CONCORD, CALIF.—Hilton Concord has been honored with two prestigious and coveted designations for its ongoing dedication and commitment to sustainability. Contra Costa County awarded the Hilton Concord hotel with a Certified Green Business designation, the first hotel to receive this honor. In addition, the hotel received the 2014 Contra Costa Green Building Award by Sustainable Contra Costa. The Hilton Concord hotel is owned by VWI Concord LLC and operated by Interstate Hotels & Resorts.
“We are proud to have achieved and exceeded the benchmarks in sustainability required for Green Business Certification and thrilled to be the recipient of the 2014 Contra Costa Green Building Award,” said Jack Hlavac, General Manager of the Hilton Concord. “It’s extremely rewarding to earn the recognition after so many years of hard work, dedication, and commitment to sustainability. Sustainability is part of our values and culture at the Hilton Concord. It is our mission to lead our industry with sustainable practices that deliver exceptional guest experiences while conserving our precious natural resources.”
Hilton Concord was the recipient of the California Governor’s Environmental & Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) in 2013, which was a major milestone on the hotel’s path to becoming a leader in sustainability within the hospitality industry. Earning the Green Business Certification along with receiving the 2014 Green Building Award demonstrate the ongoing commitment and dedication Hilton Concord has to sustainability.
Long Road to Certification
The Green Business Program announced the certification of the Hilton Concord in early October 2014. “After more than two years of hard work by the hotel staff, consultants, and several Green Business Program Partners, we are proud to recognize Hilton Concord as a Certified Green Business and as a sustainability role model for the industry,” said Paris Greenlee, Hazardous Waste Reduction Manager with Contra Costa Health Services. “The benefits of their efforts have significantly reduced their environmental impact. In addition, many of the sustainability initiatives made by the Hilton Concord are motivating the Green Business Program to set even higher standards for all hospitality industries seeking Green Business Certification. Hilton Concord has proven that you can take an existing building designed to provide luxury accommodations and make strategic changes to significantly reduce its impact on the environment while providing a great experience for travelers.”
Sustainable Contra Costa’s 2014 Green Building Award further demonstrates that Hilton Concord has raised the bar as an example of a successful green building. Hilton Concord installed systems and equipment as part of its multimillion dollar renovation that moved the needle in the right direction for the environment and conservation. The hotel was evaluated by an independent panel of distinguished green and sustainable building professionals in order to win this award.
Hilton Concord has additional sustainability projects planned for 2015, such as a proposed Micro Turbine for on-site power generation and power storage batteries to offset peak demand load. “We are not done,” Hlavac said. “Sustainability is an ongoing process and in conjunction with our sustainability consultant Charles Smith with Hotel Sustainability Solutions Inc., we will continue to seek out new technologies, systems, and processes to remain the leader in sustainability within the hospitality industry. Hilton Concord invites travelers, meeting planners, corporations and all organizations that are seeking to book a sustainable hotel venue to give Hilton Concord serious consideration.”
Go to the Hilton Concord.
