You’ve heard of “green” homes but when was the last time you saw an ad for a “green” hotel? These days it seems as though more and more major hotel chains are jumping on the eco-friendly bandwagon and designing “greener” buildings. According to hoteliers, the trend is still in its infancy, but some larger chains such as Hilton, Marriott and Wyndham are making strides by constructing new eco-friendly and energy-efficient hotels and making sure you know about it.
For the hotels, going “green” is regarded as a win-win situation: Green properties gain customers who care about preserving the environment and hotel operators are able to save money on electricity and water. For example, the Marriott in College Park, Maryland (the chain’s only green-certified hotel) uses 30% less electricity than a comparable property. According to hotel managers, that means they can charge the same rates as their rivals, yet earn a better profit.
With incentives like that you’d think that all new hotels would go “green,” but as it stands now “green” construction is still voluntary in the United States. However, cities such as Dallas, Las Vegas and Arlington, Virginia are offering benefits to hotels that want to go “green.” In Dallas, eco-friendly hotels receive expedited permits and qualify for subsidizes. To receive the incentives the hotels must adhere to new construction guidelines created by the U.S. Green Building Council. The only way hotels can get certified by the council is by curbing energy and water use, improving air quality and reducing carbon emissions. Other ways hotels can score “greenie” points is to: recycle construction waste, plant water-efficient landscaping, install windows that open, choose low-energy elevators and laundry machines, and cover rooftops with tiles made from recycled tires.
Currently, California and New York have the most green hotel projects underway, with 14 and 10, respectively. But, the “green” project capturing the most attention is going on in Las Vegas. More than 7,500 hotel rooms within MGM Mirage’s $7.4 billion CityCenter in Las Vegas are said to be going “green.”
In comparison, Marriott and Hilton each run one green-certified hotel, though Marriott executives say they hope to have six more in three years. Marriott is also rewriting construction and design guidelines for its more affordable properties, including Springhill Suites and Courtyard. Meanwhile, Hilton executive say they are doing the same for their Doubletree and Embassy Suites brands.
Would you go out of your way to stay at a “green” hotel?
Related Articles:
Going Green-Part 1: What is A Green Home?
Going Green Part 2—“Green” Paint
Remodeling With A Hint Of “Green”