ATLANTA—The Emory Conference Center Hotel (ECCH) in Atlanta is continuing its commitment to the environment and its “green” guests. The property has recently been re-certified by Green Seal, converted to a new food waste elimination system, began recycling its waste cooking oil into fuel, and introduced single stream recycling.
ECCH is the only Green Seal-certified hotel in Georgia, meeting rigorous environmental standards for U.S. lodging properties that include waste minimization, water and energy efficiency, and environmentally responsible purchasing. Certification must be renewed annually and ECCH has been certified since 2004.
The hotel’s new food composting system is self-contained and rapidly breaks down all food waste into a nutrient rich liquid that is suitable for discharge into public sewer systems. The machine helps to reduce waste in landfills, groundwater contamination, truck traffic from hauling, the use of fossil fuels, and harmful emissions.
“Not only is the decomposer ecologically friendly, it’s very sanitary and economical,” says executive chef Michael Klein. “It can process up to 1,500 pounds of food waste per day and we are currently decomposing approximately 500 pounds per day.”
Cooking Oil Recycled
Chef Klein and his staff are also recycling waste cooking oil. With the assistance of Refuel Biodiesel, a program of the of Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, the cooking oil is converted into bio-diesel fuel and used in the Cliff shuttle buses at adjacent Emory University.
The single stream recycling program enables ECCH employees and guests to mix recyclable paper, plastic and glass in one centralized bin, resulting in the hotel recycling more than 41 tons each year.
A major conference center expansion that began in March 2008 will be certified LEED Silver by the U.S. Green Building Council, while the existing building will be working toward earning LEED certification. The expansion is expected to be complete in May 2009 and includes 127 new guestrooms, 6,000 square feet of additional meeting space, a bowling alley, a bar and restaurant, outdoor reception areas, and a pool and health club.
The ECCH is a member of the Green Hotels Association, P2AD, and the Georgia Restaurant Association Local Sustainable Green Round Table.
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