Good IAQ: One Amenity Hotels Can’t Do Without

Allergy and asthma Premium Hotel room

Traveling with Allergies: The Secret World of Allergy-Friendly Hotels

Posted by Vivian on August 1st, 2012

Improve Indoor Environment and Air Quality

1. Clean all the parts of air system: All parts of the heating and the air system including coils, ducts and fans must

be cleaned thoroughly.

2. Clean the upholstery: Upholstery on the sofas, chairs, carpets etc must be cleaned.

3. High Oz one shock treatment: To kill any remaining bacteria or mold in the room, it is necessary that a high

oz one shock treatment is completed.

4. Apply a pure shield to the room: To prevent microorganisms away from getting attached to the surfaces,

shielding the room with a spray that forms an electrostatic barrier is a must.

5. Air Purifying System: An air purifying system (filtering system) helps to remove about 98- 100% of bacteria and

keeps the room allergy free.

6. Encasing mattresses and pillows: Mattresses and pillows encased in coverings help prevent dust mites from

causing allergy.

7. Use allergy- friendly cleaners: For keeping the room healthy for allergy sufferers, rooms should be cleaned

with allergy friendly cleaners.

Hotel facility management should make indoor air quality a top priority, “because it can impact many areas of operation. Not only are guest impacted by poor air

quality but so are employees, equipment efficiencies, insurance premiums and ultimately the facility’s profitability.”

Their suggestions include:

Develop a plan for providing for and improving the indoor air quality of the facility.

Communicate indoor air quality policies to guest, employees, vendors, suppliers and contractors.

Eliminate any cause of mold and mildew.

Properly vent areas, such as kitchens and laundries that have inherent indoor air quality issues.

Use environmentally preferable cleaners, whenever feasible.

Properly label, store, track and dispose of all chemicals.

Use integrated pest management to control pests.

Regularly test for haz ardous substances such as radon, carbon monoxide, lead and asbestos.

Use low or no volatile organic compound (VOC) paints and finishes.

And, of course, maintain a 100 percent smoke- free facility.

More tips can be found at www.dep.state.fl.us/greenlodging/bmp_indoor.htm

Energy efficient HVAC

Hotel  in bermuda can install more energy efficient HVAC systems such as Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) split HVAC system which utilizes energy recovery units and VRV heat pumps to maximize the building’s energy performance. These systems are nearly 30% more efficient than the PTAC (Packaged Terminal Air Conditioner) units typically found in hotel guest rooms and account for a 23% reduction in building energy use, translating to annual savings of $34,462. The energy recovery units have a payback of just 3.5 years. The HVAC system also improves indoor air quality and contributes to occupant comfort and well-being with its guest-friendly, individually controlled digital thermostats. Software gives front desk staff ability to monitor guestroom occupancy and adjust temperature levels accordingly, further conserving energy and reducing operating costs. Having an adequately size HVAC will greatly improved your Indoor Air Quality the are other accessories to be added in hotel room in order to improve  IAQ and visitor occupancy.

Green Cleaning

By implementing a high-performance green cleaning program, the Avalon Hotel & Spa has been able to reduce costs and avoid toxic fumes and skin irritants that could harm guests or employees. The hotel reduced cleaning costs substantially by replacing three different cleaning chemicals with a single Green Seal Certified household cleaner that is used throughout the entire building. The hotel also uses Green Seal Certified laundry products, micro-fiber cloths, and dual motor vacuum cleaners with HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters that prevent particles from becoming airborne. The hotel reports that these measures incur no additional costs compared with using traditional cleaning products and equipment.

Montage Hotels & Resorts saw the importance of going beyond sustainable design and construction and adapted operating strategies from LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance into Innovation in Design credits for the hotel’s LEED for New Construction certification. Sustainable operating practices include sustainable purchasing, an integrated pest management and landscape management program, and a green housekeeping program. These strategies limit the ongoing impact the hotel has on the environment. Sourcing of green cleaning products and reductions in the amount of fertilizers, fungicides, and pesticides used on the property minimize the exposure of guests, staff, and the local habitat to harsh chemicals. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing reduces environmental impact from the hotel’s vendors and suppliers.

Create a Committee to Focus on Environmental Issues

It is the job of the Ambrose Green Team to keep environmental issues at the top of the office priority list and to provide hotel staff and guests with accurate, meaningful, and up to date information on the company’s sustainable practices and policies. Through dedicated teamwork, monthly meetings, and communication, all Ambrose staff members are empowered to reach and maintain the program’s environmental goals of pollution control, effective waste management, energy use reduction, resource conservation, and sustainable purchasing. The scheduled monthly meetings serve as reminders for all staff of the importance of the hotel’s environmental programs and have allowed the hotel to remain committed to its environmental mission. Each Eco Team member monitors one assigned LEED credit and ensures that staff stay engaged with it.

Innovative Cooling Tower Design 

Increasing the cycles of concentration for water circulated through cooling tower units greatly reduces the amount of makeup water needed to replace water lost through evaporation, drift, and blowdown. Cycles of concentration were increased from 2.5 to a minimum of 5.0 by using acid injection to control the water’s pH level occurring with additional cycles of concentration. With an estimated annual cooling load of approximately 51,000,000 ton-hours attributable to the Venetian and Sands Expo building, decreasing the system blowdown resulted in a direct reduction in water usage of approximately 39,525,000 gallons per year (0.775 gallons per ton-hour). The system had a payback period of less than one year. Additionally, less blowdown water is discharged to the Publicly Owned Treatment Works for treatment, an economic and environmental benefit.

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