Green Buildings & Sustainability

Comment

Comment by Elaine M Lyles on September 30, 2009 at 11:33am

Does anyone know of reduce/free training for LEED AP certification?

Comment by Martha Paschal on June 7, 2009 at 6:24pm

I'm interested to see if anyone has yet seen plans in the works by municipalities for green retrofits of CRE, since this is one aspect being pushed by the stimulus. As well, has anyone seen Build America bonds being used for this?

Comment by Helen M. Banks on May 11, 2009 at 4:13pm

Aberdeen Group published a white paper on the ROI of sustainability as benchmarked by several companies. See the link below to view the full research report.
http://www.aberdeen.com/launch/report/research_previews/6080-RP-return-investment-sust

Comment by Helen M. Banks on May 5, 2009 at 7:37pm

http://www-935.ibm.com/services/us/gbs/bus/pdf/smarterofficepdf_f3.4.09.pdf?ca=rss_igs
Sustainability in the 21st Century. A white paper from IBM

Comment by Robert J. Meulmeester, MRICS on November 7, 2008 at 2:42pm

Are we sure that "green" is here to stay in this uncertain economic environment, and companies are struggling to survive this financial/economic meltdown?

Comment by Shekhar Shah on September 24, 2008 at 9:30pm

more proof that green is here to stay in the hotel industry

http://www.forbestraveler.com/resorts-hotels/green-hotels-us-2008-story.html

Comment by Shekhar Shah on September 24, 2008 at 9:24pm

Hoteliers are responding to "green" demand not only from the franchisors but also from their guests. Please read below an article from Smith Travel Research

Do customers really care about “green”? | By Jonathan Barsky


As more hoteliers get on board the sustainable operations movement, their efforts are not only improving the environment, but cutting their electricity costs and other expenses. But do customers really care? Do green programs actually affect hotel selection or the price a guest is willing to pay?

Based on new questions added to the Market Metrix Hospitality Index survey, we analyzed the importance of green initiatives to hotel guests and which brands, according to guests, have the best green programs.

“Eco-friendly” or "green" initiatives are most compelling to Luxury hotel guests with 20% of these travelers claiming these programs are “Very Important” when selecting a hotel. Least affected by these program are guests in the Midscale w/o F&B segment (9% consider these programs “Very Important”). Therefore, it appears that customers who can afford to care about green are more willing to change their behavior. Across all hotel segments 12% of guests rate these programs “Very Important” when picking a hotel. This level of general market acceptance signals an opportunity for brand differentiation, especially among lower priced hotels.

Which hotel brands have the best green programs?

In addition to measuring the importance of green initiatives to their choice of hotel, guests were also asked to rate the hotel’s green initiatives. Green programs were rated highest for luxury hotel brands (74.7) and lowest for economy brands (69.6). Among hotel brands, Kimpton was the clear winner (89.7), far outscoring the next highest brand (Walt Disney World Resorts 81.4). With its Earthcare program, every Kimpton hotel adopts standard eco-friendly products and practices – from eco-friendly cleaning products to recycling of coat hangers and paperless check-ins/outs.

Overall, guests who rank a hotel’s green program highly are willing to pay at least 7% more for their room compared to other guests. These same guests also stay longer, are happier with their stay and are more likely to consider the loyalty program as “very important” in selecting a hotel. Hotels with highly ranked green programs also experience half as many guest reported problems.




There were some surprises. Some lower priced hotels (e.g., Jameson Inns) were evaluated favorably for their green initiatives, demonstrating that cost does not have to be a barrier to implementing a guest-friendly green program. Conversely, despite the importance luxury guests place on eco-friendly programs, several higher priced hotels received low ratings (e.g., Ritz Carlton ranked 58th with a score of 72.5). Among the large hotel chains (e.g., Marriott, Hilton), green programs were rated near the industry average (73), meeting guest expectations.

While green programs offer significant cost savings, the guest response to these programs (impact on loyalty, price sensitivity, etc.) can also provide significant market opportunity.

Establishing eco-friendly programs can be a cost-effective marketing tool and simply raising awareness of environmentally friendly programs among customers will help many properties increase participation and get credit for their efforts.


Jonathan Barsky and Lenny Nash are principles with Market Metrix LLC (MarketMetrix.com), a firm that provides multi-channel survey, analysis and service improvement tools and benchmarking data for the hospitality industry. For more information, call (800) 239-7515.


Market Metrix helps hospitality companies around the world foster loyal customers and engaged employees. Based on award-winning research and breakthrough concepts, our products deliver instant survey results, analysis and management tools for increasing revenue and reducing staff turnover. Our benchmarking database, MMHI, is the most comprehensive, independent comparison of consumer brand satisfaction in the industry. Our annual MMHI Awards are coveted by lodging and travel enterprises around the world. With clients that include more than 120 brands across 70 countries, Market Metrix has been helping leading hospitality companies turn feedback into performance since 1996. Please contact us for more information.

Comment by Jean-Claude Goldenstein on August 14, 2008 at 9:08am

US Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson just presented the LEED Gold Award to Chen Zhili, mayor of the Olympic Village and a vice-chairperson of the National People's Congress. "China's leaders know that the development of green buildings is a critical need, and the Olympic Village can serve as a model for this development," Paulson said. Organizers have made 'Green Olympics' one of the official slogans of the Games, and many of the venues have incorporated systems such as the collection of rain and wastewater for reuse. The Olympic Village itself includes near-zero energy buildings that generate most of their power, heating and cooling through renewable sources such as solar cells and geothermal heat pumps. Do you think the US can really help China or European green solutions will prove superior?

Comment by Thad W. Seligman on June 23, 2008 at 7:27pm

As an active member of the US Green Building Council I look forward to being a part of this group and getting better acquainted with many of you are doing and how we might share issues and ideas in the arena of sustainable building and development.