Hilton Worldwide announced that it is the first hospitality company to achieve Superior Energy Performance® (SEPTM) certification from the US Department of Energy (DOE) for leadership and improvement in energy management and productivity at three landmark hotels.
This recognition follows Hilton’s system-wide ISO 50001 Energy Management certification across its entire hotel portfolio in 2014.
Washington Hilton, Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort and Hilton Union Square San Francisco are the first commercial buildings to achieve the SEP certification, which adds third-party verified energy performance requirements to those under ISO 50001. This achievement marks a major milestone in the company’s commitment to preserving the environment as well as its leadership in energy management.
“We are proud to not only be the first hospitality company, but also the first company outside of the manufacturing sector to achieve certification through the DOE’s SEP program,” said Maxime Verstraete, vice president of sustainability, Hilton Worldwide. “SEP provides us with performance metrics to drive continuous improvement in energy management that are aligned with our goals to reduce our carbon footprint and increase cost savings across our global portfolio of more than 4,500 properties. We look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Energy to expand our participation in the program.”
“We are excited to recognize Hilton as the first company in the hospitality sector to achieve SEP certification for several of their hotels.” said Kathleen Hogan, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy Efficiency at the U.S. Department of Energy. “The SEP certification demonstrates Hilton’s commitment to improving energy productivity and achieving meaningful savings.”
Energy is typically the second or third largest cost for the average hotel, and there are strong financial and performance incentives in reducing overall usage and driving greater efficiencies. Through LightStay, its proprietary measurement platform across more than 4,500 hotels globally, Hilton has gathered data across its global portfolio to analyze how hotels are managing energy performance and driving improvements over time.
In addition to energy, the company has set targets in the areas of water conservation, waste diversion, carbon reduction and social impact. Hilton has also partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy through the Better Buildings Challenge to achieve a 20 percent energy savings goal over the next ten years.