ORLANDO—The Peabody Orlando announced progress in its efforts to become one of the most eco-friendly hotels in the United States with the addition of ChargePoint electric vehicle chargers in its self-parking garage, which will be fully installed by early May. ChargePoint stations offer a convenient location for guests to charge electric vehicles during their stay.
The Peabody Orlando has nurtured collaborations to reduce consumption and waste, and promote environmentally friendly practices throughout the hospitality industry. Through its participation in the ChargePoint America program sponsored by Coulomb Technologies and NovaCharge, The Peabody Orlando will be part of a growing network of forward-thinking Orlando hotels to offer ChargePoint electronic vehicle charging stations. The popular tourist destination was selected as one of nine regions in the country to receive this infrastructure as part of the objective to accelerate the development and production of electronic vehicles to substantially reduce petroleum consumption, reduce greenhouse gas production, and create jobs through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Transportation Electrification Initiative administered by the Department of Energy.
“We’re thrilled to take part in the ChargePoint America program and add this sustainable amenity to our property,” said Mike Jueds, director of engineering at The Peabody Orlando. “Our commitment to sustainability is of the utmost importance to our organization and we strive to partner with organizations that help us fulfill this mission.”
Green Destination Orlando Participant
Moreover, The Peabody Orlando recently participated in the Green Destination Orlando (GDO) pilot program introduced by the Central Florida chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council to create a total sustainable experience for visitors. Practices such as The Peabody Orlando’s Organics Recycling Program, in partnership with Waste Management, which has diverted more than 31 tons of pre-consumer food waste from the general landfill since recently beginning the program, and its partnerships with various energy providers to develop customized consumption reduction initiatives have been recognized for their innovation in supporting the GDO mission.
Another recent sustainable development is the addition of post-consumer organics to the existing and successful pre-consumer organics diversion program. Due to the high level of diverted food products that have less than one percent contamination, Waste Management has allowed The Peabody Orlando the opportunity of enhancing and supplementing this program to now include post consumer foods and proteins.
Professional meeting planners have also found tremendous value in The Peabody Orlando’s sustainability measures. Progress Energy worked with the hotel to develop an algorithm that calculates the cost of “carbon neutral” meetings. Additionally, meeting planners enjoy the abundance of natural light in The Peabody Orlando’s meeting space, which was expanded in 2010. The widespread use of glass allows for the maximum amount of natural light in the building thereby reducing daytime energy consumption. Further, “Low-e” insulated glass was used throughout the hotel to reduce incoming heat and the need for air-conditioning.
Both business and leisure travelers enjoy the benefits of the hotel’s culinary commitment to sustainability. The Peabody Orlando’s chefs purchase locally grown and organic products whenever possible, including organic and biodynamic wines and fair trade coffees, creating a farm-to-fork dining experience for guests. As part as the hotel’s dining experience, guests are also served water by Eco-Spring, an eco-friendly bottled water company, which helps saves 33 1/3 square feet of rainforest per bottle, through their partnership with Cool Earth. Furthermore, the hotel follows Marine Stewardship Council guidelines for purchasing wild-caught fish and seafood.
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