IHG targets double-digit energy savings with Green Engage
11 March 2011
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has said that it can expect to achieve up to 20% annual energy savings through use of its in-house sustainability system Green Engage.
Launched in 2009, the online Green Engage tool allows hotels to measure, manage and report their environmental impacts.
The system can deliver over US$90,000 in annual energy savings by making hotels 15% to 20% more energy efficient, IHG said in a release. With the average hotel having in excess of US$500,000 in energy expenses per year, this could enable IHG to save over US$300 million in reduced energy costs annually if the system were adopted by the group’s entire portfolio.
IHG currently has more than 1000 hotels registered for Green Engage and said it expects to expand this figure in 2011.
IHG also announced that it had been awarded with a a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) volume pre-certification for Green Engage.
It claims to be the first hotel company to receive the award for an existing hotels programme.
Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, the LEED rating system is the pre-eminent program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Volume pre-certification is a preliminary step that provides a streamlined path to LEED certification for a large group of hotels based on a pre-approved prototype and process.
"On average, energy is the second largest cost in hotels and our hotel owners want help to manage this. Green Engage aids hotels in becoming more energy efficient, environmentally sustainable while delivering significant cost savings to them. The extra boost of LEED pre-certification will be of real value, to owners as it provides a stamp of approval recognized by industry and corporate clients," said Jim Abrahamson, President of IHG's Americas region.
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I'm glad that people are finally starting to be aware of the fact that our planet's resources will one day come to an end. People will always think of fast profit, but the time has come to have in mind the notion of saving rather than consuming. Things like green building or natural gas investing are proving to be more sustainable in the long run, so I hope that everyone will follow eventually.