When guests check in to the 164-room luxury boutique Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, California, they learn not only about the green aspects of the LEED-pursuing property but also the entire city as well. Available to guests is a Santa Monica Green Map that highlights locations of green buildings, sustainable businesses, natural food shops, vegetarian and natural cafés, environmental organizations and agencies, farmer’s markets, solar energy sites, recycling centers, community gardens, dog parks, drinking water, walking trails, bike paths, and alternative vehicle stations. The hotel makes it easy for guests to support area green businesses and activities, if they so choose.
The map is one small part of a larger Green Concierge program offered by the hotel. No, there is no single person that carries the title of “Green Concierge,” but those working behind the front desk have access to a binder that includes information on green businesses and activities in Santa Monica. “We get a lot of people who want to see other businesses that are also green,” says Dieter Schmitz, director of guest services at the Shore Hotel. “We have six or seven green dining options within a half mile. If someone wants to have a beer at a green tavern, we can tell them where it is located. We have a list of dealerships and rental places that offer eco-friendly vehicles. We use a cab company that has green vehicles.”
Schmitz says the Green Concierge program was launched this past November. It is on weekends when guests ask most about green businesses and activities. Guests even contribute to the ever-growing compendium. On a television station guests can watch inside their rooms, the hotel repeats some of the information found in the compendium. “It is not as elaborate as the compendium at the front desk,” Schmitz says. “It introduces the guest to the program.”
Be Prepared for ‘Green’ Requests
When a guest approaches your concierge or front desk person and asks where he or she can find the best area farmer’s market for that day or the best place to take yoga classes, how will your staff respond? With eyes glazed over? Or, with a ready-to-go map or schedule?
What the Shore Hotel is doing is probably close to what your property is already doing but they have formalized the effort. Has your property done something similar? If so, I would love to learn about it.
As mentioned, the Green Concierge is also available to educate guests on the hotel’s unique construction, infrastructure, and plans for future conservation. For those of you not familiar with the Shore Hotel, it is owned by Santa Monica’s Farzam family. The owners are currently pursuing LEED Silver for the property that includes eco-friendly features such as room service from True Foods Kitchen, a Green Clean program that rewards guests by reducing their bill by $10 per night if they pass on room cleaning, a guestroom energy management system, solar panels, low-flow water fixtures, a drip irrigation system, and carpet with recycled content.
Response to Last Week’s Column
In last week’s column I highlighted two examples of properties that took advantage of power purchase agreements (PPAs) to secure their installation of solar panels. (Click here for article.) In my column I asked if there were vendors (not already mentioned in that article) that also offer PPAs. I heard from Barry J. Sanders, president & COO of Waltham, Mass.-based American DG Energy Inc. He had this to say: “As an occasional contributor, advertiser and reader, it is nice to see you recognizing PPAs in your editorial. We continue to help hotels with PPAs for CHP, chillers, heat pumps and other main stream mechanical energy systems where energy efficiency is the key. Requiring no capital, operating costs or expertise has allowed our On-Site Utility energy solution to prosper here in the U.S. as well in Europe with our EuroSite Power group.”
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (440) 243-2055, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
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As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
