June 28, 2016


Dear Boston Green Tourism Members, 


Our next meeting will be Thursday June 30, from 2:30 to 4:10  at The Langham, Boston, in the Wyeth Room, floor 2.
   
I thank our hosts: Fred Mahoney and Ron Pellerine.
 
I hope you can come!
 
Dan 


 
 
SPEAKERS


Boston Green Tourism Meeting
June 30, 2016
 
Location:   The Langham, Boston, Wyeth Room, floor 2
Hosts:        Fred Mahoney and Ron Pellerine
          


2:30 to 2:40     
Introductions


2:40 to 2:45
 


Update
Dan Ruben 
2:45 to 2:55


Green Initiatives at The Langham, Boston

Fred Mahoney, Director of Engineering, The Langham Boston
 
2:55 to 3:25
 
HVAC Energy Savings with Cloud-Based Software
Kevin Debasitis, Director of Sales - Northeast US, BuildingIQ  


3:25 to 3:40     

 
Boston's Expanding Bicycle Program for Visitors and Residents

Stefanie Seskin, City of Boston Active Transportation Director 


3:40 to 4:05
Improving Hotel Aesthetics and the Bottom Line with Window Shades and Lighting Controls
Matthew Goodwin, President, Ver-Tex
William Hurwitz, Director, Lighting Controls Group, Yusen Associates
Suzanne Petri, Shading Specialist, Lighting Controls Group, Yusen Associates




 
IDEAS


Seaport Hotel Makes Transportation Greener for Guests and Staff 


The Seaport Hotel, along with the adjacent Seaport East and Seaport West office towers, has a broad, creative and green transportation program.


The properties take advantage of their location near a silver line station, a Hubway bicycle station and several water taxi ports by subsidizing 50% of their staff's commuting expenses. 


The Seaport Boston Parking Garage welcomes greener vehicles, according to Bob Nichols,
Director of Parking. Guests with hybrid or electric vehicles receive a free night of valet parking.
Everybody who parks their EV can charge their vehicles for free at one of the garage's 11 
charging stations.
 
Patrons pay for parking at pay stations before departing. By paying ahead, cars move out of 
the garage quickly, reducing idle time at the exit.
 
The garage hosts six Zipcars that support Zipcar members who arrive at the hotel by mass 
transit. The Zipcar spaces are a source of revenue for the hotel.
 
The Seaport has an electric shuttle cart, too. It takes up to eight passengers around the 
campus. It's particularly helpful to elderly hotel guests who attend functions across the way at the expansive Seaport World Trade Center.
 
The hotel also supports two-wheeled transportation. They provide guests with complimentary 
bicycles, helmets and bicycle maps to Castle Island and the South Boston beachfront. They also have bike racks.
 
The garage converted to LED lighting several years ago. Now Seaport management is 
considering a plan to reduce lighting levels when practical. They're also researching recycling containers for the garage.
 
Staff clean the garage floor with a chemical-free, water efficient Tennant
T-20 Industrial Heavy-Duty Industrial Scrubber.
 
The garage boasts a green roof that doubles as a park. The roof insulates the garage and reduces runoff in the environmentally-sensitive Seaport district.
 
The Seaport is a co-founder and member of the Seaport TMA (Transportation Management Association), which, "promote[s] the use of non-drive alone commute options and advocate[s] for transportation infrastructure."
 
You can find many more green transportation ideas and links to the Green Parking Council website here. Also, check out the Charles Hotel Garage green program. 








OPPORTUNITY


WaterSense Webinars          



EPA WaterSense and ENERGY STAR will host two upcoming webinars:
"Learn how to integrate water into your energy management planning by assessing your facility's water use and calculating a water balance. Find ways to investigate and detect leaks throughout your facility for significant savings. Learn about tools and resources developed by EPA's WaterSense program."

The speakers will discuss energy and water efficient commercial kitchen equipment, including dishwashers, ice machines, pre-rinse spray valves, and steam cooking equipment. Learn about best operations and maintenance practices, retrofit options, and replacement options for each equipment type.




 
ARTICLES


A Better City, December 2014


Hotels that lease space to restaurants, stores or other tenants can benefit from using green leases. Green leases contain, "sustainability or environmental provisions as part of a landlord-tenant agreement." 


They assure that tenants comply with a hotel's sustainability program, and that program benefits like reduced energy bills are shared by landlords and tenants.


By improving tenants' energy use, green leases can improve Boston and Cambridge hotels' Performance Manager (BERDO or BEUDO) scores. 


The report linked, above provides, model green lease language.





Press Release, June 8


Fairmont Hotels & Resorts' BEE SUSTAINABLE program continues to expand. "Fairmont has committed itself to improving the overall health and conservation of bee species globally, and has built 40 apiaries and pollinator bee hotels at properties around the world."


Fairmont Copley Plaza and nine other Fairmont hotels have teamed with Pollinator Partnership by building and installing bee hotels for wild mason bees. The mason bee hotels complement the properties' honeybee apiaries.


"Bee hotels are wooden structures...uniquely designed to attract bees that are already found in the surrounding environment. They often feature sticks or logs drilled with 1 cm holes that are perfect for nesting."



Fairmont raises awareness about pollinator health in several other ways. Some of its hotels offer menus with ingredients that were pollinated by bees. Also, participating hotels offer  Bee Sustainable packages that include a room rate discount, a $50 dining credit and a $10 contribution to Pollinator Partnership that supports bee research and programs.




 
2016 MEETINGS


The following meetings will be 2:30 to 4:00.


June 30

The Langham, Boston



September 8

Boston Park Plaza Hotel


October 13





December 1 

Seaport Hotel




See you Thursday at the Langham!


Boston Green Tourism

Phone |Email | Website



Boston Green Tourism | 175 Auburn Street | Newton | MA | 02466