MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Marcus Hotels & Resorts, a division of The Marcus Corp., announced that the Sheraton Madison Hotel, located in Madison, Wis., has been accepted into Sustain Dane’s 2013 MPower Business ChaMpion Program. The one-year program, administered by Sustain Dane, a local nonprofit organization committed to creating energy saving solutions for home, school, business and municipalities in Dane County, ensures businesses are going green effectively and efficiently. The Sheraton Madison Hotel is managed by Marcus Hotels & Resorts.
“It is an honor to be selected into the MPower Business ChaMpion Program,” said Brian Johnson, general manager of the Sheraton Madison. “This acceptance signifies our strength in green lodging and meetings, and our commitment to our guests and the community. Our brand, company and associates have a great appreciation for our planet, its future and protecting it for generations to come. In choosing to stay at our hotel, our guests will be fully comforted by the fact that the Sheraton Madison is going above and beyond in its efforts to be completely sustainable.”
As part of the MPower program, the Sheraton Madison will join a community of like-minded businesses dedicated to reducing their energy, water and transportation consumption. The hotel will establish sustainability goals and develop an MPower Team, attend routine meetings with Sustain Dane staff and participate in regular lunch and learn meetings, select at least five projects for implementation by March 2014 and meet with program representatives. The hotel will share its results and successes, as well as the sustainable impact made on its business and guests, at the end of the program.
“Sustain Dane’s MPower Business ChaMpion Program provides businesses with the proper tools for successful sustainability,” said Jessie Learner, director of sustainable business for Sustain Dane. “Our approach centers on one-on-one support, measurement, local and national resources, transparency and accountability. This program brings together businesses that are excited to learn from one another and understand that sustainability needs to be included in their strategic plans to remain competitive.”
Goes Along with Starwood Initiative
Completion of the one year program will also help the Sheraton Madison meet Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’s “30/20 by 20” initiative to reduce energy usage by 30 percent and water usage by 20 percent, by 2020. This overarching goal, along with the hotel’s Energy/Resource Conservation and MPower teams, are expected to lead to a significant increase in energy savings.
In the past six months, the hotel has embarked on multiple sustainability initiatives.
“This summer, we replaced all guest hallway lights with compact florescent lights and started converting all guestroom sinks with low flow aerators, resulting in a large reduction in water usage. In addition, we are working with several vendors to retrofit all of our exterior lighting to be more energy efficient,” said Andrew Myer, chief engineer and leader of the Sheraton Madison’s Energy/Resource Conservation and MPower team.
“In addition to making our own physical modifications, we are turning to our energy-conscious guests to help us reach our goals,” Myer said. “This fall, we entered into phase two of the Sheraton ‘Make a Green Choice’ program. This program gives guests staying two nights the option to receive points or a discount by making a choice to forgo having their room cleaned during their stay. Our goal is to have 50 to 60 percent of eligible guests (two nights or more) take part in this important program.”
Myer added that several other projects are currently underway, including plans to save energy for the hotel’s in-house laundry service and a proposal to equip all meeting spaces with LED light bulbs. Should they pass, energy savings associated with both of these projects would be significant, further cementing the Sheraton Madison’s presence as one of the most sustainable hotels in the area.
Go to the Sheraton Madison.
