The Westin Wilmington Hotel has been certified for Delaware’s Green Lodging Program after implementing conservation and pollution prevention practices at the hotel’s location on the Wilmington Waterfront.
The hotel opened last year. It was the first new hotel to open in the city in a couple of decades.
The hotel met certification requirements of the voluntary program jointly sponsored by DNREC and the Delaware Hotel & Lodging Association by implementing the five basic green lodging practices: recycling, water conservation, optional linen service, energy conservation and a “green events” package.
The Westin Wilmington also went beyond minimum green lodging requirements and incorporated additional creative and common sense ideas that include: purchasing paper products that meet EPA minimum standards for post-consumer recycled content material; using recycled key cards; collecting food scraps from the kitchen for composting; and adding a green roof, a DNREC release noted.
Certification in the Green Lodging Program ensures that hotels such as the Westin Wilmington are making efforts to reduce energy consumption, increase water conservation and energy efficiency in all aspects of the hotel and to use recycled and eco-friendly materials in both the construction, as well as the daily operation.
The Westin Wilmington was designed to exceed the standards and to be certified as an LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Silver-rated building.
The Delaware Green Lodging Program is a voluntary program jointly sponsored by DNREC and the Delaware Hotel & Lodging Association to promote pollution prevention practices and environmental awareness in the tourism and hospitality industry. Facilities that meet the requirements receive a certificate and window decals and can display the Delaware Green Lodging logo on marketing materials.
The Green Lodging hotels are listed on the DNREC website. For more information on the program please visit http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/p2/Pages/GreenLodging.aspx
