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Green Hotels Faculty of Tourism and Hotels

Hotel Management Department

English section

Year 1

Prepared by: Yara Hossam, Merit George, Omar Mohsen

Submitted to: Dr.Yasser Ibrahim (Hospitality Industry)

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Table of Contents:-

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To Begin we have to introduce some basic terms;

-Tourism: Tourism is a collection of activities, services and profitable industries which deliver a

travel experience comprising transportation, accommodation, eating and drinking establishments,

retail shops, tour guides, entertainment, businesses and other hospitality services provided for

individuals or groups traveling away from home.

-Hospitality: Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host. Today, it refers to the reception people receive when theyre visiting friends and family or while theyre staying at a hotel or eating at a restaurant.

-Hotel: Hotels are commercial establishments providing lodging paid on a short-term basis.

Facilities provided may range from a basic bed and storage for clothing, to luxury features like en-

suite bathrooms. Larger hotels may provide additional guest facilities such as a various restaurants,

swimming pool, business center, childcare, conference facilities and social function services.

There are several ways to classify hotels;

- Size Or number of rooms: Under 150 rooms

150 to 299 rooms

300 to 600 rooms

More than 600 rooms

- Target Markets:

Business Hotels: The largest group of hotel types which cater primarily to business travelers and

usually located in downtown or business districts. Also, many tour groups, individual tourists and

small conference groups find these hotels attractive. Guest amenities at business hotels may

include complimentary newspapers, morning coffee, free local telephone calls, and Breakfast...Etc,

In addition to these facilities, access to business centre, personal computer, and Wi-Fi and fax

machines also are provided to the guest.

Airport Hotels: These typically target business clients, airline passengers with overnight travel

layovers or cancelled flights and airline staff. Some hotels might give free transport between hotel

and airport. Some hotels also provide meeting facilities to attract guests who travel to a meeting by

air and wish to minimize ground travel. Another attraction of these hotels is instead of charging the

guest on a daily basis guest can also pay for their room on an hourly basis.

Suite Hotels: These are the latest trend and the fastest growing segment in the hotel industry.

The main attraction of these hotels is guestrooms with a living room and a separate bedroom. In

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exchange for more complete living room suite hotels generally have fewer and more limited public

areas and guest services than other hotels. This also helps keep suite hotel's guestroom prices

competitive in the market. Professionals such as accountants, lawyers, business men and executives

find suite hotels particularly attractive as they can work and also entertain in an area besides the

bedroom.

Extended Stay Hotels: Somewhat similar to the suite hotels, yet usually offers kitchen amenities

in the room. These kinds of hotels are for travelers who want to stay more than a week and do not

want to depend on the service of the hotel. Extended service hotels usually do not provide any

F&B service or Laundry service. These kind of hotels are considered by guests as "Home away

from home

Apartment Hotels: Known by Residential hotels, provide long-term accommodation for guests

usually guests make a lease agreement with the hotel for a minimum of one month up to a year.

These lease agreements are renewed on a yearly basis. Guest rooms generally include living room,

bedroom, kitchen, private balcony, washing machines, kitchen utensils etc. Residential hotels also

provide Housekeeping, laundry, telephone and in some hotels a restaurant and lounge will be

present on the premises.

Resort Hotels: Usually located in the mountains, on an island, by beaches or in some other

exotic locations away from cities. These hotels have recreational facilities, scenery, and golf, tennis,

and sailing, skiing and swimming. Resort hotels provide enjoyable and memorable guest

experiences that encourage guest to repeat their visit to the resort.

Bed and Breakfast Hotels: Also known as 'Home Stays'. These are houses with rooms converted

into overnight facilities; they can size up to 20 to 30 guest rooms. The owner of the B&B usually

stays on the premises and is responsible for serving breakfast to guests. Due to the limited services

offered at these hotels the price of a room is much lesser than any full service hotel.

Timeshare and condominium Hotels: Another new type of the hospitality industry. These are

sometimes referred to as Vacation-interval" hotels. Guests purchase the ownership of

accommodations for specific period. These owners may also have the unit rented out by the

management company that operates the hotel. Condominium is similar to timeshare but the

difference between the two lies in the type of ownership. Units in condominium hotels only have

one owner instead of multiple owners, each for a limited amount of time each year. In a

condominium hotel, an owner informs the management company if when they want to occupy the

unit.

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Casino Hotels: Hotels with gambling facilities may be categorized as a distinct group called

Casino Hotels .Although the food and beverage operations in casino is luxurious their functions is

secondary to and supportive of the casino operations. Casino hotels attract guest by promoting

gambling and other entertainments.

