SAN JUAN, P.R.—A year into their Green Hotel Certification program, the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. (PRTC) is beginning to make headway in getting lodging establishments on board. The first Green Certification was awarded earlier this year on April 22 (Earth Day) to the off-the-grid Casa Solaris at Hix Island House in Vieques. Last month, the executive director of PRTC, Luis G. Rivera Marín, awarded new certificates to Turtle Bay Inn in Lajas and Parador Villas del Mar Hau in Isabela. The Tourism Co. has a pipeline of roughly 15 hotels in line to receive certification.
The ceremony granting the certification to Turtle Bay Inn and Parador Villas del Mar Hau also included the signing of a Memo of Understanding between PRTC, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico to promote the development and operation of eco-sustainable properties on the island.
The goal of the certification program is to improve energy efficiency and promote the use of renewable energy sources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote the use of lower emission vehicles, promote recycling, encourage the use of green products, encourage community participation, and promote the use of native plants.
Participation is Voluntary
Under the voluntary program, hotels agree to build new facilities or retrofit existing ones to meet rigorous standards in such areas as energy and water efficiency, installation of renewable power, recycling and waste reduction, green-area preservation, transportation and more.
The Green Lodging Program is the first government sponsored program developed in and for the Caribbean. The certification guidelines are a first since they were created taking into account local, environmental, and infrastructure conditions. The program is different from others of its class as it has the complete support of the EPA.
“The Green Lodging Program has no cost for PRTC endorsed properties interested in participating,” Rivera Marín said. “More than a dozen properties have been evaluated and the majority of them are currently receiving guidance and technical recommendations from our Sustainable Tourism Division in order to get certified in the Basic category.”
Participating properties can reach Basic, Meritorious, and Exemplary levels. Properties are required to complete an application and provide copies of power, water, gas and maintenance bills for the past 12 months in order to compare consumption levels before and after entering the Green Lodging Program. A certificate from the Solid Waste Management Authority acknowledging the property’s recycling program is also a requirement. Lodging establishments are inspected by the PRTC Sustainable Tourism Division in order to evaluate the property and determine the level of compliance.
If the property complies with all criteria established by the program it will receive written notification and later receive its Compliance Certificate. The Certificate is valid for two years with an annual visit by evaluators to check guideline compliance.
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Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
