SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN—Believing that there is a moral obligation to conserve the natural environment is one thing; taking action towards green lodging practices and addressing eco issues head on is another. Proving it’s serious about the environment, Travelodge Hotel Saskatoon has taken strides forward to minimize its carbon footprint.
With the help of local alternative energy company WSE Technologies and guidance from parent company Airline Hotels as well as the NRCAN/SRC, Saskatoon’s longest-standing north end business has installed a series of 57 solar collectors on its roof to capture the sun’s energy as thermal heat, which is then transferred indoors to warm the hotel’s main pool and the domestic hot water system for one-quarter of the hotel’s guestrooms. Over the course of the expected 25-year lifespan of the system, the energy saved will be equivalent to taking 133 cars off the road. At the end of their life, the collectors and components can be broken down and recycled once again.
The nearly $100,000 price tag on the Evacuated Solar Thermal Tube project is well worth the investment considering the company’s existing environmentally-friendly policies, its responsibility to the community, its accountability to its staff and its desire to be a destination hotel for tourists who are concerned about the planet’s long-term sustainability.
Laundry Equipment Upgraded
Another major project the hotel has undertaken is the $98,000 upgrade to the entire laundry facility including 12 brand new machines with optimized design to provide maximum energy efficiency. The property has been awarded a Green Key designation for its efforts to reduce energy consumption by using energy efficient light bulbs, earth-friendly cleaning products, fast-acting biodegradable garbage bags and by offering recycling bins in all guestrooms, implementing a linen and towel reuse program for guests who stay multiple nights and by modifying daily cleaning procedures.
Conservation programs like these engage the increasingly-aware travelers wishing to practice responsible tourism, by offering them an easy way to minimize their eco footprint while away from home. These days, many tourists consider environmental awareness as a factor when deciding where to stay, which can greatly enhance their enjoyment of their destination.
To further solidify their commitment to the planet, employees of Travelodge Hotel Saskatoon actively participate in workplace recycling, take part in Earth Hour and Earth Day, and have created a staff-initiated green team to provide solutions and suggestions to constantly improve the environmental performance of the hotel.
Go to the Travelodge Hotel Saskatoon.
