The Co-Existence of Sustainability and Luxury in Hotels
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| Harry Wheeler |
The hospitality industry faces its own array of unique challenges in creating and operating sustainable hotels. Hotel owners, developers, architects, designers, and consultants must now provide innovative green solutions to embrace environmental responsibility while maintaining the level of luxury that their guests expect.
Chris Erickson |
In April 2009, the Heathman Hotel (Portland, OR), completed a renovation project that included energy efficient upgrades. The Heathman Hotel is a participant of Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program, which allows the Hotel to buy direct wind-power from Hood River, OR. In an interview with Chris Erickson, GM, Heathman Hotel, Erickson told Green Space Today, “Guests and employees in Portland expect a sustainable experience.” |
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| Heathman Hotel, Portland, OR |
To accomplish this task, architects and designers have begun to focus on the individual components of the hotel (such as creating a ‘sense of place’), providing guest amenities, and utilizing quality sustainable materials, all the while keeping the developers’ and hoteliers’ concerns about cost and execution in mind.
To create a ‘sense of place’, some of the major hotel chains began by architecturally encouraging guests to stay out of their private rooms and to congregate into public lobbies, lounges, and recreational areas.
Many lobbies are now transforming seamlessly into business centers, casual lounges, and chic bars. This promotes social interaction and allows guests to feel at home, where sustainable practices are becoming more commonly practiced; thus, the sustainable mindset can be upheld among hotel guests who have an expectation for luxury.
Furthermore, by forming strong connections within this intimate social community, hotels can foster a sense of belonging that promotes environmental responsibility. If guests feel a strong connection to the spaces they inhabit and to one another, they can be more inclined to care for their immediate environment and take pride in their contributions.
Chris Ansley |
Chris Ansley, owner of the JW Marriott Starr Pass Tucson Resort & Spa, Tucson, AZ, while protecting resources, has given visitors the opportunity to reconnect with nature right outside the hotel. Ansley told Green Space Today, “There are various parcels of land that I donated to the Park (Tucson Mountain County Park) and the Wildlife Corridor is one of those parcels. As a result, people who stay at the hotel do not pay more, but do pay a rental tax (Environmental Enhancement Tax), that goes to the Corridor.” |
Amenities are also a critical aspect of the guest experience. The caliber of hotel is directly reflected in the items supplied in the guest bath, thus creating the “experience.” Individually wrapped soaps and single-use plastic bottles of lotion and shampoo produce more waste, which is not ecologically sound. Large refillable containers mounted in the shower evoke the feeling of a locker room.
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| JW Marriott Starr Pass Tucson Resort & Spa, Tucson, AZ |
It is the designers’ role to work with the owner and branding company to provide upscale products with minimal waste while maintaining the high level of amenities the guest expects. If done correctly, the guest is not only appreciative of the product but also feels proud of the awareness the hotel is showing towards the environment.
In addition to providing sustainable luxurious amenities and creating a sense of community, hotels have the unique opportunity to improve the quality of life for their staff and guests during their time at the hotel.
By using paints with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs), a hotel can improve indoor air quality. If the cleaning staff uses citrus-based cleaning products in lieu of more hazardous chemicals, they maintain a less toxic environment for the guests, and also can decrease staff illnesses caused by chemical exposure.
An alternative to using a chlorine system with chemical additives to sterilize pool water, which burns skin and eyes, is a saline sanitizing system, which does the same job without the harmful side effects.
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| Ryan Littman |
There are also eco-friendly cleaning solutions that can be used within the confines of both hotels and private residences. “We use Ecolab products to keep our kitchen clean, which is a safe and environmental alternative,” said Ryan Littman, Executive Chef, JW Marriott Starr Pass Tucson Resort & Spa, Tucson, AZ.
