Page 510 - Solid Waste Analysis and Minimization a Systems Approach

488 ACCOMMODATIONS AND FOOD SERVICE APPLICATIONS

Standards are established with input from representatives of various industries, gov-
ernments, and academia.
Additionally as part of the Green Seal program, the hotel composts or donates
excess food to reduce waste, minimize its carbon footprint, and support the local com-
munity. Over the past 12 months, more than 200,000 lb of compostable material and
product, including food waste, has been diverted from landfills through the hotel’s
efforts.
“Because the hotel had a head start with LEED certification, adopting the Green
Seal policies seemed like the next logical step,” said Gerry Link, general manager of
the Hilton Vancouver, Washington. “Our entire team takes great pride in the fact that
the Hilton Vancouver, Washington is a leader in the hospitality industry in imple-
menting environmentally sound sustainable green practices,” said Link. “In the past
seven months alone we’ve recycled more than 28,000 pounds of cardboard and we
continue to find innovative ways to support the greening of travel and meetings and
our overall operations.”
Owned by the City of Vancouver, Washington, and managed by Beverly Hills-based
Hilton Hotels Corporation, the Hilton Vancouver, Washington integrates some of the
most advanced environmentally friendly features found in the hotel industry.
Soon after opening its doors in 2005, the Hilton Vancouver, Washington became one
of the first hotels in the world to earn the coveted U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
LEED certification, a nationally accepted benchmark for the design and construction of
high-performance green buildings. The certification confirms that third-party experts have
verified that the hotel satisfies criteria for sustainable site development, water savings,
energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. Today, the hotel
is one of six LEED certified hotels in the United States.
In order to achieve LEED certification, the hotel incorporated several key energy-
saving and waste-reducing strategies into its design and construction, including heat-
reflecting rooftops and water-efficient landscaping. All windows within the hotel are
energy efficient and all plumbing fixtures are low flow to limit water use. Some of the
hotel’s ecofriendly measures include the following:

■ Reducing energy use—The hotel provides alternative fueling stations for electric
cars and encourages its team members to find alternative methods of transportation
to and from work. The hotel runs on 30 percent less energy than local codes require
and CO sensors turn off heating and cooling systems in empty rooms, meeting
2
areas, and hallways.
■ Water-efficient landscaping—The Hilton Vancouver, Washington’s irrigation sys-
tem reduces water use by 50 percent and the hotel features local native plants that
need little water during the area’s long, dry summer season. Storm water from the
hotel is funneled to underground dry wells, which provide a natural filtering mech-
anism for pollutants.
■ Fighting the urban island heat effect—A white reflective roof helps the hotel dissi-
pate heat and reflect it back into space, rather than adding to the heat island effect
that can afflict urban areas.