For some hotel seekers, a pool or luxury accommodations might be a primary point of interest. However, an establishment’s environmental awareness is becoming a deciding factor for many prospective guests.

The Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA) has launched the StayGreen program, which currently recognizes 36 hotels that are proactive in their choices that affect the environment.

The StayGreen program has two categories, Green Energy and Green Recycling standards. Hotels who receive the Green Energy designation may have worked to offset their energy use by at least 50 percent by purchasing renewable energy credits from “green” sources, such as wind, hydro or solar power. They also may have energy efficient lighting, water conservation equipment or “green” roofs for additional insulation. The other designation, Green Recycling, if they recycle at least four of six items typically discarded, such as cardboard/paper, newspapers, and kitchen oil and grease.

The IHLA is not the first to emphasize eco-friendly conditions at hotels. In 2004, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) established the Green Lodging Program to distinguish environmentally conscientious properties.

The program was launched with the understanding that as Florida attracts millions of tourists per year, and with those numbers comes significant waste generation. Therefore, working to reduce that waste would result in a noticeable positive impact on natural resources.

The Florida program received further support when Executive Orders from the governor in 2007 and a House Bill in 2008 required all state agencies to contract for meetings and conferences only with hotels that have received the Green Lodging designation. Currently, there are nearly 400 properties statewide that are designated as “green” by the Florida DEP. The savings from recycling and energy conservation can impact the bottom line. For example, InterContinental Hotel Miami estimates it saved $80,000 in 2008.

Hotels have also begun to move above and beyond these state programs with certification with organizations such as LEED or Green Seal. This is heavily encouraged by the IHLA, and 13 Chicago hotels are already certified.

Green Seal holds hotels to their environmental standard, GS-33, which requires hotels to demonstrate sustainable practices, from waste water management to environmentally sensitive purchasing. The certification also has three standards: bronze, for those who meet the essential requirements, silver and gold, for those who demonstrate significant environmental leadership.

As awareness regarding environmentally-conscious and sustainable practices grows, so will the sub-markets-- like “green” lodging and the certifications that support them-- that emerge around them. As we continue down Karl-Henrik Robert’s funnel of declining resources, it is especially vital that certifications to ensure consistency and best practices are advanced and adhered to.