WICHITA, KAN.—Nancy J. Larson, director, Pollution Prevention Institute, Kansas State University, is spearheading an effort to develop a green lodging certification program for lodging establishments in Kansas. In the effort she has worked closely with Joe Andrick, general manager of the Overland Park Residence Inn by Marriott, Overland Park, Kan. Larson is pursuing an Environmental Protection Agency grant to fund the program that initially would be focused on properties in Kansas City and Wichita. If the effort to obtain an EPA grant is successful—Larson expects to have an answer by September—Kansas could have its own green lodging certification program by as early as June 2013. It would be run by the Kansas Restaurant & Hospitality Association. Larson says the program would be similar to programs already established in other states, and the grant would provide seed funding to get the program started in Kansas.
Interest in a statewide certification program grew out of the Pollution Prevention Institute and was also sparked by the Overland Park Residence Inn by Marriott’s Andrick. He had been working at a hotel in Missouri prior to the Overland Park property and participated in that state’s green lodging program.
Larson says the Institute had been working in health care for many years, helping to minimize toxins and waste.
“It was time to work with another industry,” she says. “We started to look at the lodging industry. We identified the industry as having significant water and energy saving opportunities, and a desire to learn about and implement environmentally sustainable practices.”
Internship Program Helped Identify Interest
Last year the Institute had an intern work with a number of hotels on energy and waste reduction.
“In 2011 alone, our green lodging intern identified potential savings of more than 2 million kWh of energy, and nearly 9 million gallons of water,” Larson says.
All of the details have yet to be worked out but Larson says it is likely that interns and Institute staff would have a role in the certification program. Kansas State University’s Department of Hospitality Management may also be involved. The Kansas Department of Health & Environment could play an advisory role.
During the first two years of the program, which the grant would cover, the goal would be to certify approximately 50 facilities. Lodging establishments would have to demonstrate continuous improvement from one year to the next in order to continue participating. They would also have to have an environmental mission statement in place in order to participate. The goal would be to have an on-site visit every two years.
Larson says there are approximately 800 lodging establishments in Kansas that would be eligible to participate. The certification program would be open to any size property.
Andrick says a green lodging certification program for Kansas and identification of participating properties on the Kansas Restaurant & Hospitality Association website would be good for business.
“I think the traveling public would like to stay in hotels with green practices,” Andrick says. “There are not a lot of ways to find out about these hotels.”
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
