Improving Air Quality in Your Community
Indoor Air: The Lodging Sector
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.Additional Information
- Definition of the Lodging Sector
- Potential Health Effects of Air Pollution from the Lodging Sector
- Reducing Air Pollution from the Lodging Sector
- "Green" Lodging Properties
Tools and Calculators
You can help lodging properties reduce emissions of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and volatile organic compounds that may affect lodging property employees, guests, and the community by conducting these activities:
- Make connections
- Encourage lodging properties to "go green" and use environmentally preferable purchasing
- Encourage local governments and other employers to place "green" meetings at "green" lodging facilities
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Make Connections
How?- Get to know local lodging property managers. They know best about the materials and operations used in their businesses and the regulations with which they must comply.
- Keep local media aware of progress by sending them updates. Publicity can reward success and attract more public involvement.
- Increases awareness of pollution prevention needs within lodging properties.
- Increases public awareness about progress in reducing air pollution at lodging properties.
- Time required to meet with lodging property managers.
Encourage Lodging Properties to "Go Green" and Use Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
How?- "Going Green" at Hotel Properties
- A "green" lodging property is a lodging property that is managed to be environmentally friendly through a conscious effort to reduce pollution.
- Use media connections to provide coverage for successful efforts in reducing pollution. Positive publicity for successful "greening" efforts can mean increased business.
- Visibly displayed awards or certificates stating that the lodging property is a "green" property may also increase business.
- Motivate lodging property managers to become involved in "green" organizations for the hospitality industry.
- Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
- Environmentally preferable purchasing is the procuring of products or services that have minimal impact on the environment without sacrificing quality.
- Use the information below in the "More Information" section to learn how to practice environmentally preferable purchasing.
- Reduces air emissions in lodging properties.
- Increases business for lodging property owners and operators.
- Increases purchase of products that have less harm on the environment.
- Costs associated with creating "green" property standards for your community.
- Costs associated with purchasing environmentally preferable products.
- "Green" lodging associations: "Green" Hotels Association
(information specific to lodging properties) and Green Seal. - Green Hotel in the Green Mountain State (PDF) (2 pp, 25 KB) standards in Vermont
- Environmental Practices Handbook (PDF) (10 pp, 48 KB) from Habitat Suites Hotel in Austin, Texas
- General information about "green" hotels in Pennsylvania.
- "Green" Means $$Green$$ (PDF) (2 pp, 78 KB)
- Information from Vermont on environmentally preferable purchasing.
- EPA information on environmentally preferable purchasing.
- Check out the Green Hotels Association's catalog of environmental products.
- For more information, see the Web site related to green procurement.
Encourage Local Governments and Other Employers to Place "Green" Meetings at "Green" Lodging Facilities
How?- Inform local governments and employers of the all-around environmental benefits of hosting "green" meetings at "green" lodging facilities.
- Offer recognition to local governments and employers who place "green" meetings at "green" lodging facilities. Recognition may be a listing on a "green" hotel Web site or a certificate to be posted at the government or employer's offices.
- Compile a list of "green" hotels in your area. Provide this list to local governments and employers.
- Reduces air emissions associated with holding "green" meetings at "green" facilities.
- Additional costs associated with placing "green" meetings at "green" hotels.
- Learn about how to encourage "green" meetings.
- More about "green" meetings.
- Green Meeting Industry Council is dedicated to promoting green meetings.
- The Convention Industry Council prepared a report on best practices that constituted "green" meetings.
- Tips for a "green" meeting.