…
The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Saint-Hyacinthe, was awarded the prestigious LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for its sustainable practices, making it Canada’s official first “green” hotel.
The Holiday Inn Express and Suites Saint-Hyacinthe has been built to meet the criteria of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System for its sustainable practices. The hotel, owned by Groupe Robin, obtained this authentication by following a rigorous construction plan based on evaluation criteria respecting the 3R law: waste and used resource reduction, material reuse and material recycling.
Implemented by the Canadian Green Building Council, this certification is an international reference for the design, construction and operation of high performance sustainable buildings. Specifically, the hotel meets the most stringent environmental construction standards, and also presents related awareness operations and actions to its employees, suppliers and clients. As the first establishment offering 50 rooms and over, in the Province of Quebec, to be awarded the 5 GREEN KEYS by the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC), the hotel is equipped with exceptional energy efficiency and water and heating consumption efficiency devices. The property has employed several key factors to reduce its carbon footprint including:
– Furniture almost all locally made within 20 kilometers of the hotel
– Cement used from a demolished bridge as gravel under and around the hotel
– White roof to reflect sun’s heat
– Special heat capturing water coils
– Custom made natural fiber mattresses (with bamboo and soya bases)
– Salt pool filtering system eliminates need for chemicals such as chlorine
– Smart computer system controlling energy consumption.
“This was a daunting challenge but we are so proud to be the first hotel LEED-certified in Canada,” said Mr. Robert Robin, President of Groupe Robin. “By investing $10 million, we believe it not only demonstrates our commitment but also leadership towards the construction of a hotel that meets all our sustainable and ecological values.”
Further demonstrating property’s commitment to sustainability, the hotel is now using Green Engage the innovative online environmental tool designed by IHG hotel company. The Holiday Inn hotel brand is owned by IHG, and Green Engage is offered to hotels to help them monitor, reduce and manage their energy consumption, as well as water and waste without compromising the guest experience. Green Engage has LEED volume precertification, which means IHG hotels can expedite their own LEED certification by using Green Engage.
“Holiday Inn Express hotels are designed to be the smart choice for value-conscious business and leisure travelers and we are thrilled to be able to offer an environmentally sustainable choice as well to our customers,” said Gina LaBarre, vice president, Brand Delivery, the Americas, IHG. “With more than 2,000 properties worldwide and nearly 500 properties in the pipeline, the Holiday Inn Express portfolio continues to expand in markets like Quebec, providing our guests with a enhanced stay experience at a great value.”
Standard Holiday Inn Express hotel guest rooms feature comfortable queen or king-sized beds, a sitting area with a lounge chair and an in-room coffee machine featuring complimentary Smart Roast 100% Arabica coffee. Business travellers will find large desks, ergonomic chairs, free high-speed internet access, free local and toll free phone calls (U.S. and Canada only) and phones with private voicemail. The Saint-Hyacinthe property offers a variety of additional amenities including 32” LCD TVs in all guestrooms, a 24-hour business centre, an indoor heated pool, more than 1,000 square feet of meeting space and a state-of-the-art fitness centre with an LCD flat panel TV. The hotel also offers 25 Business Class Suites, providing a relaxing and pampering oasis with a king bed or two queen beds, living room, hospitality unit and work desk with padded chair. The hotel is equipped with three modern meeting rooms that can accommodate between 14 and 72 people.
Located at exit 133 off Highway 20 East, 45 minutes from Montreal, the hotel offers 94 hypoallergenic rooms, including some thirty business suites, and a salt water indoor pool, a gym, a breakfast room, a shop, meeting rooms and parking spaces for electric vehicles with charging stations
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
