news & features

5/22/2013

Accor’s Plant for the Planet Program to Result in Planting of 200,000 Trees

PARIS—Accor Hotels announced that its Plant for the Planet program will fund 200,000 trees in the United Kingdom in a pioneering project designed to promote sustainable food production and nurture links between hotels, guests and farms. Europe’s largest hotel group marked the first anniversary of its PLANET 21 sustainability strategy by revealing plans to finance up to 50 projects across the United Kingdom by the end of 2015, planting trees on farms in smart ways that cut costs, raise yields and improve the environment. The program also aims to engage Accor’s employees and guests on sustainability. Plant for the Planet is financed by money saved when guests choose to reuse towels rather than send them to be washed. Since 2008, thanks to their responsible behavior, Accor has planted over 3 million trees worldwide—around 1,500 each day. In the United Kingdom 72 percent of the group’s hotels take part in the program and in five years they have funded more than 247,000 trees in Romania.

@greenlodging tweets

“Accor says its Plant for the Planet program will fund 200,000 trees in U.K. in a project designed to promote sustainable food production.”

18 hours ago
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publisher's point of view
What Happened in Vegas Last Week Should Not Stay in Vegas

A towel cabinet with a discreetly placed sensor that lets your housekeepers know whether or not towels were touched by a guest—saving you from washing unused towels. Shower curtains and liners made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate. Amenity dispensers that can be imprinted with any photo or image you wish. Architectural hardware made with antimicrobial bronze. Bed frames made from recycled railroad t-rail. Automatic sensor-based faucets with the look of luxury. A mattress company with its own mattress and foundation recycling program. These are just some of the unique innovations I came across last week while walking the floor of the Hospitality Design Expo in Las Vegas. As with other HD Expos I have attended, this year’s show was filled with FF&E with green features.

guest column
Green Cleaning Starts at the Hotel Door

When it comes to green cleaning, an often underemphasized area is the need for matting at all hotel entries. Stopping dust, soils, and contaminants before they ever enter a facility helps reduce the need for cleaning and enhances indoor environmental quality. This is why it makes sense to place effective matting systems at the heart of any green cleaning program. The most effective type of mats are referred to as high-performance mats, which are higher-quality mats that have a performance life of several years. These mats are often part of what is called a soil “source control” strategy. It is common to overlook the impact that sidewalks, parking lots, entries, and other areas can have on the health of the indoor environment. But, as much as 90 percent of the dust and dirt that enters a facility “walks in” through building entries.

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The Difference a Dispenser Makes

When a hotel makes the effort to provide safe and natural products, guests notice. When a hotel makes the effort to show they care about the environment, guests notice. There is a way for hotels to cost effectively reduce waste and amenity costs without compromising décor. Green Suites Hotel Solutions® provides appealing dispensers, personal care products and housekeeping solutions. Properties will appreciate the sleek dispenser designs while quality personal care amenities pamper guests. Be a hotel that gets noticed. Call (800) 224-4228.

green hotel focus
Hilton Concord Electric Vehicle Charging Station Goes ‘Live’

CONCORD, CALIF.—The newly renovated Hilton Concord has added an expansive electric vehicle charging station to serve hotel guests and the community as part of its ongoing sustainability initiatives. Hilton Concord, located in San Francisco’s East Bay, is owned and operated by Interstate Hotels & Resorts. Hilton Concord has embarked upon a long term and dedicated commitment to becoming an industry leader in sustainability. The addition of an electric vehicle charging station is a milestone along the hotel’s path toward the goal of becoming one of the top sustainable hotels in California. In response to anticipated guest and client demand for car charging, Hilton Concord is providing capacity for up to eight vehicles. Hilton Concord now has the largest EV charging station in the San Francisco Bay Area.

upcoming events
Jun
02
NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference
New York Marriott Marquis

Sunday, June 02, 2013

Jun
10
NeoCon 2013
Merchandise Mart, Chicago

Monday, June 10, 2013

Jun
12
GreenerBuilder 2013
South San Francisco Conference Center

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Jun
18
LOHAS Forum
Boulder, Colo.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

personnel profile
Caesars Entertainment’s Eric Dominguez Keeps Company Focused on Efficiency First

LAS VEGAS—When studying mechanical engineering at Cornell University, a school well known for its School of Hotel Administration, Eric Dominguez had no intention of entering the hospitality industry. In fact, he wanted to be an aerospace engineer. It was by accident, he says, that he ended up getting into the energy business after college. After accumulating years of diverse experience in that area in both the public and private sectors, it was by fate, Dominguez adds, that he made some connections with Caesars Entertainment. Today, after eight years with Caesars, Dominguez’s responsibilities encompass enterprise utility management, corporate engineering and environmental affairs. Dominguez works at the corporate office of Caesars Entertainment, a 70,000-employee company that now has 52 properties worldwide. Some of those properties include Caesars Palace, Harrah’s, and Paris Las Vegas. Three energy engineers and one environmental engineer report to Dominguez.

blog post
Courtyard Renovation Case Study: 4 Percent Premium for Green FF&E
18 hours ago

Those of you considering a green renovation for your interior spaces should read a case study recently released by SERA Architects with input from Benjamin West and a number of product manufacturers. This is the second case study from SERA Architects that I have written about in Green Lodging News. (Click here to read my column linking to the first case study.) SERA Architects’ latest case study focuses on the Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown and all of the steps that were taken during the renovation to reduce waste, energy consumption, and improve indoor air quality. Specifying green products for 70 percent of the FF&E for the guestroom and corridor refresh resulted in a 4 percent project cost increase over standard products. While the team behind the renovation did not have to pay more for local art and sustainable carpet, lamping, paint and seating, it did have to pay more for green fabric (7 percent more), casegoods (8 percent more), outdoor furniture (15 percent more) and wallcoverings (40 percent).

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