November 26, 2014
Dear Boston Green Tourism Members,  
                                                  

Our next meeting will be Thursday December 4, from 2:30 to 4:00 at The Langham Boston in the Chase Room on the lobby level.


 
Following the meeting, The Langham will host a reception for us with cocktails, soft drinks and appetizers in the Langham Suite, floor 7, 4:00 to 5:00. We'll get a chance to see the new window film installation in that space.

   

I thank our host, Fred Mahoney. 

 

Dan Ruben 

SPEAKERS
Fred MahoneyDirector of Engineering, The Langham Boston  
Mr. Mahoney will discuss recent  projects at his property including their chiller installation, the window tint project, their new kitchen supply and exhaust fans with variable speed drives, lighting upgrades, the hotel's goal for green certification and its plans to improve its heating system.  
 

Peter KuhnProgram Manager, Northeast Utilities  

Peter Kuhn will show how even high performing buildings can benefit from energy monitoring, and where that market is headed. He'll also talk about EnergyLink, NStar's energy information system for commercial and industrial buildings, which enables hoteliers to increase reliability and efficiency while reducing bills. 

 

Jonathan Benjamin, President, Xeros North America 

Mr. Benjamin will describe the new laundry technology that is making inroads into the hotel and commercial laundry market. It uses polymer beads, which cleans clothes with over 70% less water, cuts energy and detergent use by almost 50% and reduces drying time for sheets and towels. The company recycles the beads after 500 loads.

 

Jeff Patterson, New England Territory Manager, Eastman Chemical, Window Film Division 
Mr. Patterson will discuss The Langham Boston's installation of EnerLogic window film on their top three floors. 


 

IDEAS

These Days, Even Waste Compactors are Smart  

credit: enevo.com

Hotels can now acquire trash or cardboard compactors with wireless sensors that monitor their capacity for material, forecast when they will be full and alert managers when they reach a certain fill-level. 


 
Smart compactors save hotels money by assuring that their trash and cardboard is only picked up when necessary. According to Save That Stuff's Adam Mitchell, hotels will come out ahead if the sensors eliminate as few as one pick-up per month.

 

Hotels can rent smart compactors from Maguire Equipment or buy it from Enevo.  


 

A New Kind of Green Certification: Healthy Hotels

Two new certifications have been launched this year, which deem properties to be "healthy." 

 

The Institute for Healthy Destination Accreditation (IHDA) offers the Approved Healthy Destination Membership. Applicants complete a survey that asks about items like dietary offerings, bedding, ventilation, ergonomic chairs, fitness equipment, recreational offerings and spa treatments. Hotel members pay an $850 annual membership fee. Since the program launch this summer, 15 U.S. hotels have earned membership--none in New England so far.


 
Last month, the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) launched the WELL Building Standard, which marries green building and human well-being criteria. It applies to new construction and major renovations for commercial and institutional buildings. The standard consists of performance requirements in the areas of air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind. It's fully consistent with the LEED green building standard. 

 

Applicants receive an onsite building assessment and third-party performance testing. Hence, the certification is expensive--$.05 to $.07 per square foot for a three-year certification.


I don't expect the IHDA or the IWBI certifications to become common in the lodging industry. It's difficult to get hotels to apply for certifications unless they come with strong marketing cache (TripAdvisor) or a recognized brand (Energy Star). 

 

However, I do think that these certifications are valuable to the industry. It's worthwhile to review their checklists--especially the Well Building Standard. It's a user-friendly, 218-page document that helps building managers improve indoor air quality and take other healthy-building measures. To name just a few examples, it lists standards and good practices for ventilation, VOC reduction, air filtration, mold control and air quality monitoring.

 

 

Who's on Your Green Team?

Green Teams do best when they include staff from departments that have the most influence on the property's environmental performance: Engineering, Housekeeping, Purchasing, Food & Beverage, Sales and Marketing and the GM's office. 

 

It's also worthwhile to include employees from any department who bring knowledge and enthusiasm to the team.

 

ARTICLES

Eric Erpenbeck, Energy Manager Today, October 13  

 

UPCOMING MEETINGS   

See you at The Langham Boston Hotel on December 4!


 
Soon, I will announce the 2015 meeting schedule.