(This is the first article in a two-part series of articles on green cleaning.) Many hotels are turning to green cleaning products and practices to improve indoor air quality, reduce risk to building occupants, improve environmental performance and obtain a marketing advantage. This document is intended to help hoteliers determine whether to follow suit at their properties and how to do so. 1. What are the problems associated with traditional cleaning products and practices? The rise of the green cleaning movement stems from health and environmental concerns associated with the traditional cleaning industry and its practices. There is a growing recognition that...

(This is the second article in a two-part series of articles on green cleaning. To read the first article, click here.) 4. How well do green cleaning products work? How much do they cost? The cleaning capability of green products can best be measured by testing them in one’s facility. Still, there are reasons to believe that they hold up well when compared to traditional products. Certifying agencies, such as Green Seal, EcoLogo, or EPA’s Design for the Environment Program test products for effectiveness, besides health and environmental considerations, and only approve products with high marks. Also, the widespread adoption...

ORLANDO, FLA.—AAA has updated its Restaurant Approval Requirements & Diamond Rating Guidelines, the blueprint for evaluating and rating more than 27,000 restaurants throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. The guidelines are revised as needed to reflect changing industry trends and member expectations, with the last update occurring in 2003. As an example of change that impacts the guidelines, AAA’s director of tourism information development Michael Petrone cites increased consumer awareness of food content. “Many of today’s restaurant customers seek healthier options and are more knowledgeable than ever before about the food they eat,” Petrone said. “As a...

ORLANDO, FLA.—The second annual Green Lodging and Hospitality Conference will be held December 9 to 11 at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Fla. The theme of the conference is “Greener Roads Ahead.” The theme acknowledges the continuing need for the lodging industry to increase profitability by both reducing costs and increasing property revenues—all while minimizing environmental impact. The conference will help hoteliers and others that accommodate guests take the mystery out of going green and promises to make the business case that helping the environment can also help boost the bottom line. The event is open to owners and...

NATIONAL REPORT—There are many variables that come into play when deciding the best water treatment solution for your pool—pool size, location (indoor or outdoor), and the average volume of guests that use the water on a daily basis. Chlorine, because of its low cost, is the most commonly used sanitizer. In order for it to be effective, however, the pH of the water has to be monitored closely. If not watched properly, chlorine can cause eye and skin irritation, damage hair, bleach swim suits, and aggravate and cause asthma and other health conditions. Chlorine reacts to bodily proteins to...

SEVIERVILLE, TENN.—It would make sense that a resort called Wilderness at the Smokies would do everything it can to preserve the environment and be an environmentally responsible business. Although thousands of visitors travel from all over to experience the resort’s indoor and outdoor water parks every day, many of them don’t realize all that Wilderness at the Smokies is doing to be an environmental leader. The first thing many families notice when entering the indoor water park at Wilderness at the Smokies is that it feels like one is outside on a summer day—even in the middle of winter when...

LAS VEGAS—Keeping with its commitment to sustainability, CityCenter has commissioned the first stretch-limo fleet powered by compressed natural gas (CNG). Developed by Krystal Enterprises, the world’s largest manufacturer of stretch limousines, in collaboration with Clean Energy Fuels, BAF Technologies and Ford engineers, the 26 silver, 72-inch Lincoln Town Cars are 100 percent dedicated to utilizing CNG and will service CityCenter’s ARIA Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel. “Commissioning the first CNG stretch-limo fleet is a demonstration of CityCenter’s commitment to environmental responsibility, while never sacrificing guest experience,” said Bill McBeath, president and COO of ARIA Resort & Casino. “Just...

HOUSTON—Houston’s Mayor Bill White unveiled an array of solar energy equipment at the George R. Brown Convention Center to signal the start of a 100-kilowatt pilot program that will generate power from the convention center rooftop with more than 600 solar panels. Facilitated by the Houston Advanced Research Center, the test program is intended to identify and overcome barriers that might plague widespread implementation of solar energy infrastructure. Funding for the installation and initial testing of the systems amounts to almost $1 million—all of it coming from the private sector. Houston is one of a select group of American...

PHILADELPHIA—The Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, LLC’s first LEED registered hotel and its 48th overall—the Hotel Palomar Philadelphia—will open on October 14 in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of the City of Brotherly Love. The $92.5 million, 230-room boutique hotel will be Kimpton’s first in Philadelphia. The 24-story property will occupy the Architects Building, which was the former home of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. It was first built in 1929 and historic elements have been preserved. The hotel’s designer is Powerstrip Studio. According to Peggy Trott, general manager, Kimpton is pursuing a LEED for Existing...

ROLLING MEADOWS, ILL.—A coalition led by the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute recently helped Texas join California as the second state nationwide to require high-efficiency toilets (HETs) in all new residential and commercial construction. An HET is defined as a water closet that uses no more than 1.28 gallons of water per flush (GPF), or 20 percent less than the 1.6-GPF models mandated by the National Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct). Texas House Bill 2667, which was signed into law by Governor Rick Perry on June 19, also sets maximum showerhead flow rates at 2.5 gallons per minute and urinal flush...