WASHINGTON — The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) has challenged hoteliers across the country to track and improve their green business operations by taking the AH&LA Green Guidelines Challenge.
Participants completing the six-month challenge will be able to identify themselves as eco-friendly establishments based on benchmarking against AH&LA’s 11 minimum green guidelines.
Based on existing environmental certification programs, including Green Seal, Green Globe, Green Key, and LEED, along with various state certification programs, the guidelines define ways to give hotel owners and operators opportunities to reduce operating costs and environmental impacts.
Implementing a towel and/or linen reuse program is the only guideline of the 11 that is specific to laundry/linen operations.
However, two others — purchasing ENERGY STAR-labeled equipment and managing environmental performance by monitoring electric, gas, water, and waste usage on a monthly and annual basis — can apply as well.
AH&LA members have received a tracking tool to aid their measurement of occupancy statistics, monetary and energy expenditures, and return on investment (ROI) from specific green practices.
Participants must complete an online Green Guidelines Challenge survey by Oct. 1. More information can be found online at www.ahla.com/greenchallenge.
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