What is a Green Hotel?

Six Things No Green Hotel Should be Without--By Scott Parisi, President, EcoGreenHotel

It seems as if you can’t turn around anymore without running into something “green.” Nowhere is that more true than in lodging. Green hotels – or at least, those calling themselves green – are sprouting up everywhere, and travelers are becoming increasingly more aware of what to look for and how to judge whether or not a green hotel actually is… well, green!

You want your guests to know without a doubt that there’s no green-washing happening at your green hotel. I’ve put together a green hotel checklist so you can see how your property stacks up. Does your property have:

• Staff Buy-In and Ongoing Education: In a truly green hotel, everyone – from the front desk staff to the owner and everyone in between – fully understands, supports, practices and can communicate the property’s environmental policies.
• A Working (and funded!) Energy Strategy: Today’s green hotelsgo beyond just changing a few light bulbs and implementing a linen reuse policy. They analyze their energy efficiency – including conducting Energy Star benchmarking -- and then seek out and apply for incentives, rebates and loans that allow them to make meaningful changes in their consumption.
• A Green Purchasing Plan:From locally-grown organic produce for its banquet salads to environmentally sensitive cleaning products and furnishings, green hotels know where and how to source the most cost-effective earth-friendly products.
• Green Hotel Certification:A green hotel designation from a certifying body that does on-site audits assures your guests that your property has met rigorous environmental standards.
• Specialized Marketing: Green hotels recognize that expertly targeted internet marketing is vital to their ongoing success in an increasingly competitive industry.

So how does your property stack up? I know it seems daunting to meet all those requirements, to track down trustworthy, LEED-Accredited Professional advisors, find rebates and incentives, train everybody, and still manage to run a lodging facility… who has time for that?

That’s why I created EcoGreenHotel to be a one-stop shop. We have trainers, engineers, financial advisors, purchasing and marketing specialists, thousands of quality green products and a certification program to meet the needs of every type and size of lodging facility at all stages in the green hotel process. We are LEED-Accredited Professionals specializing in energy efficiency. We can help your property achieve all of the above in the most cost-effective way possible, and we can start today.