Home Publisher's Point of View Finish Line Getting Harder to Reach in Energy Star for Hospitality Program

Finish Line Getting Harder to Reach in Energy Star for Hospitality Program

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If I were running a marathon, which I have twice, I would not run 26 miles and 384 yards of the 26 miles and 385 yards and then stop. Similarly, if I were a hotelier pursuing some form of green lodging certification—Green Globe, Green Key, Green Seal, Green Leaf, EcoRooms & EcoSuites, LEED, Energy Star, you name the program—I would not go through the entire application process and then put on the brakes just before getting the award.

When I began investigating the current state of the EPA’s Energy Star for Hospitality and Entertainment program, I was struck by the number of hotel owners and operators who were indeed stopping before getting to the end of the Energy Star label application process. Something did not add up. I am certainly not the first one to point out there is a problem but perhaps I am the first to highlight the extent of it in the media. In 2007, 155 hotels earned the Energy Star label; this year there have been just 19 (as of December 1). Last year there were also just 19. As pointed out in my article this week, Marriott International, which has consistently touted the fact that it has more than 200 Energy Star labeled properties, has had just two hotels earn the label this year, as of December 1. A spokesperson from Marriott told me they expect to have 75 by the end of the month. We’ll see; a lot will have to happen over the next few weeks.

There are now more than 5,200 properties using the EPA’s online Portfolio Manager to benchmark their energy performance, 999 of which qualify for the label. Once again, only 19 of those 999 have finished the race this year. What is stopping them? Apparently the following: the cost of having a professional engineer wrap up the application process, confusion about how the Energy Star program really works, and a February 2009 change in the 1 to 100 point scoring process used in Portfolio Manager that some say penalizes larger hotels that need at least a 75 score to earn the Energy Star label.

Green Task Force Involved

The American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Green Task Force has met by phone with the EPA twice to address the challenges of the Energy Star for Hospitality and Entertainment program. What some in our industry would like to see is different ratings for different hotel types. Currently, one rating applies to all hotel types. Having different ratings does not seem to be too much to ask.

The EPA, which just celebrated its 40th anniversary, is unfortunately a government organization and progress can be slow. The survey data used to establish the current scoring in their online Portfolio Manager is from 2003 for goodness sake.

Earlier this year, I spoke with a well respected green tourism leader and he told me he is no longer recommending the Energy Star for Hospitality and Entertainment program to lodging owners in his organization. The hurdles to getting the Energy Star label are becoming too significant, he told me.

I would not go so far as discouraging participation in the Energy Star program but the EPA and the AH&LA need to work out the issues that are barriers to properties earning the Energy Star label. It is worth the effort. With more than 5,200 properties using Portfolio Manager to benchmark their performance against other properties their size, there is perhaps no other database as rich with energy reduction, water reduction, and greenhouse gas emission reduction information.

The Energy Star logo is one of the most recognized logos in the world—providing many marketing opportunities. Hoteliers should be fighting to earn it. They should not be frustrated by a government bureaucracy that does not understand how they work or that is too slow to respond to their needs.

If you have any stories you would like to share about your experience working with the EPA—positive or negative—send them to editor@greenlodgingnews.com. I can also be reached by phone at (440) 243-2055.

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See You in Portland, Oregon or Orlando?

I will be attending and exhibiting at the Green Meeting Industry Council’s 2011 Sustainable Meetings Conference in Portland, Oregon from February 20 to 23, 2011. The event will take place at the Portland Doubletree Hotel. To register for the conference, go to www.sustainablemeetingsconference.com. I will also be moderating a panel discussion on certification programs for carpet and fabric at the NEWH Leadership Conference on January 14 in Orlando, Fla., at the Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios. Click here for more information on the conference.

Advertising Opportunities

Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots in 2011. Several new slots have opened up on the Green Lodging News website—two skyscraper ad spots on the right hand side of the site, the home page bottom banner ad spot, and the Featured Product ad spot in the lower center area of the home page. Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (440) 243-2055, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com if you are interested in these ad spots. There are also many Green Supplier Spotlight dates available, and other spots on the website and in the weekly e-newsletter. The 2011 media kit is available by request or by clicking here. Thank you to all of those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.

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As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.

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