Mr. Carmody

Eco-Friendly Practices

Eco-Friendly Practices: Understanding How Consumers View Green Hotels

By James M. Carmody, Vice President & General Manager, Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center

The buzz words have been around for years – green, environmentally friendly, eco-friendly - all used to describe companies that are doing their best to save resources in a world of limited natural ones. The hospitality industry was relatively quick to jump on the environmentally-friendly bandwagon. Today it is almost unheard of for any property to fail to offer the basic initiatives such as towel and bed linen re-use programs, recycling programs, or low-flow shower heads and toilets.

The Seaport Hotel opened in 1998, when sustainable design was not a significant consideration. The hotel was designed with Sarnafil Energy Smart Roofing system, which reduces atmospheric heat and conserves energy. Thermo-glass windows were installed in guest rooms and public spaces, further conserving energy by diffusing upwards of 70% of the sun’s radiant energy. It was one of the first hotels in the country to offer an entirely smoke-free environment.

At the time, the green movement had not caught the attention of the industry, and properties were not being planned and constructed with LEED certifications in mind. Guests were interested in a hotel only if it met their needs: Does the hotel have the amenities and services needed? Is the price right? Is it conveniently located? Guests were not overly interested in whether the hotel had a recycling program.

Fast forward to today, and whether guests are with you for an overnight, with a large group for a major business function or family event, or are in town for an extended stay for business, there has been a noticeable shift in the mindset about visiting a hotel that is environmentally friendly. Oftentimes, guests want to replicate their lifestyle at home when they travel. This includes having access to all the ‘bells and whistles’ of their home high tech equipment while also looking for the capacity to practice the same environmentally friendly initiatives while traveling.

As part of their decision making, guests, meeting planners and travel agents now inquire about a property’s green efforts. They ask us upfront about recycling programs and energy saving initiatives, how we work with our clients to reduce food & beverage excess and waste, and how we will reduce the amount of paper that is often heavily used during meetings. We welcome these questions and are always pleased to partner with clients to make their meetings ‘green’. Seaport also receives feedback from guests, almost on a daily basis, regarding the property’s environmentally friendly initiatives. Comments range from compliments about the in-room recycling program to encouraging remarks about the liquid soap containers and wall dispensers in the bathroom. Guests appreciate the conservation and savings that these dispensers provide in comparison to individual travel size containers.

When considering new initiatives, it is important to review guest feedback. Talk with your frequent customers and find out what is important to them. What do they want to see? Armed with that information, you are able to research options and implement initiatives that make sense for both the property and your guests. Doing so will encourage future business that likely would have been lost if the concerns gleaned from this dialogue were not addressed. Our very successful ‘Seaport Saves’ program was the result of wanting to please an existing client. The program is now a key consideration in everything the hotel does and is one of Boston’s most successful hotel environmental programs

Seaport’s relationship with Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) began when NESEA hosted its annual conference at the property in 2005. Dedicated to supporting a growing network of sustainable energy and building professionals committed to responsible energy use, NESEA was clearly interested in the property’s environmental efforts. At the close of the conference, NESEA’s principals challenged Seaport to become more environmentally friendly.

With NESEA’s challenge and encouragement, Seaport launched ‘Seaport Saves’, dedicated to increasing sustainability and conservation throughout all aspects of the operation. The program has blossomed, expanding to include initiatives such as a BioGreen composting system, the use of a Grander Technology treatment system in the health club pool, the purchase of renewable energy credits, an electric car charging station, a bike friendly program – actually providing bicycles free of charge to children and adults staying at the hotel. The hotel also cleans green, using cleaning fluids produced by an Electrolyzed water system. This system combines tap water, salt and electricity (both positive and negative electrical charges) to create two cleaning products: a chemical-free sanitizer (hypochlorous acid) and a neutral cleaner (sodium hydroxide.) Most recently, Seaport added over 100,000 honey bees and three hives.

Also as part of ‘Seaport Saves’, we have expanded our environmentally conscious product to our meetings and events. Clients interested in greening their meetings have the opportunity to meet with a member of the culinary team to determine menus that incorporate local, seasonal, sustainable or organic food & beverages. Leftover food will be composted using Seaport’s BioGreen system. Meeting planners may opt to incorporate bulk quantities of condiments, sugar and dairy products into their menus and Fair Trade coffee is available. By providing purified Natura water and water stations to attendees instead of individually placed bottled waters, we can drastically reduce plastic water bottle waste. Seaport works to minimize the use of paper throughout the planning process and recycle any paper distributed and used during the meeting. Providing clearly marked recycling containers in all meeting rooms and coffee break areas, along with recycling any remaining conference materials, will even further reduce a meeting’s carbon footprint.

In addition to our Green Meeting, we also offer a Green Wedding Package. We feature a customized seasonal menu showcasing a selection of hors d’oeuvres, entrees, and desserts made with fresh and local organic ingredients by Executive Chef Richard Rayment. Each couple receives a private menu planning session with Chef Rayment to determine the finest organic products that will be available during their wedding season. The courses are printed on chocolate menus situated at each place setting. And the icing on the cake is the wedding cake itself, which is organic and custom designed by Seaport’s own Executive Pastry Chef, Karen Hodsdon. In addition to the cuisine, guests are offered a wide selection of organic beer, wine, and soda. All leftovers will be recycled through Seaport’s BioGreen system, which uses microorganisms to eliminate hundreds of pounds of organic waste each day.

Another important consideration with each of these new initiatives is that while they must be cautiously researched and implemented to offer customers a green alternative that in no way sacrifices comfort and luxury; you should be just as cautious not miss the opportunities that accompany them. Each initiative presents a unique public relations or marketing opportunity amidst various constituencies and this should be a consideration as you strategically plan your roll out. These initiatives are also excellent topics for conversations with your social media followers. We have found that the more immersed we become in sustainable living, the more excited and involved our staff and guests become about discussing it. You are making an investment and should carefully examine each corner of it for additional opportunities.

Some lessons learned: hotels should balance being ‘green’ with their own brand experience. Not all environmentally friendly practices are right for every brand. Being an independent property, Seaport is not constrained by chain brand and operational standards. As such, the organization has been able to move and flex with the changing environmentally friendly technology.

Perhaps most importantly, a new initiative should always be tested on a small scale first before launching it throughout the hotel. Implementing cutting edge technology is exciting but it is important to perform the appropriate due diligence upfront to ensure that your latest initiative will succeed on a larger scale. Talking to guests and customers may tell you what outcome they are looking for, but we must figure out the best way to achieve it ourselves.

James M. Carmody joined Seaport in September, 2004, assuming the position of Vice President and General Manager. Mr. Carmody brings over 30 years of hospitality experience to the role; having both a medical and hospitality background, he has a commitment to superior customer service. He is responsible for daily operations of the award-winning, mixed-use facility. A graduate of Cornell University and the Culinary Institute of America, Mr. Carmody was previously Vice President of General Services for the Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston, where he was responsible for clinical ancillary services and hotel services at the tertiary care institution. Mr. Carmody can be contacted at James.carmody@seaportboston.com or 617-385-5105 Extended Bio...

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