Hotels can also add organic food options to their menu to encourage healthier eating habits among guests and employees. Ryan Littman, told Green Space Today, “Buy local organic produce and dairy from ‘mom and pop farmers’ as much as possible because there are so many weird things that mainstream farmers/ranchers are doing that are just terrible. We also take advantage of local farmers’ markets and have our own organic farm on-site where we grow chili peppers, figs, tomatoes, and other produce.”
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| Staffers harvest on-site at the JW Marriott Starr Pass Tucson Resort & Spa |
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| Jay Bush, Courtesy of Evin Thayer |
The staff can be successfully trained to sustainably operate a hotel. The operations team must be trained to maintain active, practical green initiatives such as regularly turning off light fixtures that aren’t being used.
Jay Bush, Director of Food & Beverage, Hilton-Americas Houston (the first hotel in Texas to attain Green Seal certification) said “I arrived here (Hilton Americas-Houston) from Portland in October 2007 and I wanted to implement the same initiatives. We formed a green committee which trained all of the department heads and then they in turn implemented these green initiatives in each of their respective divisions.”
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| Hilton-Americas Houston, Courtesy of Ellen Cornell |
Lisa (Adelman) Taylor |
Like the Hilton-Americas Houston, Sofitel Chicago Water Tower has attained Green Seal certification. Lisa (Adelman) Taylor, PR & Marketing Manager, Sofitel Chicago Water Tower said, “Our hotel is the only one with Green Seal certification and has been the role model for the other North American Sofitels.” |
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| Sofitel Chicago Water Tower |
After a staff is trained, hotel employees can then educate guests in appropriate situations. For example, with proper enthusiasm from the staff, some hotels encourage guests to reuse their bath towels and bed linens in order to save water, which allows people to feel engaged by doing their part to be environmentally responsible. In an interview with Edward Andrews, GM of InterContinental Chicago, the first property in Chicago to be recognized by Energy Star, Green Seal, and StayGreen, Andrews said, “We see more and more guests (30 %) choosing not to change their linens every day.”
Edward Andrews, |
Green Space Today asked Edward Andrews the following question: Why didn’t InterContinental Chicago aim for LEED EB certification? Andrews relied, “LEED is harder to achieve in buildings such as ours.” |
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| InterContinental Chicago Courtesy of InterContinental Chicago |
So why, then, is the hospitality industry so hesitant to ‘go green’? The excessive up-front cost of green design elements certainly dampens the enthusiasm of owners and developers. Room rates are directly reflective of the construction cost. If it costs more money to build a sustainable hotel, a higher room rate is required.
Environmentally conscious elements don’t always align with guest expectations either. Low flow plumbing fixtures definitely save water, but guests don’t necessarily want to sacrifice their luxurious experience by taking shorter showers with less water. Guests are paying for a high quality experience, and they expect to indulge themselves when they stay at hotels.
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| Talbott Hotel (Chicago) |
On occasion, finding green products that meet the needs of hotels isn’t an easy task.
Troy Strand, GM, Talbott Hotel (Chicago), a Green Seal certified hotel, told Green Space Today, “The biggest challenge for us is recruiting suppliers that can service our green needs. It has taken a long time for us to find efficient, biodegradable products.”
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Green Space Today asked Strand the following question: Why are some hotels, especially in Chicago, becoming Green Seal certified rather than becoming LEED EB and (or) LEED certified? Strand replied, “We believed that getting Green Seal certified was more comprehensive for us as a hotel compared to LEED. Also, through a program the City of Chicago was implementing, we were invited to join a group of 25 other hotels in Chicago to get Green Seal certified.” |
Despite these obstacles, there is reason to believe that hotels will become more environmentally sound without lessening luxury.
Green design is not only a cultural movement for human and environmental health, but holds other financial benefits for hotel owners and developers. The ultimate operating cost of a sustainable hotel is decreased since waste output is vastly lower, and energy usage is reduced due to efficient design and engineering systems.
