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Saunders Hotel Group Finds An Innovative 
Way To Stay One Step Ahead Of A 
Potential Energy Crunch
2,800 light bulbs replaced at The Lenox Hotel, The Copley Square Hotel and The Comfort Inn & Suites is the latest example of the Saunders Hotel Group�s commitment to �doing well by doing good� in environmental protection

Boston, MA, March 14, 2001 - The Saunders Hotel Group (SHG), one of the country�s premier independent hotel companies, isn�t waiting for California�s energy problems to spread east. As part of a decade-long commitment to environmental management leadership, SHG is replacing the more than 2,800 light bulbs in all of its nearly 600 guest rooms in the Lenox and Copley Square hotels, and the Comfort Inn & Suites Boston Airport. The 2,800 replaced bulbs will be donated to Boston area shelters, which would otherwise be forced to buy their own.
 

The move was taken to help keep the hotels one step ahead of the energy crunch that overwhelmed California and now threatens hotels, businesses and homeowners elsewhere, according to Saunders Hotel Group President and CEO Jeffrey Saunders. 

The new energy-efficient light bulbs replace incandescent bulbs that are being removed from the rooms �as quickly as our engineering team can get the job done,� said Saunders. The new bulbs will last ten times longer than the old bulbs, and use only 25% of the energy while providing the same quality light. Saunders said the effect is to �stay one step ahead of a potential energy crunch, conserve energy, and save money for the hotels over time.�

According to a leading hotel industry publication, California hotels are already being hit hard by the energy crisis and are now scrambling to create back-up plans for meeting guest needs. (Hotel Business, February 21-March 6, 2001)

Tedd Saunders, SHG�s Executive Vice President of Environmental Affairs and the President of Boston-based EcoLogical Solutions, Inc., called the initiative �the only sensible and responsible business step to take, given the current energy situation,� and described it as �the latest example of our family�s long-standing commitment to protect the environment for generations to come.� 
 

 
�Green� has Eco-meaning for this hotel group in Boston: 

Started 10 years ago with a simple recycling program for white paper, today The Saunders Hotel Group has more than 90 eco-friendly programs impacting guests, hotel operations and the bottom line. Now a role model for the hospitality industry, their landmark Lenox Hotel and Copley Square Hotel in Boston save hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, and even conduct tours for their competitors to share their environmental expertise, including: 

  • Use of green cloth napkins which need less bleach to launder than white cloth napkins. 
  • Every toilet and showerhead replaced with versions that reduce water usage by 80 percent.  Old toilets were crushed by a local gravel company and used as road fill. 
  • Installed 1,700 thermopane windows at a cost of $1.2 million, each window saving $75/year. Installed in-room energy efficient cooling/heating systems.
  • Food scraps are donated to a local pig farm to reduce solid waste disposal. 
  • Pump dispensers are used for all soap, lotion, shampoo and conditioner, avoiding the disposal of 2 million one-ounce plastic containers a year. 
  • Use a laundry ozone system eliminating hot water and chlorine when cleaning bed linens. 
  • Hotel vans run on compressed natural gas, reducing air pollution from emissions.
  • �Climate-Neutral� products that offset emissions of greenhouse gases from flooring.
The Saunders Hotel Group has implemented more than 90 projects to fulfill that commitment, including energy efficiency measures that have saved enough electricity to power 30 homes for a year. A sampling of the initiatives include:
  • In-room energy management systems, complete with infrared motion sensors which provide customized climate control 
  • Laundry ozone systems that eliminate the need for hot water and chlorine when cleaning linens.
  • Closed-loop systems for ice machines, heat pumps and cooling towers, as well as bathroom fixtures that conserve millions of gallons of water and saves energy. 
  • Compact fluorescent bulbs have already been installed throughout the hotels� public and back of house areas
At the brand new Comfort Inn & Suites Boston/Airport, which has been selected by Comfort�s parent company, Choice Hotels, as the environmental showplace for their chain of over 5,000 properties:
  • Energy efficient �Low E� windows have been installed throughout the building
  • Office equipment, including the computers used to check guests in, are Energy Star* rated and use less energy to operate 
  • Hotel vans will be made� climate neutral,� and therefore have no negative impact on global warming 
Thanks to these efforts, along with the purchase of renewable (solar and wind) energy, Saunders Hotel Group properties were first hotels in the world certified as �Climate Neutral� accommodations, or Cool Rooms*.  Guests can request Cool Rooms knowing that their stay will have not have a negative impact on global climate change, and thus will help to slow global warming.  As a result of its environmental programs, SHG has been widely recognized as one of the country�s most innovative and environmentally progressive companies in any industry, and has received accolades including: The President�s Environmental & Conservation Challenge Gold Medal, The Travel Industry of America�s Excellence in Environmentalism award, and the American Hotel & Motel Association�s Environmental Management Star of the Industry.  

Tedd Saunders said the light bulb initiative is one small part of the company�s comprehensive environmental program, but an important one: �In one action we not only re-affirm our commitment to energy conservation, but also take steps to make sure our guests continue to receive the level of service and comfort they have come to expect at all Saunders hotels, no matter what the circumstances.� 

The Boston-based Saunders Hotel Group is operated by a distinguished family with a rich tradition of leadership in the hospitality industry and an unparalleled reputation for delivering consistent, customized, unique guest experiences at each of its properties.  Continuing its commitment to preserving the past and protecting the future, in 2003, the company will open a luxury boutique hotel on Boston�s Berkeley Street, providing new standards of guest comfort, attention and excellence among Boston hotels.
        
Saunders Hotel Group is operated by a distinguished family with a rich tradition of leadership in the hospitality industry. In 2003, they will open a luxury boutique hotel on Boston�s Berkeley Street, providing new standards of guest comfort, attention and excellence among Boston hotels.

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Contact:
Sherri Klein, APR
M. Frenkel Communications
203.323.2600 
[email protected]

Also See Saunders Hotel Group Opens the Largest Comfort Inn in the US; John Mitchell is GM at The Revere, MA 208 Room Hotel / Jan 2001 


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