By Jeff Kiec
Fads come and go and by now we’ve all heard of the concept ‘going green’. Some may overlook this terminology as a short-term marketing fad. However, many global industry leaders recognized the economic advantages of going green and chose to become pioneers in the sustainability movement. They recognized that incorporating sustainable practices into daily operations provide tremendous long-term benefits for their profits, employees, suppliers, vendors, and surrounding communities.
Wal-Mart’s Sustainability 360 program engages its 8,000 retail locations, 100,000 suppliers, and 2 million associates to develop goals to reduce their environmental footprint. The entire company is committed to reaching the sustainability goals by committing to purchase 100 percent renewable energy, create zero waste and sell products that sustain people and resources.
The hospitality industry is rapidly adopting similar practices. Marriott hotels has over 275 EnergyStar labeled hotels and is committed to increasing its green hotel portfolio ten fold in the next five years. It has 50 Marriott branded hotels in design, development, or under construction are expected to achieve the US Green Building Council’s LEED Certification in 2010. InterContinental Hotel Group is currently developing, Green Engage, an extensive in-house sustainability software program that will soon assist over 4400 hotels in 150 countries increase energy efficiency, reduce water consumption, eliminate waste, and lower their impact on the environment.Sustainability is here to stay. Over the coming years the concept will become a more effective of a tool for businesses to find hidden cost savings and operational improvements.
Interested in learning how your hotel can go green? EcoGreenHotel is working with local convention and visitor bureaus to help promote sustainability through a series of green hotel case study presentations. This February EcoGreenHotel will be presenting to Bentonville, Arkansas area hotels to show how they can help Wal-Mart achieve its sustainability goals. Visit EcoGreenHotel to learn more: www.ecogreenhotel.comAbout Author
Jeff Kiec, LEED-AP and Corporate Director of Sustainability, 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.
