COLUMBIA, S.C.—The South Carolina Hospitality Association, in partnership with the Division of Waste Management of that state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control, is hammering out the final details of its green hotel and restaurant program. The self-certification program is expected to launch in July, according to Douglas OFlaherty, director of operations for the Association. It will be managed by the Division of Waste Management of the Department of Health and Environmental Control. The program will be open only to those establishments that are members of the Association. There is no cost to participate.
OFlaherty says his Association and the Division of Waste Management have been working on the program for more than a year. They worked with other state program leaders and the American Hotel & Lodging Association to develop their plan. Like most state programs, South Carolina’s will focus on solid waste management, energy efficiency and water conservation. The program has been designed so that establishments ranging from a greasy spoon type restaurant to a luxury hotel can participate. There will be four levels of certification with the lowest being an introductory level and the highest being one comparable to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
The South Carolina Hospitality Association currently has just under 2,000 members. OFlaherty says a couple of properties will run through the self-certification process as a test in the next couple of weeks. A press conference will be held when the program is officially launched. OFlaherty emphasized that South Carolina’s program initially will not have an on-site inspection component. He added, however, that if a company’s certification is brought into question, an on-site audit could take place.
“Starting a program like this is the right thing to do,” OFlaherty says. “It has definitely been member driven. Hotels and restaurants are eager for this information. Our state has been very proactive when it comes to launching initiatives without legislation.”
When the program is up and running in July, program information will be accessible via a link from the South Carolina Hospitality Association website and also at www.greenhospitalityalliance.com. That site is not yet live.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
