Mr. Meade

Eco-Friendly Practices

Mainstreaming Sustainability in the Hotel Industry

By Bill Meade, Director, Tetra Tech

The movement to improve the environmental performance and image of the travel and tourism industry in the last decade and a half has taken root and built the foundation of long term sustainability. Hotels of all sizes and customer class, and in all locations, have joined the “green revolution”. A visit to the website of any globally recognized hotel brand or chain yields an abundance of information on that organization’s efforts to make its properties and services more environmentally sustainable. From guest room towel reuse programs to energy efficient and water conserving devices to commitments toward sustainability initiatives at the local and global level, consumer awareness has finally caught up with the industry’s leadership initiatives.

This article reviews the status of environmental sustainability in the hotel industry. Health and safety has long been the subject of government regulation and tour operators and other wholesalers. Conversely, efforts to improve energy, water and waste management are the result of voluntary programs at the property, destination or corporate chain level. Web-based maps are now connecting environmentally conscious travelers with green hotels as availability (e.g., “are there any green hotels in the area?”) has been replaced by choice (e.g., “what do your green meetings option include?“)

While hotels have long suggested guests help conserve water by reusing bath towels, today's global hotel organizations are engaged in much more sophisticated environmental efforts, partly prompted by an increase in consumer concern for sustainable practices. Corporate travel buyers' interest in using green hotels has fluctuated in recent years as other priorities have commanded more attention at times; however, buyers and their travelers have expressed increased interest in 2010, encouraging many marketplace advancements that are currently underway.

Greening initiatives can be characterized by a number of mutually reinforcing approaches and are typically combined to meet a hotel company’s “sustainability” objectives. These include:

1) environmentally sensitive design
2) environmental management operations
3) corporate social responsibility
4) reducing carbon footprint
5) nature conservation
6) environmental reporting
7) guest loyalty programs

A host of eco-labels, certification, awards and public reporting programs have emerged over the past decade, the sum of which mainstream sustainability in the hospitality industry. At the same time, most hotel chains have established their own branded sustainability programs such as Hyatt Earth, InterContinental Hotels Group Green Engage, Marriott Hotels Spirit to Preserve, Starwood Hotels Environmental Sustainability Policy and Make a Green Choice, and Wyndham Green.

Green Buildings - Environmentally Sustainable Design

Green building refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating greener structures, the common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by: 1) efficiently using energy, water, and other resources; 2) protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity; and reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation. The environmentally sensitive or green building design can incorporate building materials that are either native to the area or are made of recycled materials.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System is a voluntary, consensus-based national rating system for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED addresses all building types and emphasizes state-of-the-art strategies in five areas: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials and resources selection, and indoor environmental quality. The U.S. Green Building Council maintains the LEED standard and certifies sustainable businesses, homes, hospitals, schools, and hotels. Orchard Garden Hotel, San Francisco; Intercontinental Hotel, San Francisco and Cavallo Point Lodge, Sausalito, Calif., were three of only 18 hotels nationwide that received LEED certification. Starwood Hotels has introduced a new brand - Element Hotels – with a commitment to achieve LEED Certification. The Element philosophy is to satisfy guests’ needs while keeping the environment in mind.

Environmental Management – Doing More with Less

Environmental management has the goal of optimizing the efficiency use of resources and management of wastes in hotel operations. Specifically, it includes water conservation, energy efficiency and waste (solid waste and wastewater) management. Environmental management is driven from the top and reinforced through standard operating practices in all departments and functions in the hotel. It implies continuous improvement through a structured system of assessing all environmental aspects of operations, then setting goals, objectives, targets and action plans that demonstrate a comprehensive and measurable improvement in the environmental performance of hotel operations.

While specific programs might include towel reuse programs, guestroom occupancy controls for lighting and air-conditioning/heating, recyclable pens and notepads, environmental management is a holistic approach that prioritizes actions based on the cost-effectiveness of the program, i.e., the greatest improvement at the lowest cost. The hotel’s environmental management system begins in the “back of house” where inefficiency and waste are completely within the control of property management. These include, for example, laundry and kitchen operations, where changes in staff practices can make a significant difference without the guest ever knowing the hotel has engaged such practices. Voluntary guest programs, such as towel and linen reuse, will only be effective with training of room attendants and effective communication to the guests.

Environmental management can also follow standards such as ISO 14001, EMAS, Green Globe and Green Seal are among the standards and certification systems for hotel operations. Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping to save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Energy Star Partner Hotels include most U.S. chains, and Energy Star Labeled properties, those that meet the standard, now number more than 440 in the U.S.

Corporate Social Responsibility – Doing Well by Doing Good

Yielding to consumer and shareholder pressures, hotels (like many other businesses) have realized the advantages of being good corporate citizens. The goal of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is to embrace responsibility for the company's actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and the general public. By definition, CSR is the deliberate inclusion of the public interest into corporate decision-making that is the core business of the company or firm, and the honoring of a triple bottom line: people, planet, profit.

Hotel CSR programs recognize the importance of benefiting the communities as well as global issues such as climate change and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. CSR programs extend to staff (e.g., hiring practices), suppliers, the local community, and the physical environment (e.g., habitat creation and wildlife preservation).