Conference Centers: These types of hotels focus on meeting and conferences and overnight

accommodation for meeting attendees. They also provide high quality audiovisual equipments,

business services, flexible seating arrangements, flipcharts... These hotels are mostly located

outside the metropolitan areas and have facilities like golf, swimming pools, tennis courts, fitness

centers, spas etc.

Convention Centers: Convention hotels are larger in size compared to conference centers and

likely to have more than 1500 rooms. These hotels are huge and have sufficient number of guest

rooms to house all the attendees of most conventions, even the size of the meeting rooms , ball

rooms, exhibit rooms are quite huge. They usually cater to convention market for state, regional,

national, and international associations.

- Levels of service:

World class service: Called luxury hotels, they target top business executives, entertainment

celebrities, high- ranking political figures, and wealthy clients as their primary markets. They

provide upscale restaurants and lounges, concierge services and also private dining facilities.

Guestrooms are oversized, heated and plush bath towels, large soaps bars, shampoo, shower caps

and all amenities. Housekeeping services are given two times a day including turn-down service.

Above all luxury hotels give personalized service to the guest and have a relatively high ration of

staff members to guests.

Mid-Range Service: Hotels offering mid-range service appeal to the largest segment of travelling

public. These kinds of hotels do not provide elaborate service and have adequate staffing. They

also provide uniformed service, food and beverage room service, in room entertainment and also

Wi-Fi. Property may offer a specialty restaurant, coffee shop and lounge that cater to visitors as

well as hotel guests. Types of guests who like to stay at these hotels are business people, individual

travelers, and families. Rates are lower than luxury hotels as they provide fewer services, smaller

rooms and a smaller range of facilities and recreational activities.

Economy / Limited Service: These hotels provide clean, comfortable, safe, inexpensive rooms

which meet the basic need of guests. Economy hotels appeal primarily to budget minded travelers

who want a room with minimum services and amenities required for comfortable stay, without

unnecessary paying additional cost for costly services. The clients of these hotels include families

with children, businessmen, and vacationer retirees. These types of hotels might not offer food

and beverage facilities.

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- Ownership and Affiliations:

Independent Hotels: These do not have an identifiable ownership or management affiliation with

other properties. That means that these properties dont have any relation to other hotels regarding policies, procedures, marketing or financial obligations. An example for that would be a privately

owned and operated hotel that is not following any corporate policies or procedures. An

independent hotel however does not get the advantage of a broad advertising exposure or

management insight and consultancy of an affiliated property.

Chain hotels: This kind of ownership usually imposes certain basic standards, rules, policies and

procedures to standardize affiliate activities. In general the more centralized the organization the

stronger the control over the individual property. Some chains have strong control over the

architecture, management and standards of affiliate properties. Others concentrate only on

marketing, advertising and central purchasing.

- Star rating:

1 Star hotel: Provides a limited range of amenities and services, but adheres to a high standard

of facility-wide cleanliness.

2 Star hotel: Provides good accommodation and better equipped bedrooms, each with a

telephone and attached private bathroom.

3 Star hotel: has more spacious rooms and adds high-class decorations and furnishings and

color TV. It also offers one or more bars or lounges.

4 Star hotel: Much more comfortable and larger, provides excellent cuisine (table dhte and a

la carte), room service, and other amenities.

5 Star hotel: offers most luxurious premises, widest range of guest services, as well as

swimming pool and sport and exercise facilities.

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Types of Tourism:

The Tourism industry has developed through the years and presently is one of the most

diversified, customized and specialized industries.

The most popular types of tourism worldwide where tourists are categorized by the purpose of

their visit are:

- Business Tourism: Business tourism can be defined as travel for the purpose of business. Business Tourism can be divided into three sections: Trading for goods to be resold on a wholesale basis, conducting business transactions e.g. visiting a client, contract negotiations and,

Attending a conference, exhibition or event associated with their business.

- Medical Tourism: Involving people who travel to a different place to receive treatment for a disease, health condition, or a surgical procedure, and who are seeking lower cost of healthcare

and higher quality of care. Favorite procedures in medical tourism include Cardiology,

Cardiothoracic, Cosmetic Surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Weight Loss, Neuron, Eye,

Orthopedic Surgery, as well as Organ Transplants (kidney). Medical Tourism services include

medical facilitation, travel arrangements, accommodation, transportation and tour packages.

- Wellness Tourism: Wellness tourism is one of the fastest growing forms of international and domestic tourism. This form of tourism involves people who travel to a different place to

pursue activities that maintain or enhance their personal health and wellness, and who are seeking

unique, authentic or location-based experiences. Wellness tourism include massages, body

treatments, facial treatments, exercise facilities & programs, weight loss programs, nutrition

programs, pre- and post-operative Spa treatments and mind/body programs.

