WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Willard InterContinental, under the leadership of general manager Hervé Houdré, was awarded the IH&RA Environmental Award for Hospitality Sustainable Development for “Willard InterContinental—The Next 100 Years.” The holistic plan is comprised of interwoven sustainable projects designed for a luxurious urban hospitality experience in harmony with social and ecological consciousness and economic viability.
The myriad programs that comprise the sustainability program include the conversion to 100 percent wind energy power—making the Willard the first hotel in the nation’s capital and one of the first urban luxury hotels in the United States to achieve this. Other projects include a complete hotel retrofit to energy and cost saving compact fluorescent bulbs, the rehabilitation of Pershing Park across from the hotel, water saving projects with proceeds going to clean up the local Anacostia River and the Chesapeake Bay, among many others.
The IH&RA Environmental Award is one of the industry’s longest running awards recognizing hospitality’s outstanding and proactive work to protect the environment. “The growing international awareness of rapid climate change and its potential for national disaster threats, impacts on the environment, humanity, economic development and the hospitality industry have become more than evident,” said Dr. Ghassan Aidi, President, IH&RA.
An Industry Challenge
“Breathing fresh mountain air, listening to the silence of summer evenings and smelling the salty perfumes of the ocean—these experiences should not disappear, Aidi adds. “Those in the hospitality community should join in such efforts as those initiated by Hervé Houdré and InterContinental Hotels Group. Together we can make a difference to save our planet.”
Houdré and his team have put into place a five-year roadmap that defines and quantifies the near-term sustainable development goals for the hotel. The roadmap is divided into four subjects: Governance, Economic Viability, Social Responsibility and Environment. Each subject has associated projects and target years indicating the level of project completion expected in said time. The roadmap is flexible and designed as a working tool, rather than a theoretical matrix, forecasting the savings and impact of the hotel’s sustainability actions. Together with a Sustainability Team, Houdré works to embed this important culture into the fabric of the Willard InterContinental Hotel.
Launched in 1990, The IH&RA Environmental Award was one of the first award programs to promote environmental awareness among hotels and recognize the efforts being made to green the industry from within. The program recognizes the efforts of both independent and corporate hotels, selecting a winner and runner-up in each category. The winners are honored at a special award ceremony at the IH&RA annual congress and receive a trophy and international recognition. Selected applications are included in periodical Best Practice Reports.
Go to the Willard InterContinental.
