Hostelling International Supports Sustainable Hostel Operations in NYC
On a very sunny New York City day, my team and I arrived at a historical building located on the corner of 103rd and Amsterdam Avenue on the upper west side of the incredible island of Manhattan.
- (1888PressRelease) May 31, 2011 - For the first time in the past several years, we were walking into a property that was not a typical hotel to conduct the onsite survey portion of our E2A Program (Energy Efficiency Analysis). Not knowing exactly what to expect when entering a youth hostel, I was energized and very frankly very surprised with the first impression; a lively and welcoming lobby, energetic staff, big communication boards filled with events, outings and places for their guests to visit while in NYC. Hostelling International -NY is Manhattan's premier hostel and also the largest in North America. Throughout the property you find guests interacting from viewing movies in their cozy TV room to a quiet cup of coffee in the café. Hostelling International-NY has everything including the latest games on Play Station 2, business center, laundry room, shared kitchen, lockers and sundries.
The hostel is located steps from the subway and minutes from other major NYC attractions. The location and access to public transportation is the foundation of the many truly sustainable attributes that this and all of Hostelling International's properties have in common -being natural stewards to the environment. The HI-USA Sustainability Standards, launched in 2009, is a formal Hostelling International-USA program to promote environmentally responsible hostel operations. The standards represent highly prioritized sustainability practices in both the overall hospitality industry and for hostels in particular.
This Resource Guide serves as a handbook for hostel operators in implementing the standards. For each standard, the Guide describes detailed specifications and environmental impacts, provides guidelines for implementation, and lists the data needed to quantify environmental and financial impacts.
Aaron Chafee, National Director of Hostels stated "You can't manage what you don't measure." Energy audits are the first and most important step a hostel can take to improve energy efficiency. They will help you find simple ways to reduce your hostel's carbon dioxide emissions by thousands of pounds annually-and lower your utility bills in the process.
Hostelling International -NY has engaged EcoGreenHotel to perform our E2A Program (Energy Efficiency Analysis) at the Manhattan property. As part of the program, we benchmarked the property's current energy consumption through Energy Star Portfolio Manager, recommended proven energy conservations including an occupancy-based energy management system, LED lighting upgrades, laundry technologies and window energy conservation. We also evaluated cogeneration, renewable energy production including Solar PV and Solar Thermal. We even identified funding opportunities through the NYSERDA Smart Star Program as part of the energy efficiency program.
George Finn General Manager of Hostelling International-NY "The EcoGreenHotel team was very thorough with their evaluation and strategically identified which energy conservation measures made financial sense and which measures would have very lengthy returns on our investment."
EGH is very pleased to be working with Hostelling International - NY and implementing strategic energy conservation measures identified during the energy efficiency analysis. In addition to their commitment to energy efficiency, Hostelling International-NYhas already implemented a comprehensive waste minimization program and a green purchasing program in place. Some food for thought in closing, the hostel industry were the founders of the "reuse" linen programs, they fill their buildings with more occupants per square footage than most, if not all, hotels in the country and have a built in culture of sustainability that shows through and through.
For more information call 888.229.0213 extension 803.
About EcoGreenHotel
EcoGreenHotel (Robbinsville, NJ), is a privately held company specializing solely in the hospitality industry by providing solutions for a broad spectrum of sustainability issues from energy efficiency to online marketing and green hotel products on www.EcoGreenHotelStore.com. The company provides information, tools, checklists, current news and trends to the hospitality industry through its website, www.EcoGreenHotel.com. EcoGreenHotel also provides customized consulting services tailored to the needs of the hospitality industry in the areas of energy efficiency and certifications, including LEED, Green Seal and Energy Star. For further information, email info ( @ ) EcoGreenHotel dot com or call 888-229-0213 dot
About Hostelling International - USA
Hostelling International - USA is the American affiliate of the Hostelling International network of more than 4,000 hostels in over 80 countries, with nearly 60 hostels across the USA. As a national non-profit organization, they have been serving the needs of young travelers for more than 75 years.
Hostelling International - USA Mission"To help all, especially the young, gain a greater understanding of the world and its people through hostelling."
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