Hotel operators have long known the value of incorporating green practices into their operations. As more hotels begin to make claims about their green policies, however, some hotel operators have begun to seek certification to add a level of credibility only possible through a reputable third-party verifier. While programs specialized for hotel operations such as Green Seal have the benefit of being customized for hotels, the LEED for Existing Buildings certification has an advantage of being internationally recognized across all industries and buildings types.

The LEED rating system was initially created by the U.S. Green Building Council to certify new construction of green buildings, but the more recent introduction of the LEED EB: Operations and Maintenance (LEED EB: O&M) addresses ongoing maintenance and operations practices, policies, and building systems efficiency. Business travelers, conference planners, and vacationing families are searching out green accommodations and conference facilities for many reasons. With a LEED EB certification, guests will have no doubt about a hotel's commitment to green practices.

Attaining LEED EB Certification

Like other LEED rating systems, one can attain credit in the LEED EB in the areas of sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality. As opposed to other LEED certifications that focus on the design and construction process, however, LEED EB: O&M certifies that a facility is operated and maintained in a manner that is in keeping with environmentally sensitive policies. The power of the EB system is that proof of a facility's performance, not just its design, is required to attain many of the credits.

The first step in achieving a LEED certification is to determine where your property stands with respect to the LEED standards which are available on the USGBC website. After familiarizing yourself with the rating system, it is possible to complete a cursory run through the LEED EB checklist to see where you expect the property to rate with current practices. Keeping an eye on the prerequisites is critical because every project must meet every prerequisite in order to achieve certification.

In LEED EB, the biggest hurdle is the energy efficiency prerequisite (EA Prerequisite 2). If you are seriously considering a LEED EB certification, this is the first calculation to complete. The next step is to determine the level of certification you want to achieve and what additional LEED measures would need to be implemented to achieve the certification level. The initial checklist becomes the basis for creating a roadmap to achieve certification. A copy of the LEED Reference Guide will be invaluable to understanding what is required to achieve each credit.

It is helpful to understand that the credits in LEED EB can be classified in three general categories: credits related to physical property conditions (such as building layout, construction and location of parking, and elements of building systems), operations and maintenance practices and policies, and building performance measurements. The performance measurements of the property are taken during a "performance period" that lasts a minimum three months. Water usage and energy usage will be documented during the performance period. Evidence of the implementation of building maintenance practices and policies will also be tracked during this period. Therefore, it would be advisable to implement any planned improvements to energy or water using systems prior to beginning the performance period in order to get credit for them.

For those looking to improve their rating, the low-hanging fruit is in documenting and implementing the practices and policies that will lead to attaining additional credits. Although there may be some low-cost building modifications that can be undertaken, unless you already plan a property renovation, some of these credits may be difficult to attain in the initial certification.

LEED EB Challenges

There are two primary challenges to implementing LEED EB in a hotel. First, LEED EB was developed to apply across many different building types, and as such, it does not address the peculiarities of hotel operations.