Staying Sustainable in Concord

While it’s true the sunshine is frequent, the weather isn’t what’s turning the green up a notch – it’s the hotels. Hilton Concord and Concord Plaza Hotel both renovated their buildings inside and out to make being sustainable included in every guest’s hotel stay.

In 2011, Hilton Concord was selected to be the “sustainability flagship property” of Interstate Hotels & Resorts, in the interest of receiving local water and electric utility rebates alongside a previously-planned $10 million renovation of the building. The hotel integrated sustainability measures throughout the building and within daily operations to reduce energy consumption, lower water use, and enhance recycling.

Every single lightbulb on the property has been replaced with energy-efficient LED bulbs and motion detectors are now installed at 32 locations across the property. Laundry facilities were completely revamped for maximum energy efficiency – washing machines were replaced with washer-extractors, which spin fast enough that sheets come out of the machine dry and no longer need to be put in a dryer.

Public spaces were an obvious focus for upgrades, which included installing water systems in the restaurant and banquet spaces to eliminate the use of bottled water. Recycling practices and facilities were incorporated throughout the hotel to make recycling a simple option when disposing of items.

Some of the largest environmental impacts from the hotel have been curbed with a simple equipment upgrade. Every bathroom was outfitted with low-flow toilets, which save an estimated 900,000 gallons of water each year. Hilton Concord’s food and beverage service installed a low-temperature dishwasher to conserve water use and began using an organic waste decomposing system, which reclaims 6.5 tons of food waste per month to convert into the water and send to a filtration plant for reuse. Plate and Vine, the hotel’s in-house restaurant, is well-known for serving locally-sourced and regionally-inspired cuisine.

Hilton Concord has been recognized as a leader in sustainable hospitality numerous times, including being the first hotel to be a Certified Green Business in Contra Costa County, Sustainable Contra Costa Green Building Award (2014), California Governor’s Environmental & Economic Leadership Award (2013), Platinum Member of Trip Advisor’s GreenLeaders Program and is a member of the California Green Lodging Program.

Just a mile away, the Concord Plaza Hotel has also joined the sustainability movement. This initiative is an online sustainability program available to all hotels operated by IHG. The program allows hotels to track, measure, and report their utility consumption and better gauge their carbon footprint over time. This system also provides over 200 “green solutions” for hotels to adapt to their practices for greater sustainability.

Currently, at level one of the Green Engage System, Concord Plaza Hotel has upgraded lights to LED bulbs throughout the hotel and has incorporated water-saving devices and motion sensor HVAC units to decrease unnecessary electric and water usage. The hotel’s operations have also been overhauled to include new eco-friendly policies when serving guests and cleaning guest rooms. All monthly utility costs and updates on green initiatives that have been implemented at the Concord Plaza Hotel are tracked and reported online, then evaluated to see where further changes can be made.

Located in California's East Bay, the property is also home to many plants and animals native to the area. The Concord Plaza Hotel works to protect the natural biodiversity around the hotel by following recommendations and long-term strategies for managing green spaces and keeping the disturbance of natural plants and animals to a minimum.

Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, there are always ways you can travel more sustainably. By choosing the Hilton Concord or Concord Plaza Hotel, you don't have to think twice about going green.