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February 2008 Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee Lake Morey Resort been designated as GREEN HOTEL in the Green Mountain State by the Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation's and the Vermont Small Business Development Center's Business Environmental Partnership (www.vtgreenhotels.org). Lake Morey has met the standards for this designation by: developing and communication and Environmental Policy; energizing a comprehensive recycling program for guests and staff; purchasing less toxic cleaners and post consumer recycled paper products; implementing various energy efficient lighting and other upgrades; purchasing a shuttle van to decrease commuting impacts; participating in off-site composting of kitchen wastes; and promoting the Upper Valley Trails Associations environmental stewardship efforts. In addition they have developed an environmental management plan to track future efforts to reduce the environmental impacts of their business operations. Chester Innkeepers Association Green Hotels: New ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERS: DEW Construction Corporation, Williston, VT Turtle Fur Group, Morrisville, VT CFL Quality, Technology Will Continue to Improve in 2008 NATIONAL REPORT—Somewhere between 60 percent to 70 percent of U.S. hotels now use compact fluorescents (CFLs), one lodging industry expert estimates. There is no doubt that number is going to grow. On December 18, President Bush signed the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. Within that bill, there is a call for the phaseout, beginning in 2012, of the incandescent bulb. It is only a matter of time before CFLs totally replace the technology invented by Thomas Edison. Given the inevitability of CFLs, where do they stand today in regard to pricing? Quality? Technology? What can hoteliers expect in 2008? “What is really new is that prices are plummeting,” says Dan Bornholdt, president of Upland, Calif.-based Green Suites International, a distributor of TCP SpringLamps. “Prices for SpringLamps are under $3 per bulb now. Three years ago, they were $6 or $7.” From a quality standpoint, CFLs have been highly reliable for the last three or four years, says Ray Burger, president of Pineapple Hospitality, Saint Charles, Mo. “We will continue to see advancements in life expectancy—closer to the 15,000-hour mark,” says Burger, who sells energy-efficient CFLs from GE Lighting. “The product keeps getting smaller, but is maintaining the same quality.” Smaller is better, says John George, marketing manager for CFLs for Osram Sylvania, Danvers, Mass. Osram Sylvania recently introduced the micro-mini Twist, what it calls “the smallest CFL on the market.” Twist is available in 13-, 20- and 23-watt models and is designed to replace 60-, 75- and 100-watt incandescent lamps. Twist offers a rated lamp life of 12,000 hours. The micro-mini measures 3.7 inches long, an inch shorter than a standard incandescent lamp, and features a color temperature of 3,000 Kelvin (K) and instant-on capabilities. CFLs Becoming Less Hazardous Osram Sylvania recently introduced the micro-mini Twist. “CFLs are becoming even more environmentally friendly,” says Cameron Clark, merchant in the lighting category for San Diego-based HD Supply Facilities Maintenance, which sells a variety of fluorescent lighting products. “They are being made with less mercury and less lead. Many of the CFLs that meet Europe’s stringent Reduction of Hazardous Substance (RoHS) requirements will start making their way into the U.S. market. Hotels that use these will be able to distinguish themselves as being ‘more green.’” Experts agree that while the technology to add dimmability to CFLs is improving, it is not yet where it needs to be. “There are dimmable CFLs, but they do not perform even close to their incandescent counterparts,” HD Supply Facilities Maintenance’s Clark says. “Until they do, they will not be widely used or accepted. Manufacturers are continually looking for opportunities to improve their products in this regard, and some have delayed the introduction of new dimmable products until they are completely satisfied they will meet end user expectations. They also recognize that it is the greatest opportunity for growth.” “Dimmability is still a barrier to overcome,” Osram Sylvania’s George says. “But every generation of products gets better. We have some products that are dimmable.” Lamps that offer instant-on capability, like Osram Sylvania’s Twist bulb, are more available today even though, as Clark says, “CFLs still have a stigma of being too dim” because of the fact that many do not reach full brightness right away. Green Suites’ Bornholdt says CFLs are now comparable to incandescents in regard to color quality. “Color-rendering index (CRI) quality has gone up in recent years,” he says. “They are all over 90 now and comparable to incandescents.” The best rating a lamp can have on the CRI scale of zero to 100 is 100. New Three-Way Bulb Introduced For those hotels that still have three-way fixtures, Alsip, Ill.-based Litetronics International Inc. recently introduced Spiral-Lite, a three-way CFL that offers the light output equivalent of a 50/100/150-watt incandescent lamp. Spiral-Lite provides up to 75 percent in energy savings and has a rated life of 10,000 hours. Especially in guestroom applications, Pineapple Hospitality’s Burger says that more light is better than less light, especially at the bedside. Poor lighting is one of the best ways to negatively impact guest satisfaction. “Hotels that have 100-watt incandescents in the guestroom will retrofit with a 20-watt CFL,” Burger says. “I recommend using at least a 23- or 32-watt CFL. A 32-watt provides light equivalent to a 125-watt incandescent.” Mixing and matching CFLs is fine as long as the CRI reading is the same. Look at the package the CFL comes in. It will tell you the color temperature—2700K, for example. If you have questions about how to purchase CFLs, seek out an expert. “Get them from a hotel supplier that truly understands the industry,” Green Suites’ Bornholdt says. “There are a lot of cheap products out there and you don’t want to mess with guests. You want to purchase the appropriate lamp for the right area.” Litetronics International Inc.'s new Spiral-Lite, a three-way CFL. HD Supply Facilities Maintenance’s Clark recommends taking a look at bulb life, lumen ratings and bulb shape. “CFLs vary in life hours from 6,000 to 15,000,” he says. “If you are comparing by price, make sure it is apples to apples. A lot of packaging will say a CFL is a ‘100-watt replacement,’ but may only produce 1,600 lumens. Is that really enough light? Guest satisfaction scores are driving some hotels to use lamps with a minimum of 1,850 lumens. Twist shapes are best in shaded table, floor, or bedside fixtures. Because they do not have a cover over the tubes, they produce the most light.” CFLs today offer so much upside—environmental benefits, long life, energy savings, and time and cost savings—that it is difficult to make an argument against using them. “At this point in time, I cannot name any applications where they are not a good fit, except possibly some decorative lighting like chandeliers,” Pineapple Hospitality’s Burger says. “It would be hard to say you are a green hotel if you are not using CFLs.” Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. HC Seals Partnership to Promote Green Tourism: Our State, Our Planet, Our Business http://www.vtchamber.com/visiting/319.html Every day it is getting easier to go green, and being environmentally responsible is now picking up steam. In our households, workplaces, communities, nationwide, and globally- “green” is the place to be. We are fortunate to live in the Green Mountain State, among the “greenest” of destinations. And now the Vermont Hospitality Council, the tourism division of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, is fortunate, and very excited, to announce a new partnership with “Green Hotels in the Green Mountain State.” Through this program, Vermont's lodging properties are recognized for their use of sound environmental management practices to reduce their impacts on the environment, save in operational expenses, and satisfy customer demand for environmentally conscious lodging establishments. Nearly a decade ago the Vermont Small Business Development Center and the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation launched their joint Green Hotels initiative. Over a decade later, this program's vision has delivered a “green” designation program that is among the very best in this country. The Green Hotels program provides assistance to owners and managers of lodging properties who take environmental stewardship seriously. To receive the Green Hotels designation, a property participates in a free on-site environmental opportunities assessment. Property designation reflects a commitment to pollution prevention and exemplary environmental stewardship. Each property seeking to achieve designation as a Green Hotel also creates an environmental management plan. For more information, please see: www.vtgreenhotels.org. Please consider taking one more step to supplement your efforts - join the Vermont Hospitality Council, the tourism division of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. VHC members who are also part of the Green Hotels Network will benefit from additional nationwide marketing and public relations, free of charge, to position their business as environmental leaders, thereby attracting a loyal and conscientious customer base. In the future, we look forward to expanding this environmentally responsible program into other hospitality industry sectors and the businesses that support them. The Green Hotels Network reflects a standard of stewardship that is core to our Vermont values: our state, our planet, our business. Consider becoming a “Green Hotel in the Green Mountain State” as part of your membership in the Vermont Hospitality Council of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. For more information, please contact Ray McKenzie (rmckenzie@vtchamber.com, 802-223-3443). “How Green Is Your Meeting Quiz (Blue/Green Meetings website)”: http://www.bluegreenmeetings.org/HostsAndPlanners/quiz1.php October 02 , 2007 Partner Status Willard Street Inn Larry and Katie Davis owners of the Willard Street Inn, a 14 room B&B in downtown Burlington wanted to “Go Green” and they asked their Executive Chef, Chris Wagner to spearhead this effort. They developed an environmental policy and posted on their web site: www.willardstreetinn.com. They also reduced their water consumption with low flow fixtures, compost kitchen organics, recycled everything they can, and provide guests information on how to do this. To close the loop on recycling, they purchase post consumer recycled content copy and tissue paper, and use less toxic vinegar and water wherever possible. A towel reuse program provides guests with the option of not requesting new towels every day, saving water and energy. For their efforts, they have been recognized as an Environmental Partner by the VT Dept. of Environmental Conservation and the VT Small Business Development Center, and they are working on an environmental management plan for Green Hotel designation. Inn at Mountain View Farm Anne Marie McNamee of the Inn at Mountain View Farm in East Burke, after reading an article about green weddings, thought about what she might do to enter into this niche market, since they already do weddings and other events at their historic country Inn. They already have housekeeping set back guest room thermostats, use compact fluorescent bulbs, recycle paper, plastic and glass, have a towel & linen reuse program in place, which is communicated to guests. Plus they have low flow showerheads, bulk, metered Ecolab cleaners, and they compost leaf and yard waste and all kitchen organics that is not fed to pigs, and they purchase post consumer recycled content paper towels,office paper, and toilet paper. Since then they have developed and posted an Environmental mission statement, and have adopted an environmentally preferable purchasing policy. Green Hotel Status Braeside Motel Patricia Ploss, owner of the Braeside Motel in Woodstock was looking for more ways to make her business environmentally friendly. She found the Vermont Green Hotel program on the internet and contacted them to find out what resources were available. This program provided an on-site Environmental Opportunity Assessment to tune up their green business efforts. The motel already had many compact fluorescent bulbs and a towel and linen Reuse program, plus recycling. At the recommendation of the Green Hotel program they looked for products, used by their business, that were environmentally preferable. They also added centrally located recycling containers and information on what and how guests could recycle to their in-room guest packets, along with their new environmental policy. So Just Relax Nancy Herman, owner of So Just Relax, a B&B in Shelburne, specializing in therapeutic massage and yoga, was already using many environmentally friendly Practices at her business, contacted the VT Green Hotels Program to see if she would qualify for this. In addition to purchasing a low flow, energy star washer, composting and recycling everything possible, and using thermal shades. She has adopted the program recommendations of increased use of compact fluorescent bulbs, developed and posted on their website an environmental Mission statement, and now have an environmental management plan for future efforts to reduce their environmental impacts. May 29, 2003: December 17, 2001: November 29, 2000: November 29, 1999: |
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The Inn at Mountain View Farm
