The First Facility Management Blog

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. found in a recent survey that many people who make an effort to be environmentally friendly at home do not keep up the effort while staying in a hotel.

The survey was commissioned by ELEMENT Hotels, a new Westin-inspired extended-stay brand from Starwood. In fact, a majority of frequent travelers (59%) admitted to letting their “green routines” slip when on the road. (Seen here is an ELEMENTS lobby.)

The majority of people surveyed (60%) are more likely to leave a bathroom light on overnight in an unfamiliar hotel room than at home, and nearly 70% of frequent travelers open a new mini bottle of shampoo and conditioner each time they shower on the road. Sixty-three percent of frequent hotel guests are more likely to leave a light on when they leave a hotel room than home. And although only about a third (34%) of respondents believe it is important to change sheets and towels daily at home, three-quarters think it is important to have fresh sheets and towels daily in a hotel.

When it comes to evaluating eco-options, for most consumers the bottom line is the bottom line, the survey found. In fact, 62% of respondents agreed that “When I stay in a hotel, one reason I use water and energy less efficiently is because I don’t have to pay for it.” And their reported behaviors for water use reflect this attitude. Seventy percent of frequent travelers agree that they try to conserve water “as much as possible” at home, while only 18% do the same in a hotel.

The survey was conducted as part of the introduction of ELEMENT Hotels, which is focusing on sustainable hoteling. Set to open in 2008, ELEMENT properties will be designed to make environmentally friendly choices intuitive. Key design features include:

* Shampoo and conditioner dispensers will eliminate multiple mini-bottles.
* Low-flow sink faucets and dual flush toilets and/or low gallonage toilets will allow guests to optimize water use. This is estimated to save 4,358.6 gallons of water per room each year.
* The ELEMENT design incorporates eco-friendly materials in numerous property areas, including carpets with up to 100% recycled content and recycled carpet cushions; art mounted on a base made from recycled tires; and low VOC paints for improved indoor air quality.
* Guest rooms will include bins to help guests maintain their home recycling ritual.
* Compact florescent light bulbs will be used throughout the hotel instead of incandescent light bulbs. This is expected to result in up to 75% less energy used.
* Biophilic design is used, which maximizes natural light and sightlines to the outdoors.
* An education program will help guests make smart decisions for the environment while traveling and at home.

“No one wants a lecture on the environment when they travel,” says Sue Brush, senior vice president at Starwood. “The idea behind ELEMENT is to make smart choices intuitive and to support our guests’ sustainable lifestyle, so we can simultaneously accommodate our guests and the environment.”

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The survey was conducted for ELEMENT Hotels by STUDYLOGIC via telephone interviews with 1,041 respondents, screened for a minimum of three hotel stays over the past 12 months.

Have hospitality facility managers found this to be the case in their buildings?