Dennis Quaintance on the solar paneled roof of the Proximity Hotel |
In an interview with Dennis Quaintance of Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels (Greensboro, NC), the owner/developer of the Proximity Hotel & Print Works Bistro, the first and only LEED Platinum certified hotel and restaurant, Quaintance said, “We aimed to be economical first and then went for LEED Platinum. We said that we were not going to worship LEED as sacred text. It is my hope that there is one universal green standard and I hope it is the U.S. Green Building Council’s standard because we have invested in it. We have to educate people about sustainability and there should be a filter around what is considered to be ‘green’-beware green buyers!” |
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| Joe Palmieri Courtesy of Houston Americas-Houston |
Thorough research of sustainable design options provides the owner with a variety of systems from which to choose, and will ultimately affect the price of the building. Also, hoteliers should be aware of any tax credits or rebates they are eligible for as a result of the hotel’s sustainable elements. Chris Erickson said, “We (Heathman Hotel, (Portland)) received financial incentives from the Energy Trust of Oregon.”
Like the Heathman, the Hilton-Americas Houston is receiving financial incentives by ‘going green.’ Joe Palmieri, GM, Hilton-Americas Houston, said, “We are saving quite a bit of money from our recycling programming.”
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| Rendering of the Element Hotel, Miami, FL Courtesy of Kelli Morgan, Group One Partners, Inc. |
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Case Study: The Element Hotel in Miami, FL, is a great example of a sustainable hotel, which is currently in the design process with Group One Partners, Inc. The Element brand, part of the Starwood family, is a very forward thinking brand and a leader in the industry for the level of sustainable initiatives it pushes its developers to achieve. This particular project is aiming for LEED Silver certification. The design features natural finishes in the community lobby along with regional construction materials. KONE elevators provide an energy efficient mode of vertical transportation within the building. |
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| Low-E glass windows at the Crowne Plaza Lombard-Glen Ellyn |
Sustainability is a lifestyle and market trend in which savvy hoteliers want to invest in to meet a growing demand among environmental enthusiasts. Quaintance remarked, “If guests are not expecting capitalists to go green then there is no reason to go green.”
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Although hotels are incorporating sustainable elements, some hotels, like the Crowne Plaza Lombard-Glen Ellyn (IL) are choosing not to pursue any formal certification. David Friedman, owner, F& F Realty, Ltd. (F & F Realty owns the Crowne Plaza Lombard-Glen Ellyn), said, “We will not be LEED or Green Seal certified, as the investment in certification does not yield energy savings. I would rather spend the money on another green initiative.” |
With growing market demand matched by long term savings through energy reduction and the consistent influx of innovative design systems and sustainable products that can replace traditional materials without lessening luxury, there will be a rise of ‘green hotels’ in upcoming years.
To reach Harry Wheeler, AIA, Principal, Group One Partners, Inc., please e-mail him at harry@grouponeinc.com.
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Green Space Today: What constitutes a “green” wine? What green wines and green drinks does Glen Prairie (a signature restaurant connected to the Crowne Plaza Lombard-Glen Ellyn) carry? What green wines and green drinks do you recommend? Mark Imburgia, GM, Glen Prairie: While the term “green” is a very general concept which is constantly open to political and social interpretation, the concept of “green” wines promotes the idea that the wineries are utilizing ecologically-friendly and sustainability-oriented practices in the production of their wines. Though their methods of being “green” differ, generally there is an emphasis on employing organic and sustainable farming practices in the production of the grapes, utilizing clean energy sources in the wine-making process, and using environmentally friendly packaging in their operations. Glen Prairie carries “green” wines from select vineyards including Grgich Hills, Ironstone, J. Lohr, Charles Krug, Paraiso, Parducci, and the notably eccentric Bonny Doon Vineyards. We also carry Stone Mill pale ale, a USDA certified organic barley malt beer and Ed Phillips & Sons Prairie organic vodka, distilled from Minnesota organic corn. Our favorite recommendations include our Parducci pinot noir, especially paired with our hearty grilled Duroc pork porterhouse, and our J. Lohr Chardonnay, well suited with our Miller Farms organic seared chicken. |
