Hyatt Regency Boston, 450,000 s/f 500 room hotel, earns EPA's Energy Star award

Hyatt Regency Boston is a proud recipient of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) prestigious Energy Star, the national symbol for protecting through superior energy performance. Hyatt Regency Boston joins approximately 3,200 buildings nationwide that have earned the Energy Star rating. The Hyatt is located at One de Lafayette Ave., and provides 500 guest rooms in its 450,000 s/f building. By earning the Energy Star, Hyatt is using about 35% less energy than average buildings, while still providing quality service and comfort to occupants. Hyatt lowered energy costs by making cost-effective improvements to the building, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. "Hyatt Regency Boston is proud to accept the EPA's Energy Star in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts," said Philip Stamm, general manager. "Through this achievement, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to environmental stewardship while also lowering energy usage." Organizations earn the Energy Star by using EPA's national energy performance rating system to generate energy-efficiency ratings for their buildings, on a scale of 1 to 100 relative to similar buildings across the country. The rating system is available for office buildings, schools, dormitories, hotels, hospitals and grocery stores, among other commercial buildings. To earn the Energy Star, Hyatt took the following actions: Green initiatives include "The Guestroom Green Program," in which guests automatically participate. In an effort to conserve water, this proactive program allows guests to reuse linens and towels unless they call housekeeping to have their towels refreshed. For the guests' convenience, the hotel staff takes on the responsibility of recycling everything from paper and plastics to cardboards, cans and bottles. Other initiatives include, but are not limited to: *Composting food is taking place in the hotel kitchens in an added effort to give back to the environment. The food is becoming fertilizer to grow organic foods; *Over 95% of the hotel lights are energy efficient; *Motion detector light switches have been installed in all hotel storage and meeting rooms; *All guest rooms are equipped with programmable digital thermostats that are interfaced with the hotel's property management system, therefore the thermostats turn on only when the room is occupied; *Hotel information is disseminated via e-mail instead of paper distribution; *All ice machines and kitchen refrigeration units are air cooled; *All showerheads are 2.5 gallon per minute maximum discharge; *All guest room faucet aerators are 2.0 gallons per minute maximum discharge. Energy Star is a government-backed program that helps businesses and consumers protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. In 2006 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved $14 billion and prevented greenhouse gas emissions equal to those from 25 million vehicles. In addition to the ENERGY STAR, Hyatt Regency Boston has recently received a nomination for Mayor Thomas M. Menino's Second Annual Green Business Awards. The awards will be given to businesses located in the City of Boston that demonstrate extraordinary performance related to sustainable environmental practices, such as water conservation, wastewater management, solid waste reduction, the promotion of alternative transit, energy conservation and on-site renewable energy production, or the purchase of renewable energy. Hyatt Regency Boston is extremely honored to be a part of these successful and rewarding programs.