- Leisure Tourism: Leisure time can be defined as free time, not doing any work. It is that time to do things that you normally have no time for in your daily life. Leisure tourism includes a

holiday with Leisure activities, Relaxation, Sleeping, reading, walking on the beach, taking a

scenic drive, Sport activities; hiking, swimming, surfing, running, Visiting places of interest and

local attractions, Visiting friends and relatives, Shopping for goods that will be used by the tourist.

- Sports Tourism: Sports tourism refers to international travel either for viewing or participating in a sporting event. Examples include international sporting events such as the

Olympics, world cup (soccer, rugby, and cricket), tennis, and golf.

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- Adventure Tourism: Adventure tourism is an outdoor activity that generally takes place in an unusual, remote or a wilderness area. This adventurous activity can take place in the sea, in

rivers, in the air, in mountains and is associated with low or high levels of physical activity. There

are many types of products and services that fall within the Adventure Tourism category such

as: bungee jumping, mountaineering expeditions, rafting, rock climbing, diving, wind surfing,

paragliding and many more.

- Cultural Tourism: Cultural tourism or sometimes referred to as heritage tourism is the division of tourism concerned with the regions culture, specifically the lifestyle and history of the people, their art, architecture, religion and other elements. Cultural tourism includes cultural

facilities such as museums, theatres and festivals. This is one of the most popular types of tourism

and attracts tourists from different parts of the world.

- Religious Tourism: Religious Tourists or faith tourists are people of faith who travel on their own or in groups to holy cities or holy sites for pilgrimages, conventions, religious tourist

attractions or missionary work.

- Wildlife Tourism: Wildlife tourism is the observation of wild (non-domestic) animals in their natural environment or in captivity. It includes activities such as photography, viewing and

feeding of animals. This form of tourism offer tourists customized tour packages and safaris and is

closely associated with eco-tourism and sustainable-tourism.

- Eco Tourism: Ecotourism is Responsible travel to natural (unspoiled) areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people. The purpose of ecotourism is to educate the traveler about natural destinations, to provide ecological conservation

and awareness, to benefit economic development, the political empowerment of local communities

and respect for the local culture. Here the traveler can experience the natural way of life

surrounded by natural circumstances.

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Eco Tourism:

With advances in transportation and information technology, even the most remote places on

Earth are within reach of the traveler. In fact, tourism is now the world's largest industry, with

nature tourism as the fastest growing segment.

People want to experience the nature and the world, but should try to do so in a way that doesn't

impact the natural environment so in response to this increasing appreciation of nature

experiences, a new travel ethic has arisen called ecotourism.

What is ECO Tourism?

The definition articulated by the World Conservation Union (IUCN):

"Environmentally responsible travel to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature and

accompanying cultural features -both past and present- that promote conservation and have a low

visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local peoples."

Most tourism in natural areas today is not ecotourism and is not, therefore, sustainable.

Ecotourism is distinguished by its emphasis on conservation, education, traveler responsibility

and active community participation.

Increased tourism to sensitive natural areas without appropriate planning and management can

threaten the safety of ecosystems and local cultures. The increase of visitors to ecologically

sensitive areas can lead to significant environmental degradation. Likewise, local communities

and native cultures can be harmed in numerous ways by a flow of foreign visitors and wealth.

Additionally, Diversity in climate, currency exchange rates, and political and social conditions

can make over-dependence upon tourism a risky business.

However, this same growth creates significant opportunities for both conservation and local

communities. Ecotourism can provide much-needed revenues for the protection of national parks

and other natural areas -- revenues that might not be available from other sources.

Additionally, ecotourism can provide a viable economic development alternative for local

communities with few other income-generating options. Moreover, ecotourism can increase the

level of education and activism among travelers, making them more enthusiastic and effective

agents of conservation.

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Principles of Ecotourism

Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel. This means that

those who participate in ecotourism activities should follow the following ecotourism principles:

- Minimize impact. - Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect. - Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts. - Provide direct financial benefits for conservation. - Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people. - Raise sensitivity to host countries' political, environmental, and social climate.

How is ecotourism different from nature tourism, sustainable tourism, and responsible

tourism?

Ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and

improves the well-being of local people." While "nature-based tourism simply describes travel to natural places, ecotourism is a type of nature-based tourism that benefits local communities and

destinations environmentally, culturally and economically. Ecotourism represents a set

of principles that have been successfully implemented in various global communities, and are

supported by extensive industrial and academic research. Ecotourism, when properly executed

based on these principles, represent the benefits of socially and environmentally sound tourism

development.

