Let’s assume you have done everything possible to implement a comprehensive green program at your property. You are recycling, using green cleaning products, you have a guestroom energy management system in place, low-flow fixtures in your bathrooms, and are using compact fluorescents wherever possible. What do you do next? Do you do, as the TV pitch man says, “Set it and forget it?”
Over the long term, a green hotel program will only work if there are processes in place to ensure employees are carrying out the program properly and to ensure other events do not disrupt the program—guests leaving windows open, natural wear and tear, water leaks, etc. Yes, you may have a preventive maintenance program in place that is carried out by your engineering team but are they really checking every item that impacts the success of your green initiatives?
In this week’s newsletter and currently on my website, there is a column from Elaine Strunk. She is is the environmental program manager for EcoLogical Solutions and the Saunders Hotel Group. The Saunders Hotel Group has six hotels in the Northeast section of the United States—three in Massachusetts. Elaine wrote about her company’s Eco Check program. It is a great idea and a way to help guarantee that green initiatives are actually working.
Two Rooms Per Floor Checked
On a regular basis, Elaine or another Saunders Hotel Group employee will do a spot check of at least two rooms on each floor. Oftentimes, checking just a couple of rooms will help identify a recurring problem. Spot checkers carry an Eco Check sheet that includes a place to note the time of day, weather conditions, and the person doing the spot check. “Time of day and weather are important to understanding how the building is holding the heat or air-conditioning and what rooms are most affected by direct sunlight,” Elaine says. The list also covers thermostats, towel and linen reuse program, lighting, recycling containers, etc.
Guestrooms, hallways, public and back-of-house areas are all checked. The list is points based with a guestroom earning as many as 100 points. Elaine says rotating spot checkers is helpful as different people sometimes catch different problems. Information gleaned from the Eco Check process is inputted into the preventive maintenance software currently used by the Saunders Hotel Group. Records of incidents help engineers and Elaine identify recurring issues. Sometimes the root of a problem may just be a housekeeper not following directions, or there could be a more serious issue—a pipe leaking, for example.
“We have seen improvements in the consistency of our program for sure,” Elaine says.
The financial savings from Eco Check are difficult to quantify. Elaine is confident, however, that all of the steps they have taken to correct problems have resulted in significant savings. Of course the end result is also a better guest experience and a smaller impact on the environment.
How do you know if your green program is working as well as it should be? Have you launched an audit program like Eco Check? I would love to learn about it. I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com or by phone at (440) 243-2055.
West Coast Green Lodging Conference
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