CHICAGO—After becoming just one of five hotels in Chicago to be awarded the coveted Green Seal Certification, The Talbott Hotel has been added to the 2008 Green Power Leadership Club by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. This award was in recognition of its exemplary environmental leadership. In particular, the luxury, boutique hotel is being honored for its efforts to operate a 100 percent carbon neutral property by purchasing renewable wind energy credits that offset the hotel’s entire carbon footprint. The hotel not only met the minimum requirements for the EPA’s Green Power Partnership, but reached the 10-fold qualifications of the Green Power Leadership Club.
“It is truly an honor to be recognized by the highest authority in the country on environmental sustainability,” said Talbott general manager Troy Strand. “Sustainability without compromise is a mantra we not only believe in, but act on each and every day and we now have one more plaque to validate our team’s enormous efforts.”
In order for the 149-room Talbott to achieve Green Seal certification, the hotel must adhere to stringent guidelines set out by Green Seal on an ongoing basis. These include requirements in waste management, energy efficiency, water conservation, waste water management and green procurement. Operationally, the hotel staff has established and maintains recycling programs, uses recyclable consumer paper products, uses non-phosphate and biodegradable supplies, ensures guestroom amenities such as soaps and shampoo are the smallest practical size and donates the partially used amenities to a charity that recycles them for the needy. Other technical components to their efforts include installing energy efficient equipment and lighting, water conserving fixtures and automatic sensors for lighting and AC/heating in low traffic areas.
The Talbott’s green initiative is not just for the sake of awards, but to enhance the guest experience. The Talbott lets guests decide whether or not they would like to join the effort by activating the “eco-mode” on specially designed thermostats in their rooms. The simple one-touch button alerts the staff, through a wireless network, that the guest has chosen to have the bed and bath linens replaced every other day. It also allows the room temperature to automatically adjust within 8 degrees while guests are out of the room. To further involve guests in the process, The Talbott purchases a one-month carbon offset for each guest that participates in the program in order to erase their electrical carbon footprint at home, continuing their green participation long after check out is complete.
Having just completed a multi-million dollar refurbishment of the hotel interiors, The Talbott is only one of five green certified hotels in Chicago—a fact attributable in large part to management’s dedication to “sustainability without compromise.”
Go to The Talbott Hotel.