Like ecotourism, such terms as sustainable tourism and responsible tourism are rooted in the

concept of sustainable development, or development that "meets the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs" (Bruntland

Commission, 1987). With this concept in mind, sustainable tourism was defined in the 1992

Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry as tourism that "meets the needs of present

tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future."

Who are eco-tourists?

Ecotourism appeals to a wide range of travelers, of all ages and interests. Travelers who choose

ecotourism are responsible consumers interested in social, economic and environmental

sustainability. Seeking authentic local experiences and opportunities to give back to the

communities they visit, many eco-tourists participate in voluntourism activities. Increasingly, eco-

tourists are also seeking to minimize the carbon footprint of their travel, traveling with climate in

mind by planning wisely and choosing consciously.

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So what is sustainable hospitality?

Sustainable hospitality focuses on reducing the environmental, social and economic impacts of

the hospitality sector. The hospitality sector covers: Lodging, Food and beverage operations,

Venues, Events, meetings, and Sporting events.

Why is sustainable hospitality important?

The hospitality sector has a significant impact on the environment through energy and water

consumption, use of consumable products, and solid and hazardous waste generation. These

impacts create costs for hospitality service providers in decreased revenues, increased operating

costs, and employee costs. Adopting sustainable hospitality programs can provide a significant

competitive advantage to businesses in the hospitality sector.

And from here we shall talk about Green Hotels

Ecology is a very strong trend, caring for the earth has become an ideal of many. As a result, eco-

hotels have become an increasingly popular alternative in the tourism industry; the increase in

demand has led therefore to a large range of hotels with planet friendly options for all

requirements.

According to the Royal Spanish Academy, one of the interpretations of the term ecology includes

"defense and protection of nature and environment", to be green what is sought is to defend and

protect everything natural around us. Contact with nature is something almost inherent to the

holiday; an ecological hotel is one that is fully integrated into the environment without damaging

the environment, contributing in some way to progress and improvement of the local community

and sustainable growth of the tourism industry.

Green hotel: a hotel or accommodation that has made important environmental improvements to

its structure in order to minimize its impact on the environment. The basic definition of a green

hotel is an environmentally responsible lodging establishment that follows the practices of green

living. These hotels have to be certified green by an independent third-party or by the state they

are located in. Traditionally, these hotels were mostly presented as Eco Lodges because of their

location, often in jungles, and their design inspired by the use of traditional building methods

applied by skilled local craftsmen in areas, such as Costa Rica and Indonesia.

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History of green hotels:

David Jerome of IHG, were the first hotel chain to introduce a set of 'green' guidelines for hotels

in 1991. This could be the world's first ever 100 per cent ecologically-friendly hotel and its 'green'

credentials will set the benchmark for hoteliers, around the world. The solar powered 'Innovation

Hotel' - which is the brainchild of the InterContinental Hotels Group - outlines the latest

technology in energy and water conservation and recycling.

Among the 'green' features of the futuristic hotel:

-The forwarding of all unused non-perishable food to charities or food banks

-Solar panels on the roof to heat water

-A rainwater harvesting system to supply water to toilets

-A roof garden rich in shrubbery to provide extra insulation

-Wind power to generate electricity for the hotel

-Recycled glass windows

-Furniture and fittings made entirely from recycled materials

- Household waste for providing heat and power

Green hotels criteria:

-Dependence on the natural environment

-Ecological sustainability

-Proven contribution to conservation

-Provision of environmental training programs

-Incorporation of cultural considerations

-Provision of an economic return to the local community

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Characteristics of green hotels:

Green hotels follow strict green guidelines to ensure that their guests are staying in a safe, non-toxic

and energy-efficient accommodation. Here are some basic characteristics of a green hotel:

- Housekeeping uses non-toxic cleaning agents and laundry detergent

- 100% organic cotton sheets, towels and mattresses

- Non-smoking environment

- Renewable energy sources like solar or wind energy

- Bulk organic soap and amenities instead of individual packages to reduce waste

- Guest room and hotel lobby recycling bins

- Towel and sheet re-use (guests can tell housekeeping to leave these slightly used items to reduce

water consumption)

- Energy-efficient lighting

- On-site transportation with green vehicles

- Serve organic and local-grown food

- Non-disposable dishes

- Offers a fresh-air exchange system

- Grey-water recycling; this is the reuse of kitchen, bath and laundry water for garden and

landscaping

- Newspaper recycling program

Green Hotels Practices:

Certain practices help make a hotel green, and also helping hotels assess their environmental

commitment and performance. Topics include: Commitment to Environmental Practices,

Recycling and Reuse, Energy Efficiency and Conservation, Lighting, Water Efficiency and

Conservation, Landscape, Pest Management, Hazardous and Toxic Substances, Transportation,

and Purchasing

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Commitment to Environmental Practices:

-The Hotel forms an Environmental Committee that is responsible for developing an

Environmental Green Plan for energy, water, and solid waste use.

