Eco-Friendly 'StayGreen' Lodging in Illinois has 16,175 rooms

. March 24, 2009

MARCH 24, 2009 - Environmentally conscious visitors to Illinois can now StayGreen at hotels throughout the Land of Lincoln. Launched by the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA), the StayGreen program recognizes hotels that proactively use eco-friendly products and services to help protect the environment. With 16,175 StayGreen rooms available across the state, IHLA is confident the StayGreen designation will help visitors better understand their choices in green lodging in Illinois.

For the first year of the program, IHLA is focusing on two areas in which hotels must meet specific criteria in order to be awarded StayGreen designations: saving energy and recycling. IHLA will re-evaluate and refine the standards it sets for StayGreen programs each year, and is already considering adding more green programs. Hotels must submit proof each year that they continue to meet StayGreen standards.

"Our goal is to create a series of green recognition programs that will help make the lodging industry in Illinois a leader in protecting our environment," said IHLA President and CEO Marc Gordon. "We envision a world in which green lodging is 'business as usual' sooner, rather than later." IHLA is encouraging all of its member hotels to become StayGreen properties and then take the next and pursue Green Seal or LEED certification.

In order to receive the StayGreen energy reduction designation, hotels must meet standards set by IHLA. Options include purchasing renewable energy credits from green energy sources such as wind, hydro and solar power to offset at least 50 percent of a hotel's power, to utilizing:

Energy efficient lighting
Occupancy sensors which turn off lights and heating/cooling units when rooms are unoccupied.
Programmable thermostats
"Green" roofs
ENERGY STAR commercial equipment
Water conservation equipment
Linen and towel reuse

Hotels will receive the StayGreen recycling designation if at least four of six recyclable items typically discarded by guests and staff are collected, separated and recycled on a continuous basis. These are newspapers, plastic and glass bottles, metal cans, cardboard/paper, and kitchen oil and grease.

"Green accommodations are becoming more important to travelers and meeting planners," said Jan Kostner, Deputy Director Illinois Bureau of Tourism. "The StayGreen program is excellent way to make our state stand out to green travelers."

Visitors seeking green lodging in Illinois can search for StayGreen hotels at the IHLA website: www.stayillinois.com

Quick Hotel Stats on Going Green

The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association is encouraging all of its member hotels to "go green," and cites these quick statistics:

Electricity use generally accounts for 60 to 70 percent of the utility costs of a hotel. Energy-efficient products can reduce energy consumption - and energy costs.
Guests in a typical hotel room can generate a lot of waste -- as much as 30 pounds per day -- but as much as 80 percent of that can be recycled. At 100% occupancy, that's 285,000 lbs to 303,000 lbs of waste recycled each day.
Hotel guests are really clean - and thirsty! An occupied room typically uses 218 gallons of water every day. Water-efficient fixtures can reduce water and sewer use by 25 to 30 percent.

StayGreen Hotels

Downtown Chicago:

Four Points by Sheraton Chicago-Downtown Magnificent Mile+

Gold Coast Guest House B&B

Hampton Majestic

Hilton Chicago*

Hotel Allegro Chicago*

Hotel Monaco Chicago*

Hyatt Regency Chicago on the Riverwalk+

InterContinental Chicago*

Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel

Omni Chicago Hotel