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ECOTEL®- The Hallmark of environmentally Sensitive hotels
The ECOTEL® Collection is an exclusive group of International inns, hotels and resorts that define the concept of environmental responsibility in the hospitality industry. All Ecotel certified hotels must pass a detailed inspection and satisfy stringent criteria set by environmental experts. The Collection began in 1994 when the New York Vista Hotel re-opened as the world's first Ecotel certified hotel after the bombing of the World Trade Center. Since then over 1100 hotels, resorts and inns have applied (but not qualified) for the certification. Currently, there are only 34 Ecotel hotels in the world, out of which only 3 are 5-star hotels with the 5-globe certification. The 5 Globes The Ecotel Certification is based on five areas of environmentalism, each of which is designated by a Globe award. These five areas are referred to as the ‘cornerstones of environmental responsibility’ or simply as ‘Globes’. These Globes are:

Energy conservation
	This requires the existence of a formalized framework to actually reduce the energy consumption of the hotel. For instance, whether the hotel has been designed and constructed keeping in mind maximum energy conservation. Factors like whether minimum lighting is being used, the extent of involvement of the guests as well as the employees etc. also make a difference to the final score.

Water conservation
	Evaluates the effective conservation of water in all departments of the hotel, across all levels. The extent to which water is recycled and utilized is also considered an important factor. Again, all employees are expected to be well-versed with the water conservation operations of the hotel.

Solid waste management
	The hotel must effectively recycle and manage waste wherever generated. Proper systems for collection, recycling and disposal of these wastes in all departments of the hotel are a must for the Ecotel certification. Moreover, all employees of the hotel must undergo training in the basic solid waste management techniques.

Employee environmental education
	Evaluates how involved the employees are in the efforts of the hotel to contribute towards the environment. The hotel should have training modules in place for employees at all levels to familiarize them with the eco-friendly initiatives of the hotel.

Environmental commitment
	The hotel/ resort/ inn must demonstrate the existence of a formalized commitment towards the preservation and enhancement of the natural environment. It must, through all operations, activities and written statements, communicate its commitment to the environment. For e.g. the mission statement of the hotel/ resort must mention its environmental dedication. Additionally, every hotel should have a green team headed by a member of the top management ensuring that all departments are working in consonance with the hotel’s mission of environmental responsibility.

The Scoring The inspection for each globe involves three levels of criteria and scoring- Primary, Secondary and Tertiary. Hotels applying for certification must satisfy the primary criterion before an inspection is scheduled. Once it is evident that all the primary criterion have been satisfied, inspections – unannounced as well as guided by the hotel staff - are conducted throughout the lodging facility to determine if the environmental programs that the hotel reports to have in place are actually part of the daily operations. Each department or function area of the hotel (i.e. main restaurant kitchen, banquet kitchen, kitchen, front desk and office area, executive office areas, etc.) is inspected and scored individually. A percentage score is calculated for the inspection of each department and each department must score above a certain level to be awarded the certification. If any department scores below that level, but above a minimum threshold, the tertiary criterion can boost that department's score so that the hotel becomes eligible for the certification. The tertiary criterion is simply described as a bonus system. The hotel receives bonus points for environmental programs discovered in operation that are not part of the primary criteria, and are considered to be above ordinary levels of environmental responsibility. An example of a program that would earn tertiary points would be the concept of the ‘green button’ in The Beach Orchid, Kollam. This button is a unique interactive approach that enables the guest to participate in energy conservation by increasing the temperature of his room by 2 degrees and thus conserving energy utilized for air-conditioning. Based on the hotel's score in each category, the lodging facility can be awarded from zero to five ‘Ecotel Globes’, corresponding to each of the five cornerstones. Hotels that are awarded one or more globes qualify as Ecotel certified hotels for a period of two years, but have to agree to re-inspections (announced and unannounced) at any time during that period. If the hotel falls short of achieving the certified status, the Hospitality Valuation Services (HVS) International inspection team prepares an action plan to help the management make the necessary changes and prepare for re-inspection. THE 5-GLOBE HOTELS IN THE WORLD 1. Miraval, Arizona (this was the first certified 5 globe Ecotel in the world. Its re-certification is pending) 2. Hilton Tokyo Bay, Japan 3. The Orchid, Mumbai 4. The Benjamin, USA 5. Arco Iris, Costa Rica 6. Lapo Rios, Costa Rica THE 5-STAR 5 GLOBE HOTELS IN THE WORLD 1. Hilton Tokyo Bay, Japan 2. The Orchid, Mumbai 3. The Benjamin, USA 4. The Uppals Orchid Delhi ECOTEL Membership benefits Members of the Ecotel collection like Uppal’s Orchid realize a number of benefits. Primarily, the value of business improves due to increased exposure in the market place, higher staff morale and better control of operating expenses. The Ecotel collection of hotels caters to a variety of groups including traditional eco-tourists, discerning business travelers and Fortune 500 companies with advanced environmental programs as part of their own corporate cultures.