- Hotel forms a Green Team that is responsible for ensuring that all the environmental practices,

in which the hotel is participating, are being performed timely and correctly. A Green Team is

usually comprised of individuals from each area of the hotel, namely: Housekeeping, Engineering,

Kitchen, Front Office, Maintenance, and Upper Management.

- Hotel manages their environmental performance by monitoring the electric, gas, water, and

waste usage information on a monthly and annual basis.

- Hotels environmental efforts are visibly communicated to the guests, staff, shareholders, vendors, and to the public.

Recycling and Reuse:

- Recycling receptacles clearly marked for aluminum, glass, plastic, mixed paper, cardboard,

newspaper, and toner cartridges.

- Receptacles are located in the following areas: office/administrative area, lobby/registration, and

guest rooms.

-Do not deliver newspapers to each occupied room unless requested. Have the newspapers located

in the lobby and available to whomever.

-Make two-sided printing and copying standard practice in your business.

- Keep a stack of previously used paper near printers; use it for drafts, scratch paper or internal

memos.

- Reduce unwanted mail by calling senders requesting removal from lists.

Lighting:

- Install programmable sensors/timers for lighting in low traffic areas

- Use occupancy sensors to detect the presence or absence of people.

-Create reminder cards for guests and staff to turn off lights when leaving a room

- Clean light fixtures and diffusers regularly for optimal light output

- Use Only natural lighting during daytime hours

- Replace incandescent bulbs with energy efficient light bulbs, such as compact florescent lights

(CFL)

- Use dimmer controls in meeting rooms

- Improve exit sign energy efficiency. Use light-emitting diode (LED) exit signs.

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Water Efficiency and Conservation:

- Replace all pre-1992 toilets with 1.6 GPF toilets or less, and replace all urinals with models that

flush at no more than 1.0 GPF

- Install low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators. Flow rates shall not exceed 2.2 GPM for

faucets and aerators and 2.5 GPM for low-flow showerheads.

- Post signs in restrooms, restaurants, and kitchen areas encouraging water conservation.

-Implement an optional linen and towel reuse program for guests.

- Regularly check for leaks and repairs.

- Clothes washers, dryers and dishwashers are filled to recommend capacity for each cycle.

- Use the coolest water temperature for washers, dryers and dishwashers

Landscape:

-Test irrigation system to ensure proper operation and watering schedule. Adjust sprinklers for

proper coverage to optimize space and avoid runoff onto paved surfaces

- Install a drip irrigation system which uses low volume irrigation

- Adjust sprinkler times and/or durations according to season; water during non-daylight hours to

limit evaporation.

- Landscape with drought resistant plants; plant California-friendly and native plants

- Group plants with similar water requirements together on the same irrigation line, and separate

plants with different water requirements on separate irrigation lines

- Landscape your property with trees and plants that tolerate the climate, soil and water

availability.

- Specify that sidewalks, drives, and parking lots are swept rather than watered.

- Use organic fertilizers and soil amendments

Pest Management:

- Implement a green integrated-pest management (IPM) program that allows less reliance on

chemical treatments.

- Use organic insecticides and biocides or IPM techniques for the interior and exterior of the hotel

property

- Monitor pests and identify them accurately so that appropriate control decisions can be made.

- Use organic cleaners in drains to eliminate the grease and grime that some flies and insects use

as a food source and breeding area

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- Pick weeds by hand rather than using herbicides (weed killers).

- Use traps, containerized baits, gels and/or barriers for ants and cockroaches

Hazardous and Toxic Substances:

- Store all chemical products in their original containers with tight fitting lids in a secure location

away from ignition sources and food storage areas.

- Use the least toxic cleaning products and substances as possible.

- Use recycled content or low volatile organic compound (VOC) paint products.

- Use products that are lead free, biodegradable, have low toxicity, low VOC, mercury free,

recyclable, less hazardous, and durable

- Use less-toxic graffiti removers

- Purchase laundry detergent with little or no phosphates

- Print materials with soy or other low VOC inks

- Utilize a household hazardous waste drop off site for materials that cannot be thrown in the trash

or poured down the drain, such as aerosol cans, electronics, paint, batteries, toner cartridges,

chemicals, and compact florescent lights.

- Use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable alkaline battery

Transportation:

- Provide a secure location for staff to store bicycles

- Provide ridesharing information on carpooling, vanpooling, bicycling, walking and public mass

transportation

- Encourage alternative modes of transportation via incentives

- Offer telecommuting opportunities or flexible work schedules

- Perform local errands on bike or foot.

