As a double immigrant raised in Toronto, having spent a decade in New York and eventually starting a lifestyle hotel brand in Shanghai, I enjoyed the benefit of living in and working among the most diverse and multicultural places on earth. I have also worked for diversity award winning corporations such as Deloitte, Accenture, and Hilton to name a few. Research confirms that discrimination is best understood, not by classroom lectures or corporate training, but by those who have experienced it firsthand. In 2007, when I was SVP of Corporate Development at Hilton, I was presenting to the Board of...

Every day is Earth Day when you care deeply about the environment or planet. You might already be saving our planet by turning off lights in unoccupied rooms. You could even be recycling plastic, paper, or aluminum cans. Living Green is straightforward, and uncomplicated. It only requires compassion for our environment. Even tiny lifestyle adjustments, such as water conservation, can have a significant impact on the environment. Water conservation is the simplest way to help our planet. That is why it is critical to examine how we consume water. Installing a water filter is a minor change, but it has...

As a hotel property, you are already focused on the cleanliness and safety of the facility. You cannot be in business without doing so daily. Couple a global pandemic with weary customers, and your attention to detail is seriously tested. Further, there are so many regulations coming from different organizations that it is hard to both commit to being sustainable and follow the rules. Fortunately, there is one solution that addresses all your pain points. Without using harmful sprays or toxic chemicals, UVC light is the most efficient way to render illness-causing viruses, bacteria, and other airborne pathogens harmless. By...

Finding the right HVAC system to cool commercial spaces does not have to mean making a choice between high-quality performance and efficiency, but it does take homework. In order to make the most informed decisions, facilities managers and building owners need to be mindful of not only the purchase and installation price but its protected service life and operational costs. Once the numbers are crunched, it is often found that the most energy efficient equipment offsets a larger up-front price and more than makes up for it in long-term operational savings. Look at the Full Picture Something to keep in mind when...

The hospitality industry has been greatly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. As facilities begin to reopen, guests must receive clear communications that show everything possible is being done to protect them during their stays. Many facilities are cleaning and disinfecting utilizing harsh chemicals such as bleach and ammonias, which are not environmentally friendly and are hazardous to human health. In addition, utilizing paper towels and alcohol-based wipes has produced copious amounts of waste. Cleaning and disinfection can be done in an environmentally friendly way as well as effectively and efficiently. Safer plant-based disinfectants can provide environmentally friendly and healthier...

The new Virgin Las Vegas Resort Hotel that opened in March 2021 has a surprising policy in their FAQs. That policy states: Outside food and beverage is not permitted in our guest rooms. Our resort offers an array of restaurant offerings, including pre-stocked in-room minibars and 24-hour room service for your convenience. Hotel properties have long had a complicated relationship with outside food and beverage brought into their properties. With safety and security issues mounting, many properties have become increasingly uncomfortable having outside food delivery people in their hotels. Another big concern, as pointed out by the Las Vegas Virgin, is that...

Transitioning America’s buildings away from burning fossil fuels for heating and water heating, toward equipment powered by increasingly clean electricity is key to meeting the nation’s climate goals, including President Biden’s commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Innovative energy code language, developed by the New Buildings Institute in partnership with NRDC and released recently, will provide a template to help get cities and states on track to reduce energy use as well as carbon emissions in new buildings. Buildings are responsible for around 40 percent of all carbon emissions in the United States, so addressing their efficiency and emissions...

Buildings—including our homes and places of work—are responsible for one third of the fossil gas (a.k.a. “natural” gas) consumed in the United States each year. We burn gas and other fossil fuels like oil and propane inside buildings largely to heat the rooms and the water inside them. That adds up to 12 percent of the country’s yearly greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Fortunately, efficient electric technology is readily available to replace our old, dirty fossil fuel-burning heating appliances. An NRDC fact sheet released explains how this transition that is crucial to fighting the climate crisis can also make our...

For the past several decades, the hotel and resort industry has made impressive shifts toward more environmentally friendly operational practices. Eliminating single-use shampoo bottles and asking guests to reuse towels and sheets are some of the basic and necessary steps hotels have taken to ensure a greener planet. While these measures have undoubtedly resulted in a smaller carbon footprint, according to the New Building Institute, they are still not enough. The institute, which tracks net-zero buildings around the country, calls the hotel and resort industry’s record on energy and water consumption “lackluster.” It says this is due to several reasons, including...

Last year was essentially like Navy SEAL training for many hotel operators. Guest traffic, expectations and demands have required adaptation on a scale never seen before. Thankfully, the hospitality industry is made up of strong players who have risen to the occasion. Hotel operators are now handling sanitation and disinfecting all while winning back the trust of concerned guests to refine their businesses. As a result, the waste streams have most certainly changed. The utilization of single-use items, pre-packaged amenities and increased cleaning have driven waste volumes up. Pair this with unpredictable occupancy, challenging events, and the unique needs of...