IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group)

Background

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) is one of the world’s leading global hotel companies with seven highly recognized hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo^®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®. IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,600 hotels in 100 countries and territories. IHG manages a comprehensive online sustainability system called “Green Engage” which provides hotels with information about conserving resources and saving money. Green Engage was recently endorsed by LEED, making IHG the first hotel company to have an existing hotel program endorsement, and provides four levels of certification:

Level 1 Certification-Partner includes action Items that are relatively simple to implement with good cost benefits and return of investment.

Level 2 Certification-Achiever is more challenging to achieve. The Level 2 action items will require some capital investment from the hotels.

Level 3 Certification-Innovator is best practice. Hotels that achieve Level 3 are demonstrating a leading and innovative approach to being sustainable. Completing Level 3 Certification enables hotels to pursue LEED certification.

Level 4 Certification-Leader is just that, a leader in sustainable hotels. Achieving this level exhibits the superior commitment a hotel expressed through sustainable strategies at their property.

Green Engage is already driving change across IHG’s business. Trials of the system show potential energy savings of up to 25%. If all the hotels in IHG’s 4,600-strong portfolio adopted the system the estimated total savings for hotel owners could be over $300 million. So far over 2,300 hotels have signed up to the system.

IHG’s currently has a company-wide benchmarking initiative that aims to realize energy savings ranging from 6% to 10% in owned and managed properties by 2012. IHG is participating in the Better Buildings Challenge by committing 13 million square feet of hotel space.