- Provide hotel commuter van or shuttle service to and from airports

- Provide preferential parking for alternative modes of transportation, such as carpools, electric,

hybrid or bio-diesel vehicles.

Purchasing:

- Create an environmental purchasing policy; train your employees on the environmental

purchasing policy and procedures

- Purchase recycled content products, such as office paper, envelopes, post-it notes, paper towels,

toilet paper, remanufactured toner cartridges, carpet, construction materials and much more.

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- Purchase used equipment

- Purchase Energy Star appliances wherever possible

- Inform your vendors/suppliers that you prefer eco-friendly products

- Preferences are given to environmentally responsible suppliers

- Purchase durable goods of sufficient quality to allow reuse, refinishing and/or upholstering.

- Purchase preferences are given to reusable, minimal, or recyclable packaging and shipping

pallets

- Purchase supplies, products, and condiments in bulk.

- Purchase local, organic, and environmentally-friendly food from vendors

The Disadvantages of Going Green for a Corporation:

Conversion Expense: It can be costly for a corporation to go green initially. For example, the

switch to solar power will create the need to install solar panels at business facilities. The cost

reductions in energy savings gained by going green are not always enough to offset the initial

upfront conversion costs.

Costlier Products; in some cases, the switch to using green materials can lead to more expensive

products for consumers. According to Jon Kaplan, owner of Greenworks Cabinetry, a Florida

company that manufactures eco-friendly furniture products, he must get many of his building

materials from the West Coast and even Asia, which leads to higher prices for the consumer.

Lack of Support; there can be an entrenched bias against companies that want to go green, as evidenced by some laws and regulations, according to Andrew Georgiadis, a South Florida green

development expert. Georgiadis points to the fact that as of April 2010, fewer than 50 South

Florida businesses have been able to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

certification, a system that verifies performance regarding the implementation of energy-saving

measures.

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Going Paperless; for some companies, a common method of going green is to minimize or even

eliminate the use of paper. This can pose some disadvantages. For example, if employees lose or

experience the theft of laptop computers, sensitive information that would normally be kept in a

locked paper file could fall into the wrong hands. If companies dont properly back up their computer files, a system crash could prove disastrous.

Customer Backlash; companies may intentionally or unintentionally make false claims regarding

the environmental friendliness of their products, a process known as green washing. If consumers become aware that a company is engaging in green washing, the company may suffer

harm to its credibility.

Green Hotel Classification

According to the total degree that each of one of the hotels gains after its green evaluation by

Greenhotels team, it is classified to one of the four following green categories:

Total Degree: 96-100

A Hotel is being characterized as an Eco Hotel. It operates with full awareness of the impact that

the operation of a hotel has on the environment. According to its size and its capacity, it

implements methods and practices that lead to maximum saving rates of energy and natural

resources. Moreover, it communicates and promotes the idea of environmental management to its

customers so as to prompt them to adopt similar tactics and methods not only during their staying

but also in their daily life. Hotel is eco-certificated (EMAS, ISO 14001, ECO LABEL)

Total Degree: 86-95

Hotels managers care enough about the protection of the environment and they have adopted

effective methods and practices that aim to energy and natural resources saving. Moreover, hotel

communicates and promotes the idea of environmental management to its customers so as to

prompt them to adopt similar tactics and methods not only during their staying but also in their

daily life.

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Total Degree: 76-85

Hotels managers are making a significant effort towards the protection of the environment and

energy and natural resources saving, by adopting significant practices and methods for hotels

operation. However, there is room for development and optimization of their methods, so as the

hotel to become more eco friendly and its environmental policy to become widely known to

hotels customers.

Total Degree: 61-75

Hotels operation is based on widely accepted methods of environmental protection and energy

and natural resources saving. Nevertheless, hotels managers do not communicate effectively their

program neither to customers nor to their staff and/ or methods that are being applied to, lag of

effectiveness.

Green hotels certifiers:

Many green certification programs have emerged in recent years, the question becomes: which

are for real? How do we know theyre not just certifying any hotel that pays a fee, or letting

businesses rate themselves without any independent verification? Which certifiers insist on

regular recertification and continuous improvement?

Here are the trustable green certifiers. They all take their roles as watchdogs of sustainability

seriously. So, look for their logos on the websites and brochures of hotels and other tourism

operators:

Global:

EarthCheck: Favored by many leading eco-conscious hotel companiese.g., Intercontinental, Langham, Taj, Radisson, Six Sensesthe EarthCheck six-step process starts with benchmarking to

lay the foundation for sustainable practices and ends with several levels of certification. It is based

in Australia.

