AVALON HOTEL & SPA: An Eco Friendly Sustainable Luxury Hotel

Avalon Hotel and Spa has received the distinct honor of earning the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED Silver Certification. This honor is only held by a handful of hotels on the planet. The Avalon Hotel and Spa is only the tenth existing hotel in the world to receive this certification, the first in Oregon.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification system is administered by the USGBC. In order to earn certification, a project must meet a the minimum perquisites of being green and earn another minimum of 32 credits in the following categories;

1. Sustainable Sites
2. Water Efficiency
3. Energy & Atmosphere
4. Materials & Resources
5. Indoor Environmental Quality
6. Innovation in Upgrades, Operations & Maintenance

The actual certification process was broken into 6 distinct phases;

1. Plan and Evaluate – The initial project was presented and a feasibility report was compiled. The initial project parameters were planned.

2. Buy in and Ownership – A concentrated effort was made to find the right vendors and gain employee, ownership buy in. The LEED team then established a relationship with vendors, city officials and non profit agencies to build up project credibility.

3. Implementation – LEED credits and prerequisites were presented to our green team for implementation. Team members were trained and reminded of our green efforts. This was the start of the 4 month performance period

4. Document Submittals – Every LEED credit required an enormous amount of documentation. This phase lasted 2 months and required an enormous effort on all departments.

5. Clarification – After another two months the project was reviewed. The hotel was given the opportunity to respond to the initial comments and provide support documentation

6. Final Review – All documentation was submitted. This 4 week process was the final stage. We were awarded Silver for getting 40 credits out of 40

The LEED certification process required a great effort from many departments and team members. The housekeeping department made the greatest strides by completely changing the way it operates and implementing a comprehensive material reduction program. The example set by Ed Conaway and housekeeping is what really motivated the rest of the team to believe going green was a reality.

The Avalon Hotel is in a city that promotes a green sustainable culture. This is reflected through the excellent staff. As we move forward and the LEED process comes to an end, I hope everyone remembers why they wanted to become green and hold those values high. Our impact on the environment also impacts our guests. Our values are changing the world one guest at a time.

Being Green and LEED Requirements

1. Formation of a “Green Team”. – This team should meet once a month and discuss issues pertaining to the health of the hotel. This meeting should also be part of a structured walk through of the property locating possible improvements or defects, litter, signs of mold, mildew or standing water. The green team is also responsible for training staff members on green policies, reviewing socially responsible purchases, acquiring guest speakers and ongoing implementation of LEED processes.

2. Environmentally Friendly, Socially Responsible – All purchases must follow the guidelines set forth in the Sustainable Purchasing Policy.  This guide must be adhered to and all purchases must be made from recycled or reused material whenever possible. All purchases should be researched as being socially responsible and not from countries using “child labor”.

3. Material Reduction and Diversion – All recyclable products must be recycled. The hotel must have a central collection area on each floor that is then transferred to a main collection area. All efforts must be made to divert items from the landfill whenever necessary. Follow all LEED policies

4. Energy Reduction – Incandescent light bulbs are no longer allowed in LEED buildings. The Avalon Hotel started a reduction campaign to eliminate these bulbs. This campaign was assisted by the Energy Trust of Oregon. In order to gain credibility as a LEED hotel, all incandescent should be eliminated.

5. Indoor Air Quality – The Air filters servicing the make up air units should be changed every 6 months to a MERV – 13 rating. At a very minimum the filters can be a MERV – 11. The hotel should be inspected quarterly for possible water penetration that would cause mold or mildew. If found remediation techniques should be implemented.

Recycle at Work Award – Recognition from the city of Portland  for being a leader in recycling. The hotel currently recycles over 60% of its waste with a stated goal of 80% by 2009. The hotel has the honor of being the 5th hotel in Portland awarded

GreenGuard Certified – all cleaning and maintenance products have been tested and certified by an independent agency to meet Green Seal 33 Standards for indoor air Quality

Energy Trust of Oregon – Recognized for improving the buildings energy efficiency through a CFL retrofit. Participant in a pilot project to change out all showerheads from 2.5 gpm to 2.0 gpm

Energy Star Partner – Achieved an energy star rating of 73 with a goal of 75 for energy star seal. Participant in the portfolio manager program, CFL giveaway and other promotions. Committed to Energy Star standards for all future purchases.

Alternative Fuels – The hotel understands the importance of promoting alternative fuels. The hotel vehicle is fueled using biodiesel. We also have preferred no fee parking for guests arriving in an alternative fuel vehicle

Natural Habitat Preservation – The hotel abuts Cottonwood Bay on the Willamette River. This area is a protected green space. The hotel site has over 8000 square feet of protected natural habitat that is conducive to butterfly populations

Water Reduction Campaign – Reduced overall water consumption by 22% by implementing water reduction techniques. Installed water saving aerators, showerheads and toilet flow diverters. Implemented a Reduce by Reuse program for all guest room towels and linen

Water Irrigation – Eliminated 95% of the hotels irrigation needs by using only native drought tolerant varieties. The remaining irrigation uses a drip method and is only operational twice a week 3 months out of the year

Energy Efficiency – Guestroom lighting has been changed out to a more efficient fluorescent lighting. This lighting retrofit is expected to save thousands of kilowatt hours over the next year

Indoor Air Quality – The hotel provides the earth’s natural air scrubbers, Aglaonema, a.k.a. Chinese Evergreen to improve each guest rooms indoor air quality. All guest rooms have a living plant

Natural Daylight Views – Every guestroom is adorned with wide windows that let in natural daylight views. Each room is also capable of natural ventilation through unique door and window designs

Natural Choices – The policy of the hotel is only make socially responsible purchases from organizations that have their products certified as being Green Seal approved, Low VOC, CRI, FSC or certified by another reputable organization.

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