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April 20, 2009

I= nns' power costs fall by $1 millionState program also boosts recycling, reduces toxic chemicals

— By TUX TUR= KEL, Staff Writer

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Doug Jones/staff photographer: Thursday, A= pril 16, 2008: Scott Cowger, co-owner of Maple Hill Farm Bed and Breakfast in Hallowell, stands at the edge of the rooftop photovoltaic and solar hot w= ater heating array.

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A state program th= at encourages best environmental a= nd energy practices in the lodging industry is saving more than $1 million a year in electricity costs for participating innkeepers, new estimates sho= w.

The businesses also are cutting annual water use by a total of 17.5 million gallons, composti= ng 1.1 million pounds of food waste and recycling 1.4 million pounds of solid waste. Two-thirds of the properties also have switched to greener cleaning products, avoiding nearly 11,000 pounds a year of toxic chemicals.

These figures, tal= lied for the first time, are meant to show the impact of Maine's Environmental Leader green lodging program. The program is now entering its fourth year= .

Environmental Lead= er certifies lodging businesses that score high enough on a worksheet that assesses different aspects of their operations, including housekeeping, w= aste management, landscaping, water conservation and energy use.

To make the grade, applicants have switched out wasteful incandescent light bulbs; installed water-saving toilets and shower heads; composted food waste; and banned chemicals from lawns and landscapes. Some have installed solar panels to = heat water and generate electricity.

In exchange, innkeepers can use the state's Environmental Leader logo on advertising a= nd Web sites, where it's increasingly being noticed by guests who favor green lodging and meeting venues.

Environmental Lead= er signed up its 100th business last week, according to Peter Cooke, who man= ages the program at Maine's Department of Environmental Protection. Several ea= rly joiners have been recertified after two years, ramping up their improveme= nts to stay in the program. This is gratifying for Cooke, who says participat= ion has led some innkeepers to change how they view their businesses.

''They're environmentalists now,'' he said. ''T= hey're going above and beyond.''

The program also is getting some national notice. At least 17 states have launched similar efforts, although Maine appears to be the first to quantify performance.<= o:p>

The DEP first targ= eted lodging because tourism is Maine's leading industry, and because it has plenty of potential for environmental<= /span> improvements. Also, Maine brands itself as a destination for outdoor recreation and natural attractions, so green certification is a good fit = with the state's image.

The agency also operates a similar program for restaurants, but it has seen less promotion and few participants.

Environmental Lead= er kicked off four years ago as a pilot program at Maple Hill Farm bed and breakfast in Hallowell.

The eight-room inn= and conference center has since become something of a shrine to alternative energy use in the hospitality industry.

The combined solar= hot water and electric system on its conference center roof is among the larg= est in Maine, saving more than $20,000 in power costs over the past 2½ years. A small wind turbine spins in a nearby field. Next up: Plans to he= at the conference center with a wood-fired pellet boiler, instead of propane= .

''I personally fee= l energy is the key,'' said Scott Cowger, the inn's co-owner. ''That's how we contribute to climate change.''

Some guests agree.= The daily performance of Maple Hill Farm's solar electric system can be track= ed on the inn's Web site, and Cowger gets frequent feedback from visitors. He estimates 20 percent of customers say they chose to come because of the i= nn's green practices, identified by the Environmental Leader logo.<= /span>

''Being certified = now means a lot,'' he said.

The program also h= elps identify properties that use non-toxic cleaning produ= cts, a growing demand among allergy suffers, according to Tina Hewett-Gordon, general manager at the Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport. Guests also will find pesticide-free landscaping and herb gardens.

The Nonantum recen= tly was recertified, leading Hewett-Gordon to take stock of what the 111-room property had accomplished between 2007 and 2008.

Among her findings: New heating units and energy-efficient washers and dryers burned 2,132 fe= wer gallons of propane. Low-flush toilets and new shower heads cut water use = by 72,000 gallons. Composting food waste and recycling eliminated 50 tons of solid waste. Returnable bottle bins netted $2,300, which was donated to charity.

More recently, the resort's 95 Ocean restaurant was certified under= the state program. Now the resort is trying to figure out if it can integrate solar hot water panels into the building's historic architecture.

Finding money in t= he budget for solar hot water is a goal at the Meadowmere Resort in Ogunquit= .

The 144-room prope= rty is being cited by the DEP as the program's most-improved participant, more than doubling its point score during its recent recertification. The reso= rt even has an environmental team = that contributes ideas to the weekly managers meeting.

''We've really internalized it,'' said Allyson Cavaretta, director of group sales and marketing. ''It has been a good adventure.''

The resort has installed thousands of compact fluorescent bulbs, and sensors that turn o= ff lights in common areas and trim power use in ice dispensers. Chlorine in = the swimming pools has been replaced with an alternative treatment system. Oz= one washing machines, which don't use hot water, are saving $30,000 a year.

When the Meadowmere renovated 50 rooms this winter, it made an effort to recycle or donate all furniture and unwanted items.

''We make sure to = do something green every year, to move it forward,'' she said.

But despite the dedication of innkeepers such as Cavaretta, green practices remain outside the industry norm. Maine has 1,600 or so lodging properties. So why haven= 't more joined?

''The greening of = the lodging industry is accelerating, but it has a long way to go,'' said Gle= nn Hasek, publisher of Green Lodging News, which covers the business.

Consumer demand for green lodging is growing, but it's doing so slowly. Pressure for change is starting to come from meeting planners, he said, who are increasingly ask= ing about recycling, locally sourced food and alternatives to bottled water at conference venues.

Hasek attended the first New England Eco Hospitality Expo earlier this month in New Hampshir= e. The event was well attended. It featured presentations from Maine innkeep= ers, including Cowger of Maple Hill Farm and a representative from the Harrase= eket Inn in Freeport.

Maine's Environmen= tal Leader program is one of the best in the country, Hasek said, but the sta= te's properties are small. Broad change will require a commitment from major chains, much like Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, he said, which has long = been encouraging eco-friendly practices.

Other companies are now creating green-lodging programs and setting goals for reducing carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change.

''They're very serious,'' he said. ''Interest has picked up in the past year.''

If Maine's Environ= mental Leader program is any indication, customers will notice. At the DEP, Cooke related this story: Earlier this year, he became aware of two uncertified lodging places using the Environmental Leader logo on their Web sites. He called and told them to take down the logo, which they did.

Cooke was annoyed,= but then he had a revelation. The program was making enough of an impression = that even innkeepers who hadn't bothered to become certified wanted to reap the benefits.

''It meant to me t= hat there's value behind this,'' he said.

Staff Writer Tux Turkel can be contacted at 791-6462 or at: tturkel@pressherald.com

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