricity use of 330 homes for a year – impressive would be an understatement! By shedding the energy waste, the incredible energy savings are also piling up.

The top 5 as of the mid-point are:

1. UNC’s Morrison Hall (Chapel Hill, NC)
2. Sears (Glen Burnie, MD)
3. 1525 Wilson Blvd (Arlington, VA)
4. JCPenney (Orange, CA)
5. VanHolten Primary School (Bridgewater, NJ)

The Courtyard Marriott San Diego Downtown is currently in 10th placereducing their energy usage by 3% while the Sheraton Austin Hotel is lagging behind in 13th place with a -.08% reduction. It isn’t the winner’s spot, but at the end of the day both hotels have won regardless of their ranking– a healthy environment for themselves and guests, guest satisfaction, environmental stewardship, better future for all, and energy savings to name a few. Just as San Diego’s team name, Money in the Bank, implies – triple bottom line savings!

But whether or not they’ve made it to the top, five of the contestants have increased their ENERGY STAR energy performance score by more than 10 points; three contestants are eligible for the ENERGY STAR label and several more are within striking distance. And they still have less than three more months of savings to go before the winner is announced!

The contestants have pursued a wide range of effective projects that focus on energy efficiency improvements in the areas of operations and maintenance, technology upgrades, and raising awareness. Each property started with the basics like changing out inefficient light bulbs with highly efficient CFL and LED lighting, but as the competition has gotten very close, they had to step it up a notch. Properties have implemented energy efficient strategies although they won’t disclose their secrets.

Wishing all the contestants best of luck (but of course, we’d like to see our hotel friends win!).

See the complete list of the midpoint ranks go to http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=buildingcontest.contestants

Green Your Routine

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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.

Five Quality, Affordable Products for Your Green Hotel’s Shopping List

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(and One Convenient Place to Find Them All)

Today’s environmentally-conscious, well-informed travelers expect green hotels to do more than just provide a comfortable place to stay.  They want to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the green hotel they’ve chosen for their business or leisure accommodations practices energy efficiency, and that it’s resourceful and earth-friendly in every conceivable way.

As a green hotel professional, it’s your job to fulfill your guests’ expectations and even exceed them whenever you can. To help you get the job done, we’ve put together a list of products that will not only make your guest’s smile, but they’ll also be good to your green hotel’s bottom line.

  • Organic Personal Care Products in Biodegradable Packaging: The Save Your World line of hotel amenities offers all natural organic products packaged in an earth-friendly way. Your guests will love the fresh tropical scents and luscious feel of these superior green hotel amenities.
  • 100% Bamboo Bed Linens: Your green hotel guests will have no problem sleeping at night knowing they’re snuggled into luxurious sheets made from rapidly renewable, pesticide-free and ultra-soft bamboo.
  • Eco-Friendly Cleaners: Super concentrated, hydrogen peroxide-based cleaners like Proxi are not only safe and highly effective, they can also save your green hotel a ton of money. It takes just one ounce of Proxi to make a full quart of some of the best hard surface cleaner you’ll ever use in your green hotel – and it’s earned the Green Seal certification to prove it!
  • Safe Pesticides: Fighting and preventing bed bugs with toxic chemicals just isn’t on the agenda of any eco hotel. Instead, green hotels everywhere trust all natural, pesticide-free Rest Easy Bed Bug Spray to safely rid their rooms of these nasty biting parasites, once and for all.
  • Recycled Key Cards: When your hotel front desk staff hands over one of these Green Earth renew Key Cards at check in, your guests will know without a doubt that eco-consciousness is not just a slogan at your green hotel. Made from 100% recycled PVC and printed with soy-based ink, these customizable, reusable cards will last and last.

Sourcing affordable, high-quality products like these for your green hotel can sometimes seem like a wild goose chase.  But the EcoGreenHotel Store makes it easy to find, order and re-order your favorite green hotel products and services – everything from the five products listed above to bath hardware and accessories, lighting, furnishings, pool care, food service and recycling supplies, and much, much more – all in one friendly and convenient online store.

So get out your shopping list and stop by at EcoGreenHotelStore.com today.  The doors are always open, the shelves are always full of great products, and the eco-deals are always hot!

A Green Breakthrough in Odor Control

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Each year, billions of dollars are spent to control or curtail the effects of odor.  We mask it.  We cover it up.  We try almost anything to kill it.  And we spend our money on solutions that don’t really work, but do end up increasing the amount of toxic chemicals in our lives.

No more.  Because the hospitality industry can finally put an end to the practice of using ineffective, toxic chemicals to control odor and instead use a simple, permanent and non-toxic solution based on the active ingredients used in hydro-therapy and water purification to end odor forever.

Zero Odor is a new technology platform in odor control.  It actually permanently eliminates odor on a molecular level by seeking out and bonding with odor molecules, turning them into non-odor molecules.

Essentially all foul and unpleasant odors have a common denominator:  they all contain either a sulfur or nitrogen-family molecule in their make-up.  The active ingredients in Zero Odor form an irreversible bond with sulfur or nitrogen in gaseous form, which means that any odor that Zero Odor touches is gone forever.

