PORTLAND, ORE.—The Hilton Portland & Executive Tower announced that the property has been certified under the Green Key Eco-Rating Program. The Hilton was awarded four Keys on a scale of five Keys, and is the first hospitality property in Oregon to receive this designation. This rating is based on the Hilton having mature sustainability programs in place that involve management, employees, guests, and the public, and which have shown substantial and measurable results.
Designed specifically for hotel operations, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program is a comprehensive environmental audit that is self-administered by the staff at the participating property, covering a broad range of operational areas and sustainable practices. The answers are then tabulated and the property is awarded a ranking of 1 to 5 Keys. The property also receives a comprehensive report that includes recommendations, best practices and potential areas for improvement and savings, and a listing on the www.greenkeyglobal.com website, as a resource for environmentally conscious travelers. To avoid the risk of score inflation, Green Key includes random, on-site verification of audit results.
“The Hilton Portland was one of the properties eagerly awaiting Green Key’s migration from Canada to the United States, which is typically a good indication of a hotel’s commitment to sustainable operations,” said Zach Conen, vice president of sales & marketing for Green Key Global. “The property’s 4-Key rating is an even better indicator of their environmental leadership and commitment, both nationally and within the Hilton family.”
Program Developed by Engineering Firm
The foundation of the Green Key Program is its focus on sound sustainable practices specifically for the lodging industry. It was developed by a leading environmental engineering firm with support from the Canadian Government. The program has also received praise from the U.S. Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE), the Partnership for Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria and the Rainforest Alliance and is listed in the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AH&LA) Green Resource Center.
“Being rated as a Green Key property is very important to us,” says Doug Brecht, who directs marketing for the Hilton. “We have heard more and more requests for sustainable practices from our guests and meeting planners, and are working diligently to meet those needs in our daily operations. This Eco-Rating serves to validate our progressive efforts to implement sustainable measures, and provides valuable insights into areas where we have opportunity for improvement.”
The Hilton Portland is considered a leader in sustainable hospitality on the West Coast. It was the first Hilton in the United States to earn a Green Seal GS-33 certification in 2007. It is in its third year of an ambitious four-year sustainability effort, which includes measures to increase energy and water conservation, diverting food waste into composting, expanded recycling, installing a new high efficiency HVAC system, and purchasing more eco-friendly cleaning products.
Go to the Hilton Portland & Executive Tower.
