October 20, 2015

Dear Boston Green Tourism Members,                      
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Our next meeting will be Thursday October 22, from 2:30 to 4:00 at  Taj Boston in the Newbury Room, floor 3. 
   
I thank our hosts: Karambir Kang and Maureen Albright!

Please note that meeting participants are invited to go on a green tour of Taj Boston after the presentations. It will feature:
  • the hotel's Ecovim food waste dehydration machine; 
  • the rooftop apiaries; 
  • possibly more.
 I hope you can come!   
 
Dan 

MEETING AGENDA
Boston Green Tourism Meeting
October 22, 2015
 
Location:  Taj Boston

2:30 to 2:40 
Introductions
2:40 to 2:45
 
Update
Dan Ruben   

2:45 to 2:55
Green Initiatives at Taj Boston
Maureen Albright, Director of Engineering, Taj Boston
2:55 to 3:25
 
Domestic Hot Water Systems Advances & Concerns in the
Hospitality Sector
Christopher Bove, President & Sales Manager, R.L. Stone Co

3:25 to 3:45      
 
Offering a Plug: The Benefits of Attracting Electric Vehicles
Barry Woods, Director, Electric Mobility NE

3:45 to 3:55      
Free Cooling & Other HVAC Opportunities
Dmitry Solovyov, HVAC/Controls Engineer and LEED Green Associate, 

3:55 to
Green Tour of Taj Boston
Maureen Albright, Director of Engineering, Taj Boston

NEWS
SHG was recognized as one of the nation's top purchasers of green power in 2014. They purchased enough renewable energy certificates (RECs) last year to match their kWh's and therms use for The Lenox Hotel, Comfort Inn & Suites Boston Logan International Airport and Hampton Inn Norwood. 

SHG acquired over 6 million Green-e certified RECs, produced by wind farms. They have been purchasing RECs since 2001. 

SHG buys RECs and carbon offsets from Renewable Energy Choice. 

Samantha Sorrin (pictured, on the right) accepted the award in Washington, D.C. SHG was the only hotel group among the 22 organizations honored.

SHG empowers its guests and corporate clients to reduce their carbon footprint, too. Their "Travel Lightly" package, which is an opt-in option, offsets the emissions associated with travellers' flight and ground transportation. 

SHG educates its "guests about its green power and other sustainability efforts via slide shows on guest room televisions and elevators."

OPPORTUNITIES
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C for Change: Implementing Your Water Management Plan and Other Best Management Practices

If you can't attend Thursday's BGT meeting (above), then consider this WaterSense webinar. It will take place on Oct. 22 at 2:00. 

"WaterSense will guide you through some of the most cost-effective projects to help reduce water, energy, and operational costs...The webinar will also feature a case study of Sheraton Seattle's successful [water efficiency program].  

You can register here. 

ARTICLES
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Glenn Hasek, Green Lodging News, October 8
Glenn Hasek, Green Lodging News, October 9
 
Glenn Hasek, Green Lodging News, October 14

These three articles discuss the state-of-the-argument about hand drying in public bathrooms. The debate rages between various hand dryer companies, and hand dryer vs. paper towels.

Electric hand dryers are more energy efficient and cheaper than paper towels. They also produce less waste, mess, stocking space and re-stocking time. 

Electric hand dryers vary by energy consumption, drying time, filtration, decibel level, certification and more. 


Green Hotelier, June 23

This article guides hotels to successfully communicate their environmental and social initiatives. It explores how to communicate to various hotel audiences, what to communicate, where to communicate it, how to monitor your success and more. 

There is a link to a recorded webinar on this topic in paragraph 2. 

UPCOMING MEETINGS   

The following BGT meetings will be 2:30 to 4:00. 

 

October 22:       Taj Boston

December 10:    Le Méridien Cambridge-MIT

 

See you Thursday at Taj Boston!