NEW YORK—The Waldorf Astoria, New York Hilton Midtown, and Carlton hotels have been honored for their environmentally friendly initiatives as recipients of the first ever Sustainability Awards, presented yesterday by the Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC) at the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show held at the Javits Center.
The Hotel Association of NYC’s Sustainability Committee offered awards in three categories: Environmental Protection, awarded to the New York Hilton Midtown for its comprehensive green building efficiency program; Social Responsibility, awarded to the Carlton for its engagement with the community; and Holistic Strategy for Sustainable Hospitality, awarded to the Waldorf Astoria for its overall commitment to environmentally friendly practices and social programs.
“As a leader in New York City’s thriving tourism economy, the Hotel Association of New York City recognizes the significant responsibility we carry in setting high standards for environmental stewardship and sustainability,” said Joseph E. Spinnato, President of the Hotel Association. “We are pleased to present the inaugural Sustainability Awards to three very deserving hotels that are leading the way in green practice and design.” Congratulations and thanks to the staffs at the New York Hilton Midtown, the Carlton and the Waldorf Astoria for their dedication to sustainability hospitality.”
A panel of judges comprised of industry professionals conducted site visits and interviews in order to determine the winners. Great Forest, a leading sustainability consultancy and partner of the Hotel Association’s Sustainability Committee, helped to develop the award and provided expert guidance in selecting the awardees.
Hervé Houdré, General Manager of the InterContinental Barclay and chair of HANYC’s Sustainability Committee, explained: “The purpose of the Sustainability Awards is to support and further New York City’s greater sustainable development goals through the promotion of strategies that encompass the triple bottom line of profit, people and planet. We have selected three hotels that have successfully integrated sustainable practices into their business models that are making a positive impact on the environment and on the communities around them.”
Chairman of the Hotel Association of NYC, Geoffrey A. Mills thanked the committee for its work, saying, “I want to congratulate Hervé Houdré and our Sustainability Committee for their vision in creating these awards, which will have a lasting impact on furthering sustainability practices in hotels throughout the city. And a special thanks to the judges and to Great Forest for their excellent work throughout the process.”
Environmental Protection Award—New York Hilton Midtown
At 1,981 rooms, the New York Hilton Midtown is New York’s largest hotel, and celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Hilton recently implemented a comprehensive energy retrofit to minimize consumption and output and maximize cost savings. The results have been impressive.
• 2012 installation of 1,750kW cogeneration plant, which provides clean electricity and 2,700kW heat for building operations; this satisfies more than 50 percent of the electricity demand and 35 percent of the steam demand for the nearly 2,000 guestrooms; the electricity and steam heating from the system is expected to reduce the carbon footprint of Hilton New York by more than 30 percent or 10,000 metric tons annually.
• Energy efficient lighting installed hotel-wide, ongoing retrofits to eventually cover all areas, with lighting controls like occupancy sensors, dimmers and timers in non-guest areas of the property.
• Sensors or timers on thermostat controls in guestrooms.
• 16.000 sq. foot green roof.
• Waste efficiency includes low-flush toilets, water efficient showers and on-site/off-site water reclamation systems where water is reused for landscaping and other non-potable uses.
• Tracking of sustainability performance with Hilton’s LightStay program—a proprietary building management system that calculates and analyzes the hotel’s environmental impact by measuring its energy and water usage along with waste and carbon output across 200 operational practices including housekeeping, paper products, food waste, chemical storage, air quality and transportation.
Social Responsibility Award
Originally opened in 1904 as the Hotel Seville, the Beaux Arts property underwent a significant renovation and reopened as the Carlton hotel, currently with 317 rooms. True to its 100-plus year history as part of the fabric of New York, the hotel’s management has integrated an active social responsibility policy for its staff, which keeps them involved in the local community and contributing to a greener New York.
• Staff and management participate annually in Earth Day and Earth Hour activities including posted signage for guests to build awareness, reduced elevator use for one hour.
• Successful implementation of the Mayor’s Water Challenge in 2014, achieved a 10 percent reduction within a 12 month time frame.
• Support of New York City Parks Department programs promoted by internal green leaders.
• Gift cards for soap program, keep staff motivated for every 1,000 pounds diverted.
• Annual food and coat drives.
• Total contributions from staff and management of $22,000 to local charities this year, to-date.
Holistic Strategy for Sustainable Hospitality
The Waldorf Astoria is one of the world’s most iconic hotel properties. Now in its second location on Park Avenue and 50th Street, the hotel has more than 1,400 rooms and one of the busiest food and beverage operations in the city. The hotel has implemented a comprehensive sustainability program that involves all aspects of the hotel’s operations.
• Energy efficiency upgrades and hotel-wide LED lighting retrofits.
• 56 percent reduction in waste over past five years, and 13 percent water reduction in past six years.
• Waste to water digester in the kitchen diverts 270,000 pounds of food waste a year from landfills.
• 88,000 pounds of kitchen oil recycled each year.
• 3,000 pounds of soap donated for recycling in 2013.
• Partnership with Crossroads Community Service at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church—the Waldorf donates leftover breads and pastries every day, and provides an estimated 5,200 hot meals a year.
• Green ideas in the kitchen such as the introduction of more durable and compostable chef’s hats that can be used for a week instead of just one day, and crownless pineapples that reduce packaging waste.
• Six active hives of more than 300,000 honey bees on the building’s roof, making honey for the hotel’s expansive culinary operation.
Go to the Hotel Association of New York City.
