Through funds from the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission will provide technical assistance to the hospitality sector.
Berkshire Region, MA (PRWEB) August 16, 2012
As part of furthering the “Sustainable Berkshires” regional plan, the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) has received a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide technical assistance on sustainability practices for the hospitality industry in Berkshire County. BRPC has contracted with HospitalityGreen LLC (HG) to be the local technical assistance provider for this project.
An initial survey of the lodging properties in Berkshire County will be conducted to help BRPC establish Berkshire Benchmarks for the hospitality sector. Ten qualified lodging properties will then be eligible to receive a confidential, third party assessment of their facility operations at no cost to their business. The facility assessment will help each property identify opportunities to save money, time and resources by implementing green practices in their operations management.
Conducted in the early fall of 2012, the facility assessments will identify practical recommendations for introducing energy efficient measures, water conservation practices, source reduction and recycling opportunities, purchasing policies and green cleaning practices. The recommendations will be based on improving the work environment and enhancing guest experience while simultaneously optimizing the financial benefits of “greening” a property. In previous projects, lodging facilities that have implemented improvements proposed in HG’s assessments have typically seen 12-15 percent increases in occupancy rate while saving thousands of dollars in annual operating costs.
Properties interested in pursuing the opportunity to improve their environmental impact while also reducing operational costs should contact Elizabeth Olenbush, HG’s Massachusetts Affiliate and BRPC Project Leader. Ms. Olenbush can be reached at e(dot)olenbush(at)hospitalitygreen(dot)com or by phone at (413)-229-6090.
The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission is the official area-wide planning agency in Berkshire County. Comprehensive planning responsibilities include land use, transportation, economic development and environmental management. The commission is required to study the problems, needs and resources of the region and to make recommendations for physical, social, governmental and economic improvements in the Berkshires.
HospitalityGreen LLC is a New York based firm specializing in the implementation of sustainable business practices. HG offers environmental and operations training and consulting to clients throughout the hospitality, manufacturing and institutional healthcare industries. In Berkshire County, HG offers Green Facilities Training courses through Berkshire Community College and has recently completed a training course conducted under the auspices of the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board.
For more information on HospitalityGreen visit http://www.hospitalitygreen.com or call (845) 436-6173.
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