Three Kimpton Hotels Become First in Chicago to Receive Green Seal Certification
HotelsAllegro, Hotel Burnham and Hotel Monaco
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, October 16, 2008. Hotel Allegro, Hotel Burnham and Hotel Monaco Chicago, the Chicago Kimpton boutique hotels, received Green Seal certification yesterday at a ceremony with Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Chicago Department of Environment, becoming three of the first five hotels in Chicago and Illinois to receive this designation. The InterContinental Chicago and Talbott Hotel also received certification.
An independent not-for-profit organization, Green Seal certifies lodging properties meeting stringent environmental requirements in waste minimization, energy efficiency, water conservation, waste water management, and environmentally responsible procurement.
"Having our EarthCare initiatives validated by an important organization like Green Seal acknowledges that we are doing the right things for the environment and our business," said Nabil Moubayed, general manager of Hotel Monaco and lead for Kimpton Chicago's EarthCare Committee, a team of five employees who oversee the hotels' eco practices.
The Chicago Kimpton hotels began their pursuit of Green Seal certification in 2007 as part of the City of Chicago's Climate Action Plan and the Green Hotels Initiative, a collaborative effort to secure Green Seal certifications for more hotels in Chicago than any other city in the nation. Since then, Hotel Allegro, Hotel Burnham and Hotel Monaco have enhanced over 40 operating practices under Kimpton's EarthCare program, which encompasses all eco initiatives at Kimpton hotels and restaurants.
These practices were expanded to meet Green Seal standards, further reducing the hotels' ecological impact and improving sustainability. Such practices include:
o Aggressive recycling programs.
o Elimination of hazardous chemicals in all paints and cleaning products.
o Back-of-house energy efficiencies such as CFL lighting and closet light sensors.
o Comprehensive green purchasing policies.
As part of the certification process, Chicago Kimpton hotels have also begun feasibility studies on progressive solutions such as waste composting.
Hotel Allegro, Hotel Burnham and Hotel Monaco Chicago are the first hotels in the Kimpton collection to receive Green Seal certification. Other Kimpton properties are currently working towards certification. Implementation of EarthCare practices has resulted in tremendous savings at each individual hotel and across the company. For example, in 2007, Kimpton's company-wide paper reduction efforts saved 54,509 pounds of waste from landfills.
For more information about Green Seal, please visit www.greenseal.org.
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