Destination Earth

PRESERVING OUR ENVIRONMENT, ONE DESTINATION AT A TIME

Destination Earth is...

In recognition of the need to preserve the world in which we operate and serve our guests, Destination Hotels & Resorts is dedicated to practices and programs that pay respect to, and lessen our footprint on, our changing environment.

As the fourth largest independent hospitality management company in the country, we are committed to creating a new benchmark for our hotels and resorts through a series of environmental initiatives, both on the corporate level and at each of our individual properties.

HOW ARE WE MAKING A DIFFERENCE?

Corporate Practices

We are proud to have a "Destination Earth" taskforce, comprised of leaders throughout the organization and representing hotel and resort operations, to ensure that all departments and associates of Destination Hotels & Resorts are personally involved and committed to the program. Each of our properties has a designated "green team" onsite and has made a commitment to pursuing:

Sourcing environmentally responsible services and products locally, and purchasing organic, environmentally friendly- and recycled supplies, whenever possible.
Purchasing fresh and sustainable foods locally grown, whenever possible.
Creating partnerships with other organizations that have demonstrated a commitment to preserving the environment.
Leading our associates to apply eco-friendly practices in their daily operations.
Utilizing environmentally responsible building materials and strategies for new properties and renovations to reduce environmental impact.
Retrofitting existing properties with energy efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems, as well as water-saving devices.
Implementing tools that allow us to continually measure the progress of our individual properties and support their commitment to preserving the environment through the Destination Earth program.

Destination Hotels & Resorts recognizes that our customers, owners and associates all benefit from and desire a healthy, sustainable environment. As we continue on the journey of environmental stewardship, we are committed to maintaining the superior guest experience that our customers expect, while reducing our impact on the earth's natural resources. Throughout our portfolio, our hotels and resorts have received numerous awards, recognitions, certifications, and honors for implementing eco-friendly practices. The following is a sample of sustainable initiatives taking place at our properties:

Skamania Lodge Initiatives

Skamania Lodge has received a Gold Tier Green Star certification from the International Association of Conference Centers for adherence to the IACC Code of Sustainability

The International Association of Conference Centers has a rigorous Code of Sustainability which includes 59 tenets in the following areas:

Education, Awareness and Public Declaration
Waste Management
Recycling
Reuse
Water Conservation
Purchasing
Energy Management
Air Quality
Food & Beverage

By signing the Code of Sustainability, IACC members certify that their organization: (1) has agreed to sustain and support IACC's Environmental Policy; (2) has adopted and currently adheres to at least 75% of the code; and (3) willingly joins other member organizations that have signed the code in an association-wide effort to continually strive for greater sustainability.

In keeping with the scenic act the creation of Skamania Lodge incorporated many early sustainable practices including

Recycling programs Cardboard, newspaper, copy paper, glass and aluminum cans
Golf Course
Design of the course kept as many of the trees as possible, making for narrow fairways thus a challenging course
Irrigation of the golf course was designed to utilize water from lakes on our property
Landscaping included plants that were native to our area
Use of local and regional foods for menu offerings
Energy efficient lighting in back of house areas

Those practices continue to expand today, with ongoing efforts into these areas:

Energy - energy management and efficiency

Example: Motion detectors

Waste & Recycling - reduce, reuse, recycle

Example: Formal recycling program

Water - water conservation

Example: Faucet aerators

Purchasing - eco-friendly, environmentally responsible
Example: Avendra in eco-friendly purchasing, soy inks, printing on recyclable paper products
Indoor Air Quality - toxicity reduction and management
Example: Low VOC paints, stains and adhesives

Some Examples of the Hotel Departments continuing the effort:

Housekeeping - We have replaced any styrofoam products in break room with washable containers

The housekeeping staff is currently pulling recyclable items from vacated guestrooms including paper and beverage containers.

Engineering - Water conservation, plan lighting retrofit, energy efficient lights in admin areas and guest room hallways

Administration - recycle all toner cartridges, double-sided copies, email vs. printed reports, workstations set for sleep mode and power off at end of day

Food & Beverage - for meetings provide bottled water by request

Currently Skamania Lodge is in the process of setting up a program that separates our food waste to become compost material. We are in discussions with our managing partners, owners and service providers to set a firm timeline on this important step forward in terms of sustainability

Spa - all faucets to have low flow aerators, saline pools and Jacuzzi's, organic spa treatment products.

Property Initiatives

Sunriver Resort
Sunriver, OR

LEED® Certification

The Sunriver Resort Marina and Sunriver Stables Trail Ride Registration Facility received LEED® Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in January 2010. These buildings made history for both the resort and the Sunriver community as these are the first two facilities in Sunriver to accomplish this.

Embassy Suites at the Chevy Chase Pavilion
Washington, D.C.

Awards

The Embassy Suites at Chevy Chase Pavilion in Washington, D.C. was a runner-up in the American Hotel & Lodging Association's Green Guidelines Challenge. The Challenge urged hoteliers across the country to track and improve their green business operations by taking the AH&LA Green Guidelines Challenge. Hotels used a tracking tool to air their measurement of occupancy statistics, monetary and energy expenditures and return on investment from specific green practices.

The Embassy Suites at Chevy Chase Pavilion has also been recognized as an Energy Start Partner and recently was awarded the 4-Key Award from Green Key which certifies the hotel as a leader in hotel sustainability programs.

InterContinental Tampa
Tampa, FL

Green Certifications

InterContinental Tampa is recognized by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as a "One Palm" member of The Florida Green Lodging Program. The Florida Green Lodging Program is a voluntary initiative of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that designates and recognizes lodging facilities that make a commitment to conserve and protect Florida's natural resources.

Stowe Mountain Lodge
Stowe, VT

Green Certifications

Certified as a "Green Hotel in the Green Mountain State".

Received The Audubon Green Leaf certification, with a score of 4 of 5 Green Leaves.

Stowe Mountain Club: The golf course received Signature Sanctuary Certification from Audubon International.

Tempe Mission Palms Hotel and Conference Center
Tempe, AZ

Transportation

Participates in Maricopa County's Trip Reduction Program by offering benefits to its employees who commute. The hotel has been noted as one of the Best Workplaces for Commuters for exceeding the national standard of excellence designated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Terranea Resort
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Preservation

Terranea was meticulously built on the Palos Verdes Peninsula with more than 631,800 square feet of native habitat areas. One example of habitat preservation is that approximately 45 mature trees dating over 50 years were boxed prior to construction and then replanted throughout the site as a tribute to the history of this location. Additional environmental mitigation efforts include, but aren't limited to, protecting and enhancing local water quality. To do this Terranea is implementing a series of environmental best management practices that include wet ponds, bioswales and storm filters. Bioswales are vegetated channels, essentially created wetlands, which enhance water quality and provide a habitat for many avian species.

The Carolina Inn
Chapel Hill, NC

Water Conservation

All public area restrooms are equipped with sensor toilets, minimizing water flow. In addition, water efficient shower heads have been installed in all guest rooms. A towel and bed linen reuse program is in place and the housekeeping department uses a patented aqua-fusion laundry system that customizes the amount of ozone delivered to each washer. The system reduces hot water usage and overall water use by 30%, decreases energy expenses, shortens wash cycles and reduces linen replacement costs.

The Driskill Hotel
Austin, TX

Recognitions

The Driskill Hotel was recognized by the City of Austin as a "Green Partner" and a Waste Smart business for their efforts to create less waste by recycling and buying recycled products. They were also recognized as a "Partner" with the Clean Air Partners Program in Central Texas. Clean Air Partners assists employers in reducing emissions with a variety of options, while promoting their clean air successes to the community.