PORTLAND, ORE.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and local hotel owner Harold Pollin announced that Aloft Portland Airport at Cascade Station has received Green Seal certification for its commitment to environmental responsibility, becoming the city’s first airport hotel to carry the distinction.
“Travelers have come to rely on Aloft Portland as an eco-friendly place to stay, and receiving the Green Seal is a huge accomplishment for our environmental efforts,” says Randall Thayer, executive vice president of Pollin Hotels. “The Silver Tier certification is a perfect complement to our recent Starwood award as ‘Aloft Hotel of the Year.’”
The Green Seal announcement also follows closely on the heels of recent news that Aloft Portland is now participating in the Blue Sky program, an award-winning renewable wind energy project through Pacific Power that helps offset emissions from traditional generation sources.
Hotels certified under the Green Seal are required to minimize waste, reuse and recycle; be energy and water efficient; reduce or eliminate any hazardous substances; and establish an environmentally sensitive purchasing policy. The Green Seal certification process involves a review of the hotel’s purchasing records, processes and procedures, as well as an on-site audit of the property. Certification grants the hotel license to use the Green Seal mark for one year, after which the hotel is audited for continued compliance.
Aloft Portland has been driving eco-friendly programs since opening in 2008. Built along the city’s MAX light rail line, the hotel was designed around accessibility to public transportation. Visiting guests can check out bikes from the hotel’s fleet of Electra cruisers and Bike Friday folding bikes, then ride from the hotel or jump onto the MAX that stops in front of Aloft and heads to downtown Portland. Additionally, Aloft offers the first ever, eco-friendly “Bike & Fly” program, which allows departing guests to leave their bikes in the locked bike parking storage area at Aloft for up to 14 days at no cost with a one-night stay. For those who do decide to drive to the hotel, Aloft provides premium parking spots for hybrid cars, rewarding its eco-conscious guests.
Go to the Aloft Portland Airport and Green Seal.