“We got the samples of Zero Odor and let me tell you, housekeeping loves the product!” says Stephanie A. the Assistant Manager of the Golden Bear Inn.  “I also notice the difference in the rooms, walking into the rooms there are no lingering smells of anything.  It’s like magic!”

Zero Odor is formulated to leave no scent or fragrance behind – only clean, crisp smelling air.  There is a slight “tracer scent” embedded in the product to help consumers know where they have sprayed, but very soon the tracer scent also disappears.

Zero Odor is available in 22 and 66 oz sizes through the Eco Green Hotel Store. As the product of organic chemistry, the active ingredients in Zero Odor are non-toxic and biodegradable in the environment.  Packaging for Zero Odor is 100% recyclable.

The Benefits of using Zero Odor:

  • Remove odor on a permanent basis and refresh rooms
  • Save by avoiding costly room renovations or replacing items with embedded odor problems
  • Works on fabric, solid surfaces, in the air
  • Non-Toxic; biodegradable; recyclable

EcoGreenHotel Announces Partnership with EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Program

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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.

EcoGreenHotel Expands Energy Solutions Team

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Robinsville, NJ – June 3, 2010 – EcoGreenHotel LLC is pleased to announce that Mark R. Hahn has been appointed Vice President of Energy Solutions. Mr. Hahn will be responsible for providing comprehensive energy efficiency solutions to the hospitality industry, expanding EcoGreenHotel’s growing portfolio of clients who have reduced their energy use and operating costs.

Scott Parisi, President of EcoGreenHotel LLC stated, “the Green Hotel movement continues to gain momentum as a growing list of corporate and public entities encourage their employees to conduct business with certified ‘green’ properties. As the established online booking engines, such as Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz announce their Green Hotel criteria, there is no doubt that hotels and resorts that embrace sustainable practices will gain market share. Forward thinking management companies and hotel owners have found our energy solutions to be very valuable, cost effective and profitable. With a growing pipeline of new business, we are building our team to support this growth.”

Mr. Parisi continued, “The addition of Mr. Hahn to our team enhances the direction of the Energy Solutions Division and positions the organization to be fully versatile in assisting hotels in all services related to Green Hospitality. The Energy Solutions Division conducts Energy Star Benchmarking, Energy Efficiency Analysis and Energy Performance Project Management. EcoGreenHotel is proficient in identifying federal, state and local utility rebates, incentives, grants and loans. By leveraging available programs, we are able to assist properties to inject capital towards energy conservation measures that create positive cash flow. With new technologies rapidly being introduced into the market and new programs for funding and subsidizing projects, it was time to add an individual with Mark’s experience to our team.”

Mr. Hahn brings a deep commitment to the energy business to his role at EcoGreenHotel, along with extensive experience in financial management. Mr. Hahn studied renewable energy, with an emphasis on solar and thermal efficiency, earning degrees in environmental science and business. He designed and built one of the first solar heated structures in New Jersey. Prior to joining EcoGreenHotel, Mr. Hahn was Executive Vice President with at an energy performance company in New York State where he led a team bringing comprehensive energy solutions to the public sector.

Mr. Hahn commented on his new role; “Through a collaborative process with facility managers, engineers, technology specialists, financial experts and legal counsel, EcoGreenHotel will assist facility owners and property management to conduct energy analysis, develop project scope, arrange financing and incentives, and improve their properties. Our mission is to develop and implement actionable plans that save energy, lessenimpact on the environment and improve cash flow for our clients in the hospitality industry.”

Green… The Color of Compassion

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Ronald McDonald Houses are nominally-priced lodging facilities specially designed to accommodate the families of seriously ill children who have traveled far from home to receive lifesaving medical treatment. No family is ever turned away from a Ronald McDonald House because they can’t afford to pay.

The facilities offer these families a safe, comfortable home-away-from-home that allows them to stay close to their hospitalized child. The houses have kitchens, dining areas, play areas and laundry facilities in addition to guestrooms. There are also common areas where the families can come together to offer compassionate support to one another.

Ronald McDonald House Charities is a great non-profit that helps millions of families each year from all around the world.

That’s why I was so excited to hear about a newly-constructed, LEED-certified 65,000 square foot Ronald McDonald House in San Diego that is scheduled to open this spring. The 47-room house, located near Rady Children’s Hospital, will have photo voltaic solar panels, energy efficient electrical and mechanical systems, lighting and fixtures, among other things. Several guestrooms have been equipped with HEPA filtration systems to accommodate higher-risk patients.

I think a lot of people mistakenly assume that the McDonalds Corporation pays for all these houses. It doesn’t. The company helps start houses and provides ongoing technical support and oversight, but it’s up to each individual community to raise the funds necessary to keep the doors of their neighborhood Ronald McDonald House open.

The San Diego Ronald McDonald House launched a $15 million capital campaign to build its new green house, but more is desperately needed. EcoGreenHotelhas made a donation to support this eco- and family-friendly facility – how about you? Visit www.rmhcsd.org to find out how you, too, can support “The House That Love Built.”

Or gather your green hotel staff and offer to volunteer at your local Ronald McDonald House. To locate the house nearest you, visit www.rmhc.org.