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Hilton Americas-Houston is First Green Seal Certified Hotel in Texas

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HOUSTON—Hilton Americas-Houston, the city’s largest hotel, has just received the unique distinction of becoming the first hotel in the state of Texas to achieve Green Seal certification. Demonstrating environmental leadership in operations and purchasing, the downtown Houston convention hotel reduced their environmental impact and improved sustainability in accordance with stringent guidelines set out by Green Seal in order to obtain the certification. This certification confirms that Hilton Americas-Houston complies with the environmental and performance requirements of the Green Seal Environmental Standard for Lodging Properties—Silver level.

Green Seal, an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding the environment and transforming the marketplace, promotes the manufacture, purchase and use of environmentally responsible products and services. In partnership since 1995 with the lodging industry, the nation’s second largest employer, the organization provides assistance and expertise to properties working toward certification.

Joining only four other Hilton Family hotels in the United States that have thus far achieved Green Seal status, Hilton Americas-Houston underwent an extensive greening of the property as all team members joined in to reduce the hotel’s overall carbon footprint. To qualify for Green Seal certification, a hotel must demonstrate sustainable practices in the following areas: waste minimization, reuse & recycling; energy efficiency, conservation & management; management of fresh water resources; waste water management; hazardous substances; and environmentally sensitive purchasing. Certification requires an initial evaluation by Green Seal, including an on-site audit of the property, and annual monitoring to ensure ongoing compliance.

Many Green Initiatives in Place

Just some of the many initiatives in effect at the Hilton Americas-Houston to reduce the hotel’s environmental impact as a Green Seal certified property include:

• Recycling plastic, paper and aluminum;
• Composting food waste;
• Replacing current guestroom lighting with energy efficient compact fluorescent lighting;
• Recycling fluorescent light bulbs;
• Reusing copy paper to minimize waste;
• Setting copy machines to default to double-sided printing;
• Purchasing recycled copy paper;

• Giving guests the opportunity to recycle in their guestrooms;
• Using 2.2 gpm water conserving faucets, 1.6 gpf water conserving toilets and 2.5 gpm water conserving showerheads;
• Using nontoxic and biodegradable cleaning products;
• Following an environmental purchasing policy;
• Using environmentally responsible suppliers;
• Using materials made from post-consumer recycled content;
• Replacing disposable food service items with biodegradable items;
• Turning off lights in areas that are not occupied;
• Installing on/off lighting timers in low traffic and low occupancy areas;
• Recycling liquid shortening;
• Recycling toner cartridges;
• Recycling batteries;
• Serving water only on request;
• Offering guests the option to reuse towels and linens for multiple nights;
• Donating partially used amenities to local shelters;
• Replacing equipment, as needed, with Energy Star rated models; and
• Donating leftover food to local shelters, at customers’ request.

Directly connected to the George R. Brown Convention Center, the Hilton Americas-Houston contains the city’s largest number of guestrooms, ballrooms, and hotel meeting space. Situated between Toyota Center and Minute Maid Park, the AAA Four Diamond rated hotel has 1,203 guestrooms, 91,500 square feet of flexible meeting space, two restaurants, a lobby bar, coffee emporium, and full service spa and health club.

Go to the Hilton Americas-Houston.

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