Starwood and Marriott Working Towards Green Hotels

The hotel industry has heard what its customers have to say - they are increasingly demanding environmentally friendly products and services.  Here is what two of the big names are doing about it:

• Starwood announced Element, its brand of environmentally conscious hotels, last year and is planning for a chain of 90.
• Marriott has established an internal "green council" to examine suppliers and their own carbon footprint.  Also has partnered with EPA's Energy Star program to reduce GHG emissions.

It sounds like the hardest part for these hotels is sifting through the plethora of "green" products to find the ones that are actually environmentally friendly AND live up to customer standards.

And, although there is no standard in the U.S. for what makes a green hotel, some of the chains are seeking certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council and Green Seal.  Both non-profit groups in Washington that evaluate and certify building based on a variety of criteria, including water  efficiency, energy use, building materials, and indoor air quality.

By Cassandra Darwin
cdarwin@enviance.com