Environmental Leader

Starwood Hotels and Resorts signed an exclusive three year agreement with Philips Electronics to use Philips’ SmartPower2 energy efficient TVs, also known as the EcoTV, in Starwood’s 460 properties across North America. The agreement aims to improve energy efficiency with Star wood estimating that its TVs are typically operating for six to eight hours daily.

The companies says the deal, which could be worth up to $100 million, is believed to be the biggest “green TV” deal to date.  The agreement is expected to save the hotelier more than $12 million in energy costs over the seven year lifetime of the equipment, and reduce energy consumption by up to 40 percent when compared with the TVs currently in use.

Philips will install at least 80,000 EcoTvs at Starwood hotels and resorts over the course of the next three years. These green TVs will also be included in Starwood’s latest hotel brand, Element, which aims to be environmentally friendly and are required to have LEED certification.

Earlier this year, Brian McGuinness, VP of Starwood Hotels and Resorts, told the New York Times that hotel guests say they want to be green, but they don’t want to compromise.

A recent report from Deloitte found that 34 percent of business travelers seek out green lodging.

Hilton Hotels recently announced sustainability targets it aims to reach by 2014.