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Economy Be Damned. Real "Green" Is Here To Stay.
By Passion of a Zealot Andrew Calvo
Thursday, 8th January 2009
 
I came across a story today from BusinessTraveller, a magazine for Business Travellers thats published in the East, and it poses the question: "Will 2009 Be The Year Green Issues Are Forgotten?"

I started reading the story because the title attempted to argue that due to the economy - green issues in the travel and hospitality industries will be forgotten after all that was gained in 2007-2008 because of tightening bottom lines and overall declining travel.

I don't agree one bit.

While some things may go by the wayside - a hotel purchasing carbon credits with your room, or encouraging you to travel by bicycle instead of hailing a cab outside the hotel - the overall industry is still heading in the direction of being more green, and more energy efficient.

In order for a theory or a new movement to take hold is for structured improvements to be made to the underlying infrastructure. Meaning, in order for the hotel and travel industry to embrace being green, is for the everyday work environment and methods to change, instead of just putting fresh icing on a stale cake.

I feel that most important parts of becoming green start from the building, its construction and how its outfitted - the same goes for airplanes or cars. If the building is built with LEED Certification in mind, and sustainable methods to recycle water, air, cutdown on electric usage and use building materials which are healthy for the environment only then will it "stick". There has been many concerns about the cost of this type of outfitting - and for an existing building, it may be more expensive than would be a building just under construction - but living and working in an environment that you want guests to embrace is the only way to proceed.

Look at Starwood Capital's 1 Hotels. Even though no 1 Hotel's have opened yet (I don't care what anyone says - the concept is not the issue the brand hasn't been able to get off the ground - the credit markets and declining travel is the real issue) I really feel that Barry Sternlicht has grasped the future of the hotel industry, and once again is light eyars ahead of the competition.

Just like everyone followed him with W Hotels, and the Westin Heavenly Bed - the industry will soon follow and build or convert hotel chains into the type of Green hotel that 1 Hotels is. The first brand out of the gate is Starwood Hotel's Element - which has mandated that every Element hotel meets LEED certification. That's powerful. That's what will change the environment.

Frills - such as fair trade food purchasing or purchasing carbon credits are important, please dont get me wrong - but I don't feel that they are going to be embraced as fully and completely unless its done from the bottom up. Plus, if you attempt to compare costs between a fair trade purchase vs a regular purchase you'll see a difference, which most customers wont really care to notice except for the price increase.

Embracing technology such as flourescent or LED lights, or recycling rain water, or smart flush toilets may cost more upfront, and the customers may not immediately notice the change - but the bottom line of the hotel will notice the difference - and so will our future generations.

Real "Green" is here to stay, economy be damned. But the frills to make you "look" green, they are nothing more than the latest craze and will go the way of Pogs and Beanie Babies.

andrew@alconic-inc.com

Andrew Calvo is a 26 year old Commercial Real Estate Advisor in New Jersey. I live in Tinton Falls, NJ. This blog is about my passions - primarily hotels, commercial real estate, and development, etc.

Since I have been in High School Ifve had numerous jobs, but the field which has always interested me is Real Estate, Hotel Development and Construction. I consider myself a zealot in that area - I try to absorb as much as I possibly can, take the experiences that I learn, or read about and use them in my life.

www.passionsofazealot.com/2009/01/03/economy-be-damned-real-green-is-here-to-stay
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