Courtyard Univ. of Delaware Receives Green Lodging Certification
Over the past year, Shaner Hotels has made great strides in implementing green initiatives and conserving energy. Most recently, the Courtyard by Marriott in Newark, Delaware has become the first of three hotels to receive Delaware's Green Lodging Certification. To qualify for the certification, the Courtyard by Marriott-Newark established various conservation initiatives such as optional towel and linen service, recycling, and the implementation of natural light and water and energy conservation plans.
"From an existing facility standpoint, we make decisions almost daily that take lower energy usage into consideration," says Pete Nebroski, director of facilities. "The good news is that the decisions we make today will not only be better for the environment over the long term, but will also enable us to reduce expenses in these areas.
"From an existing facility standpoint, we make decisions almost daily that take lower energy usage into consideration," says Pete Nebroski, director of facilities. "The good news is that the decisions we make today will not only be better for the environment over the long term, but will also enable us to reduce expenses in these areas.
Hotels seeking Green Lodging Certification are required to take various measures to obtain this status, including the completion of an application and on-site assessment of "green practices." Certain necessary measures for approval may include managerial commitment, creating a "Green Team," conducting an Environmental Self-Assessment and communicating environmental initiatives to staff and guests.
The first of the Shaner Hotels to "go green" was the Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina in April 2008. The Jacksonville Beach Courtyard by Marriott followed in October 2008. Certifications are pending for the newly opened Fairfield Inn & Suites Lakeland Plant City Florida, and the Courtyard by Marriott Jacksonville Northeast/Kendall Town, scheduled to open late spring 2009.
United States Green Building Council
Further enhancing its growing reputation as a green company, Shaner Hotels has joined the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Membership in the USGBC allows Shaner to take the first step toward establishing an environmental standard for new and existing Shaner properties. It also allows Shaner to seek LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for its projects.
"In 2008, Shaner Hotels decreased its overall electricity usage by over 3 million kilowatt hours, and decreased its usage of natural gas by 9 million CCF in comparison to 2007," says William Helms, director of CDFMG. "This decrease in energy consumption decreased our overall carbon footprint by 62,000 tons of CO2."
The 2008 statistics included the addition of a new hotel property, the State College Fairfield Inn & Suites, as well as the reopening of the Jacksonville Beach Courtyard by Marriott.
Founded in 1983, Shaner Hotels owns and/or operates 25 hotels in 13 states, with a total of 3,705 rooms, and specializes in buying, developing, repositioning, and re-branding hotel properties. Ten different hotel brands are represented in the Shaner portfolio.