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Green Globe: Green Globe Certification provides certification, training and education, and

marketing services in 83 countries worldwide. The Green Globe Standards are based on Agenda 21

and principles for Sustainable Development endorsed by 182 Governments at the United Nations

Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit in 1992. Its website lists certified hotels by region and country.

Sustainable Tourism Eco-Certification Program: STEP is a comprehensive sustainable tourism

certification program offered by Sustainable Travel International. Companies in all sectors of the

travel and tourism industry can be certified through STEP.

North America:

Energy Star: The U.S.-based EPA program rates the energy efficiency of appliances used in

businesses. More than 241 hotels participate in the United States. A score of 75 out of a possible 100

is the minimum to be considered energy-efficient. You can search for certified hotels on their

website.

Green Key: (U.S., Canada). Based in Canada, this is a self-assessment program designed to assist

a hotel in determining its current environmental footprint. Upon completion of the program and

being awarded a one-to-five Green Key rating, an on-site inspection may be conducted to confirm

the rating.

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Green Seal: (U.S.) Green Seal is a non-profit organization founded in 1989. Their program

certifies a wide range of products and services in the United States, including hotels and

restaurants.

LEED: (U.S.) The U.S. Green Building Council created this programan acronym

for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Designto certify that buildings meet standards

of energy efficiency, conservation, and community sensitivity. USGBCs rating system has four

levels: Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Green Building Councils in other countries have

similar programs.

Mexican Regulation NMX-AA-133-SCFI-2006: (Mexico). This Mexican government regulation

allows for the certification of sustainable tourism businesses. The regulation is enforced by the

Secretara de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (SEMARNAT), the national government

agency responsible for developing environmental policy and legislation.

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European Union (EU):

Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS): (U.K.) The GTBS is the national sustainable tourism

certification scheme for the UK. It is the only green tourism certifier validated by Visit Britain,

through the International Center for Responsible Tourism. Businesses are assessed by a qualified

grading advisor against rigorous criteria in areas like energy and water efficiency, waste

management, biodiversity and more. Businesses receive a Bronze, Silver or Gold award based on

their level of achievement. You can search the GTBS website for green certified places in England

and Scotland to stay, eat, shop and visit.

Latin America & Caribbean:

Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST): (Costa Rica). In Spanish its Certificacin para

la Sostenibilidad Turstica, and it provides certification services to hotels and tour operators in

Costa Rica. CST is regulated by the Costa Rican National Accreditation Commission and consists

of a scale of five levels of sustainable tourism achievement.

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GREAT Green Deal: (Mesoamerica, Caribbean). GREAT is an acronym that stands for Green,

Responsible, Exclusive and Amazing Tourism. GREAT Green Deal provides certifications for

hotels, restaurants, tour operators, transportation businesses and community-based tourism

projects. Based in Guatemala, it provides certification services to countries throughout

Mesoamerica and the Caribbean.

Rainforest Alliance Verification: (Latin America, Caribbean). Verification is a way to evaluate

and improve businesses commitment to sustainability, measuring their progress and helping to

prepare them to become certified. Also, in countries where no certification program exists,

verification offers businesses a benchmarkwhich helps them determine where they standand

demonstrates their achievements to others. Once a business gets Rainforest Alliance Verification,

it needs to become certified within two years by a certification program, if one is available where

the business is located. The Rainforest Alliance has also launched a website for those seeking a

green certified tourism operator in Latin America or the Caribbean.

Smart Voyager: (Ecuador, South America). The Smart Voyager program was created by the

conservation organization Conservacin y Desarrollo (C&D) in 1998 and was launched to the

public in 2000. Though based in Ecuador, the program has expanded to include hotels and tourist

operations throughout Latin America. They certify tourism operations of all sizes from large resorts

to eco-lodges.

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Eco Friendly Hotel Chains:

Element: Starwood hotels have earned an eco-friendly reputation, but leading the way is their

Element brand. All Element hotels are either LEED certified or committed to pursuing this

certification. Going green starts with the infrastructure at these hotels. Material used to build the

roof reflects heat to lower energy demands from cooling systems. Also, optimizing their air

conditioning, heating, and ventilating systems cut their energy consumption and puts less pressure

on the ozone layer.

The products they use inside of their hotels also contribute to reducing threats to the environment.

To reduce energy and waste, Energy Star appliances are used in the guest rooms and LED and

CFL light bulbs are used in the hotels. The paints, carpet, and furniture used are eco-friendly and

dont sacrifice the comfort of their guests.

From complimentary rental bikes to priority parking for those driving hybrid vehicles, Element

hotels make it both easy and rewarding to maintain your eco-conscious lifestyle on the road. To

read more about Elements eco-accommodations visit their website.

