At the recent Green Lodging & Hospitality Conference in Orlando, I had an opportunity to see a presentation by Hema Patel, managing partner, Courtesy Management, Inc. Hema did a great job explaining all of the different green initiatives under way at her company’s five-story, 122-room Holiday Inn-Columbia Airport in Columbia, S.C. I will be posting an article about the Holiday Inn this coming week. Be sure to look for it.
The property, which is expected to earn LEED Gold certification at the beginning of 2012, includes some very unique features. The hotel is the first property that I am aware of that has synched up a solar hot water heating system with an on demand (tankless) water heating system. The solar system pre-heats water that is stored in a small storage tank. That water, often hotter than what is needed in the hotel (Hema told me cold water is sometimes added to it to lower the temperature), is then further heated by the on demand system. What a great way to pair up two highly efficient systems.
“Europeans and Asians use [on demand systems] all of the time,” Hema said. “We were very familiar with the technology. We were excited to apply it to a commercial building. Why keep a tank full of water heated when we do not need it?”
Rainwater Reused for Irrigation
Like the Hampton Inn & Suites Miami/Brickell-Downtown which I visited earlier this fall, the Holiday Inn-Columbia Airport captures rainwater and air-conditioning condensate and stores it in a cistern. The cistern is located below the parking lot. Water stored in the cistern is used for irrigation.
Inside the hotel, light bulbs are either compact fluorescent or LED. “We have a plan to replace all CFLs in public spaces with LEDs,” Hema said. Sensors turn off lighting in some areas. Guestroom water fixtures are all highly efficient and there are waterless urinals in the public restroom. A guestroom energy management system keeps guestroom energy consumption to a minimum when guestrooms are vacant.
From an energy consumption standpoint, “The building is performing better than I ever would have expected,” Hema said.
Employee Education Emphasized
Every employee at the hotel is required to be familiar with a “hot spot guide” that highlights the hotel’s green features. “Lunch and Learn” programs further emphasize the owners’ focus on sustainability. “We are working on a very descriptive training program for staff,” Hema said.
Hema’s green commitment is also reflected in Courtesy Management’s purchasing policy. “The furniture in the guestrooms was made in South Carolina,” she said. “I did not want any furniture made in China.”
On the road toward sustainability, Hema said she has had to overcome some obstacles related to brand standards. Some of Holiday Inn’s brand standards are not environmentally friendly, she told me.
Hema’s honesty and leadership is refreshing and our industry needs more like her. She is most definitely an all star when it comes to green lodging.
Once again, be sure to read more about the Holiday Inn-Columbia Airport very soon.
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