HARTFORD, CONN.—There are now 15 hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts participating in the Connecticut Green Lodging program sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism. The lodging facilities participating in the program are redoing operations and gaining a marketing edge through energy savings, water conservation, green cleaning and other environmentally sound practices.
In addition to listings on the state’s Department of Environmental Protection website (www.ct.gov/dep/greenlodging) and the www.CTvisit.com site run by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, these certified properties enjoy “eco” listings on the websites run by AAA and Expedia. Certified properties can also use the program logo on marketing materials.
“Growing numbers of consumers, including families and conference planners, want to know that the hotel where they plan to stay is ‘green,’” DEP commissioner Amey Marrella says. “Whether the hotel implements energy efficiency methods, practices water use reduction strategies or promotes reduce, reuse and recycling practices, consumers feel confident knowing their hotel meets the criteria as a Green Lodging Certified Hotel. This program also provides an opportunity for hotels to receive recognition and is an excellent marketing tool for participating hotels.”
“The tourism industry is fully supportive of green initiatives—both for the good of the environment and for the good of guests and visitors along with the people who work at each certified venue,” says Karen Senich, executive director of the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism. “Educating our hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts on how to be green helps the industry to grow business while offering a great visit to their guests.”
Program Launched in May 2009
The certification program began in May 2009, after environmentally progressive hotel owners contacted the Connecticut DEP and legislators requesting that Connecticut offer certification to state lodging facilities. Currently, 26 states have certification programs for lodging.
Connecticut Green Lodging is a self-certification program based on accumulating points associated with environmental practices at lodging facilities. The points are recorded in the Connecticut Green Lodging Self-Certification Workbook. The workbook and more information about the program are available on www.ct.gov/dep/greenlodging.
“No matter how green a facility is, there are always new ideas being added to the workbook and new goals for hotels to reach,” commissioner Marrella added. “A national network of green hoteliers provides updates on the latest in technology and practices. As an added bonus, most of the operations described in the workbook also save money. In a challenging economy, every step towards efficiency helps, and acquiring Connecticut Green Lodging Certification benefits both the hotel owner and consumer.”
A series of three workshops are being planned for October 2010 to teach hotels additional practices that will help them get certified. The schedule will be posted on the DEP’s website when the details are finalized.
