Saunders Earns
Environmental Honors The award is the culmination of a more than decade-long effort
to make
Saunders’ owned properties the most energy-efficient hotels in the
lodging
business. The property will also get the Environmental Showplace for
its
efforts from Choice Hotels, which recognizes the “Having won this industry award is gratifying because we won
our first award
10 years ago and it feels like we are creating a dynasty here,” said
Tedd
Saunders, SHG’s Executive Vice President of Environmental Affairs and
the
President of Boston-based EcoLogical Solutions, Inc. “No company has
won three
times and each of our properties has now won the award. It’s fantastic
because
it shows we are not resting on our laurels, but continuing to push the
envelope
for the operations and products we have incorporated into our
facilities.“ From the easy to implement programs such as programs that
encourage reuse of
sheets and towels during a guest’s stay to its adoption of more complex
projects, such as installing an energy management system featuring
digital
thermostats with motion sensor technology to eliminate wasted energy,
Saunders
wants hotels owned by SHG to be a showplace for how hotels can protect
the
environment and save some cash all at once. Other programs implemented by the Comfort Inn & Suites are
an ozone
laundry system that cuts out hot water and chlorine use while reducing
chemical
consumption, a new food waste composting program, water conserving ice
machines, bathroom fixtures and heat pumps as well as energy efficient
"Low E" windows, "Energy Star" rated office equipment and
nearly 950 compact fluorescent light bulbs installed in public and
back-of-house areas throughout the property. Since 1989, SHG has implemented more than 90 environmentally
friendly
projects at its three hotels. Next year, SHG will open a luxury
boutique hotel
on The hotel’s General Manager, John Mitchell, said his hotel has
assembled a
team made up of staffers that meet to discuss new ecologically sound
solutions
to keep the hotel cutting-edge in its energy saving efforts and said
its
composting program was a direct result of these discussions. “We are always continually improving,” he said in an interview
with Hotel
Interactive. To keep improving, Saunders said the hotel group continually
trains its staff
members so everyone at the hotel is not only aware of the efforts
involved in
protecting natural resources, but also feels pride in helping the
properties
remain environmentally sound. One recent innovation was the installation of an
ionization machine in
the pool area that reduces chemicals needed in the pool, and according
to
Saunders the payback for the investment is about two years. “It’s less corrosive on the pool itself and requires
less maintenance
too. It’s better than putting money in the bank,” he said, adding the
company
researched the system for about a half a year while also investigating
other
chlorine alternatives. |