What To Look For In An Eco-Friendly Hotel?

Hotels are recognizing the need to do more when it comes to sustainability – but there are steps we travelers can take as well

- Hannah Brandler

We all want to be good citizens of the world, but how do we reconcile traveling around the planet while at the same time not harming it?

CHOOSING YOUR HOTEL

A property needs to be in a convenient location, at an affordable price and with the facilities and services you require, but once those factors are satisfied, how do you judge whether it is environmentally friendly? Keeping track of a hotel’s sustainability progress is not easy, but here are some things to look out for.

There are various certifications and classifications available for properties worldwide, but the global nature of the hotel industry and the fact that different countries have different standards can make this a confusing area. Bear in mind too that most hotels have been built by developers, may be operated by a third party, and are then perhaps marketed and branded by one of the well-known chains. In such circumstances, finding out just how green your hotel is can be a daunting task.

First, as a rule of thumb, new hotels will have been built to higher environmental specifications than was required for older properties and will have better technology at their disposal. Some of these properties will market themselves as having a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating. Awarded by the USGBC (the US Green Building Council), this globally recognized certification must be applied for and covers eco new-builds, renovations, and interior fittings. Marriott International, for instance, is pursuing LEED certification or equivalent at 650 of its newer or refurbished hotels.