Kimpton Hotel's commitment to social responsibility is evident at every level from the local and national level to the global community. This commitment to care permeates every aspect of Kimpton Hotels, beginning internally with its employees at all Kimpton Hotels, making a positive social and environmental difference in the community, as well as the hospitality industry. At the local community level, each property is affiliated with local non-profit organizations, including those that benefit the arts, education and neighborhood beautification. In addition, Kimpton Restaurants are involved in their local communities, working to help support food and hunger organizations, as well as underprivileged children. At the national level, Kimpton is a strong supporter of numerous charities, such as Dress for Success. Its Red Ribbon Campaign involves all hotels throughout the United States in an HIV awareness and fundraising program.

Carbon Footprint - Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

A carbon footprint is defined as the total set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person. For hotels, GHG are emitted through transport, consuming energy in hotel operations (electricity, gas and other fossil fuels), but also in the production and consumption of food and manufactured goods. For simplicity of reporting, GHG is often expressed in terms of the amount of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent of other GHGs, emitted.

For example, Marriott International signed an agreement to support to protect 1.4 million acres of endangered rainforest in the Amazon. Marriott guests and group customers will also be able to offset the greenhouse gas emissions generated from their hotel stays by contributing to this rainforest fund. In addition to offering this carbon offset, Marriott is taking new steps to reduce the company’s water, waste and energy consumption; green its supply chain; build greener hotels; and engage employees and guests to take action.

Nature and Biodiversity Conservation – Preserving and Restoring Public Lands

Conservation is an ethic of resource use, allocation, and protection. Its primary focus is upon maintaining the health of the natural world: its, fisheries, habitats, and biological diversity. Secondary focus is on materials conservation and energy conservation, which are seen as important to protect the natural world. Traditionally, it has been those hotels near parks and recreation areas that directly supported nature conservation and biodiversity, however, today, hotels have become supporters of conservation organizations as a way of preserving and restoring public lands.

Kimpton Hotels has recently embarked on a partnership with The Nature Conservancy in support of their Plant A Billion Trees campaign. They also have a long term relationship with the Trust for Public Land, the only national non-profit dedicated exclusively to the preservation of land for public use. Guests at all Kimpton Hotels are now able to request special rates that include donations to these two organizations.

Corporate Sustainability Reporting

Corporate sustainability reporting refers to the voluntary disclosure of environmental and other sustainability indicators. An outgrowth of polluting industries move to demonstrate compliance, accountability and transparency, hotel companies are among the businesses that produce an annual sustainability report or on provide quantitative results of their environmental programs on company websites. Corporate Sustainability Reporting offers three templates for Best Practice Reporting. One is focused on creating a positive impression (public/stockholder relations). Another focuses on the business case for sustainable development. The final represents standardized reporting.

Internationally recognized programs for sustainability reporting include the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) which enables all organizations worldwide to assess their sustainability performance and disclose the results in a similar way to financial reporting. The largest database of corporate sustainability reports can be found on the website of the United Nations Global Compact initiative. The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) provides primary GHG emissions data from the world's largest corporations, to the global market place. The data are obtained from responses to CDP's annual Information Request, sent on behalf of institutional investors and purchasing organizations. Intercontinental, Starwood and Host Hotels all report their annual GHG emissions through the Carbon Disclosure Project.

Build It Green and They will Come - Satisfying the Demand for Green Lodging and Meetings

After years of waiting for demand for green hotels to catch-up with the property’s voluntary initiatives, some of the industry major hospitality providers are engaging consumers directly. The AAA TourBook editions include an “eco” icon to indicate hotel properties that promote environmental and energy conservation among its more than 31,000 hotels listed. Starwood’s program at Sheraton and Westin hotels offers guests the option to earn 500 points per night when refusing housekeeping service for towel changes and such.

Expedia.com, one of the world’s best known online travel agents, has a Green Hotel program. Expedia.com, one of the world’s best known online travel agents, has announced that in celebration of the 40 years since the first Earth Day, it will be expanding its Green Hotel program aimed at travelers who wish to place the environment high up on their list of priorities when it comes to choosing a hotel. The program features a list of more than 1,700 and more than 80 certification programs worldwide.

The Ritz-Carlton Give Back Getaways volunteer vacation program offers our guests an exceptional opportunity to give back to the community in a way that is meaningful to them and to the lives of others. Participating in a half-day local community experience, guests will work alongside our Ritz-Carlton Ladies and Gentlemen in a Community Footprints social or environmental project. The Give Back Getaways experience is unique to each destination and designed to make a lasting contribution and enduring impression. All profits from the Ritz-Carlton Give Back Getaways volunteer travel programs are donated to the partner organizations.

Meetings and events have become an increasingly important part of a hotel’s business mix but now that sustainability is on the corporate agenda it’s no longer enough to simply offer high-quality facilities. Last later, professional association Meeting Professionals International (MPI) reinforced the growing importance of sustainable events in its FutureWatch 2010 study, which found that 76% of European and 63% of US meetings planners reported that corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a focus for their organizations.
“We are all guests on this planet, and that’s why an integrated green strategy is a business imperative,” says Kathleen Matthews, Executive Vice President of Global Communications and Public Affairs and co-chair of Marriott’s Green Council.

Bill Meade is a Director with Tetra Tech and is based in Arlington, Virginia. Mr. Mead heads Tetra Tech's Sustainable Tourism Service work and has worked continuously in the Caribbean for over a decade at the property, resort complex, hotel group, destination and national level. Mr. Mead has also assisted private hotel companies and chains to develop corporate and property-level environmental management programs, including achievement of Green Globe 21 certification. He is currently serving as Team Leader for the Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action (CHENACT) project for the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association and Caribbean Tourism Organization, with funding from the InterAmerican Development Bank. Mr. Meade can be contacted at 703-387-2134 or bill.meade@tetratech.com Extended Bio...

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