Hyatt: The Hyatt is another chain that has made a commitment to eco-friendly lodging. They

began making their eco-efforts a few years back and continue to make their hotels greener and

greener. Setting the bar high for the rest of their hotels is Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle. And as the

first LEED hotel in Seattle it also sets the standard for sustainable lodging in the city. During

construction of this hotel more than 95 percent of waste was diverted from going to the landfill,

and the eco-consciousness doesnt stop there.

The plant-covered living rooftop not only symbolizes sustainability, but helps to reduce storm

water runoff and insulate the hotel. In the rooms, watt-stopper technology helps to avoid wasted

energy. To activate energy flow all you have to do is insert your key card in the slot by the door,

and when you leave, remove your key and energy will be cut off. Rooms are also equipped with

dual-flush toilets and low consumption showerheads to make going green mindless for guests.

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Marriot: Marriot is dedicated to reducing their footprint, and their history and future goals prove

that. Working in close partnership with reputable environmental building associations, this chain

is able to empower its development partners to build with sustainability in mind. In fact, Marriot

was the first major hotel company in the U.S. to design and build a LEED certified hotel back in

2005. Today, the chain has 106 LEED-registered and 31 LEED-certified hotels.

And of course, their hotels cover all the basic yet crucial little things that cut a lot of waste: low-

energy light bulbs, low consumption showerheads, recycled key cards and pens, biodegradable

laundry bags, and more.

From the hotels to corporate offices, Marriot takes action to improve energy efficiency, conserve

water, and support projects that reduce deforestation.

Examples of Green hotels in the world:

Adrere Amellal (Siwa Oasis, Egypt):

Located at the foot of the White Mountain, Adrere Amellal offers unparalleled insight into the

traditional living of the people in this desert area. The 39-room lodge is constructed from clay and

water and sits on 80 acres. There's no electricity here -- all the lighting is from beeswax candles.

Water comes from a natural spring on site and natural ventilation keeps the resort cool. The food

is made from organic ingredients and all food waste is composted. The carbon footprint of this

amazing green hotel is almost zero.

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Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa (Queensland, Australia):

Located in the oldest rain forest in the world, the Daintree Eco Lodge and Spauses solar power,

LED lights and even grows their own produce for meals. It's a tranquil getaway with only 15

"Bayans" (villas) nestled among the trees. Daintree promotes ecotourism and is involved in

initiatives to preserve and protect the environment. In additional to their amazing spa treatments,

they also provide Kuku Yalanji aboriginal cultural guides, where guests can learn about

Australian aboriginal culture through education and experiential learning activities. The Daintree

Eco Lodge and Spa has won more than 40 national and international major awards for excellence

in eco, spa, health and wellness, nature, green and travel experience.

Soneva Fushi Resort (Baa Atoll, Republic of Maldives):

With tremendous commitment, this gorgeous resort achieved total carbon neutrality in

2010. Soneva Fushi Resort is located in the North Baa Atoll region and is surrounded by white

sand beaches and a beautiful blue lagoon. The hotel sources materials locally, collects rainwater,

uses filtered seawater in its pools and takes advantage of natural ventilation. All the furniture

throughout the hotel is created from local, renewable materials, and energy-efficient or natural

lighting is used throughout. Winner of a number of awards and accolades for its green practices

and sustainability, this resort is committed to environmental initiatives including energy

efficiency, reducing waste and consumption, preventing release of toxins and preserving the

island.

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Hotel Mocking Bird Hill (Port Antonio, Jamaica):

For more 15 years, this small eco-friendly hotel has practiced sustainability. Located in the

beautiful Port Antonio area of Jamaica, this island paradise uses solar energy, natural air

conditioning and rain-water harvesting. Their low-chlorine pool operates on renewable energy,

and they don't use pesticides or insecticides in the garden. Winner of a variety of green awards,

the Hotel Mocking Bird Hill received the American Express/CHA prize for most environmentally

friendly small hotel. This hotel believes in reusing and recycling whenever possible and uses local,

organic goods whenever possible.

Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa (American Canyon, California):

If one Wants to stay in the States, They should Head to Napa. The Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and

Spa is the first Gold LEED-certified hotel in the world. You can enjoy the beautiful wine country

tours and days of pampering at the spa, knowing this hotel is doing everything it can to promote

sustainability. Solatube tubular skylights provide natural lighting, and organic cleaning products

and low-flush toilets are used throughout the hotel. They also have carpeting created from

recycled materials, energy-efficient HVAC systems, low energy-transmittable windows, a

reflective roof and much more. They even use recycled water in the koi pond. You'll find

recycling bins in every hotel room, as well as throughout the property.