AAA TourBooks Tag Green Hotels with “Eco” Icon

July 13, 2009

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As more consumers look for eco-friendly travel destinations and hotels, one of the country’s leading travel guides will now include an “eco” icon to designate “green” hotels as more commercial builders aim for green building standards for their hospitality properties.

The AAA 2010 TourBook editions will now include an “eco” icon to indicate properties that promote environmental and energy conservation, reports Green Lodging News. The “eco” option will also be included as an advanced search option in AAA’s hotels section on its Web site. Only those properties that are AAA approved or Diamond rated will be eligible, reports Green Lodging. AAA’s 26 TourBook guides include detailed information for more than 31,000 hotels.

Properties must also be a certified green lodging site as part of a number of state or national green lodging programs, according to the article.

Builders and architectural firms are also working together towards sustainable building practices. Building on its “green” renovation of Sears Tower, the owners, for example, will build an environmentally-friendly hotel next to the skyscraper, reports the Chicago Tribune.

John Huston of American Landmark Properties, representing the partnership that owns Sears Tower, told the Chicago Tribute that the hotel, financed by private funds, will draw “net zero energy from the power grid.”

According to architectural firm Smith and Gordon Gill Architecture, the building will likely shoot for the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, reports the newspaper.

Several additional eco-resorts can now claim LEED certification. Advantage Fitness Products (AFP), a provider of green fitness solutions, commends three of its hospitality clients that have earned LEED certification. AFP says Orchard Garden Hotel, San Francisco; Intercontinental Hotel, San Francisco and Cavallo Point Lodge, Sausalito, Calif., were three of only 18 hotels nationwide that received LEED certification.

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Reader Comments

This new eco-label arms AAA members with powerful information to make greener choices, and reflects increasing consumer demand for responsible, green services and products. I believe that, once given the choice, travelers will consider a hotel’s sustainability as a deciding factor when choosing where to spend their money. And the more information consumers have access to, the more hotels will feel the pressure to earn the seal of approval from organizations like AAA.

Emily at Sustainable Business Consulting | July 13th, 2009

I agree with you comments, Emily. More and more hotels are finding it in their best interest to follow green guidelines. Having AAA offer their members a way to find these establishments will push the hospitality industry toward sustainability even faster. Many large hotel companies, such as InterContinental Hotels Group and Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, have developed their own eco-programs and are leading what has traditionally been an excessively wasteful sector in the right direction. Please visit my blog to read my recent posts, “Green Engage – IHG’s Answer to Global Warming” and “Fairmont Continues to Fulfill Its Sustainable Mission”.

Matt Courtland of A Sustainable Life | July 14th, 2009

More background on this story at http://www.aaatravelviews.com/post/2009/01/28/How-Green-is-Your-Hotel-and-How-Do-You-Know.aspx

Laurie Peterson | July 20th, 2009

I’m encouraged by AAA’s willingness to acknowledge the importance of going green! I like to know the “green” specifics about a Hotel or lodging and use http://www.EnvironmentallyFriendlyHotels.com to find out what green amenities a Hotel has to offer, they offer details which go beyond an icon. Thanks for the update on AAA and here’s hoping green features will be the norm for the hospitality industry.

gogreenyay | July 21st, 2009

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