Holiday Inn Express & Suites Saint-Hyacinthe Earns Environment & Energy Award

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Saint-Hyacinthe in Canada has been awarded the Environmental & Energy Award at this year’s Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) Conference.

The Environment & Energy Award recognizes lodging properties that promote environmental management practices that improve everyday operations, while maintaining quality service and meeting guest expectations. To receive the award, a property must demonstrate success in one or more of the following areas: energy conservation, solid waste reduction, effluents and emissions, water conservation, purchasing and business issues.

In the area of energy conservation, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Suites Saint-Hyacinthe saves 250,000 kWh per year using an intelligent energy management system. In the area of waste reduction, 75% of waste during the property construction was diverted from landfills and seven tonnes of domestic waste is being composted annually.

In addition to this award, the property is an IHG Green Engage hotel and one of the very first LEED-certified hotels in Canada. It is also the first establishment of more than 50 rooms to be named a 5 Green Key property by the HAC’s Green Key Global Progam in Quebec.

The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Suites Saint-Hyacinthe, owned by Groupe Robin, obtained its LEED certification by following a rigorous construction plan based on evaluation criteria respecting the 3R principles: waste and used resource reduction, material reuse and material recycling.

“This is another great win for the hotel, and we’re proud that our strides toward environmental sustainability are being recognized,” said Nellie Robin, president, Groupe Robin. “We look forward to continuing to deliver the best service possible to our guests while maintaining our environmental focus.”

Demonstrating the property’s commitment to sustainability, the hotel uses Green Engage – the innovative online environmental program designed by IHG. Green Engage is offered to IHG hotels to help them monitor, manage and reduce their energy, water and waste without compromising the guest experience. Over 1,700 IHG hotels globally are participating in the program. Green Engage is aligned with LEED, which means IHG hotels can expedite their own LEED certification by using it.

"Green Engage tells our hotels what they can do to be a 'green' hotel and gives them the means to conserve resources and save money – by measuring, managing and reporting on their hotel energy, water and waste,” said David Jerome, senior vice president, corporate social responsibility, IHG. “Green Engage proves the value of our commitment to innovation and collaboration. We look for better ways to manage our carbon footprint than merely offsetting emissions, and we engage with our partners to create a 'green' culture where owners actively explore solutions that enhance their business."

The property has employed several key factors to reduce its carbon footprint including:

• Furniture is locally made within 20 kilometers of the hotel

• Cement from a demolished bridge used as gravel under and around the hotel

• White roof reflects sun’s heat

• Special heat capturing water coils

• Custom-made natural fiber mattresses (with bamboo and soya bases)

• Salt pool filtering system eliminates the need for chemicals such as chlorine

• Smart computer system controlling energy consumption.

Located at exit 133 off Highway 20 East, 45 minutes from Montreal, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Saint-Hyacinthe features an indoor, heated salt water pool; state-of-the-art fitness centre with an LCD flat panel TV; a breakfast room; more than 1,000 square feet of meeting space that can accommodate between 14 and 72 people; and parking spaces for electric vehicles with charging stations.

Guest rooms feature queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair and an in-room coffee machine featuring complimentary Smart Roast 100% Arabica coffee, large desks with ergonomic chairs, free high-speed internet access and phones with private voicemail.

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