STAMFORD, CONN.—In a move that reinforces its “green from the ground up” branding, Element Hotels reports that its entire portfolio of hotels now meets the brand’s 100 percent renewable energy commitment. The initiative was launched earlier this year and gained momentum as each Element hotel individually renewed its annual energy contract. It culminated this month with the signing of the final contract.
A brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., Element Hotels pursues the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for high-performance buildings brand-wide. In 2010, Element’s Global Citizenship team challenged hotel owners to increase renewable energy usage from 35 percent to 70 percent as part of the brand’s LEED volume build certification. By committing to 100 percent renewable energy, Element has now taken its environmental program well beyond the original standard.
“When we set our goal for 100 percent renewable energy, we knew it would be ambitious to have all hotels on board by year’s end,” said Brian McGuinness, senior vice president of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “Our success is in no small part due to the commitment of Element’s individual hotel owners, who continue to demonstrate that they share the brand’s commitment to environmental sustainability.”
Element hotel owners meet the renewable energy requirement by purchasing Renewable Energy Credits from their local utility or other provider. These credits guarantee that the energy the hotel uses is added to the power grid from a renewable source, such as wind, hydroelectric, solar or geothermal. The credits also help fund the further development of renewable energy facilities.
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