Energy and environmental enthusiasts are increasingly calling for businesses to take green action and implement sustainable initiatives. Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City has been acknowledged as a leader in this green revolution with the 2015 Green Seal Gold Certification award. In receiving this recognition, Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City becomes just the second hotel in California to achieve Gold Certification and only the fifth hotel nationwide. The hotel’s executives understand the importance of supporting sustainability efforts not only for the present but also for future generations. Every department in the hotel is involved in energy-conservation, waste-minimization and executing an environmentally friendly operation. By doing this, the hotel is not only helping to reduce the greenhouse emissions that impact global climate change and saves energy, but is also improve efficiency, lower operating costs, provides a cleaner and healthier hotel environment, and sets a positive example for employees that boosts morale and property loyalty. After all, preserving the world’s natural resources is the responsibility of every individual both at work and at home. Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City is proud of its Gold Certification and will continue to look ahead and find more ways to keep it green.
going green
Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City Awarded Another Year of National Green Seal, Silver Level Certification for Environmental Commitment
Los Angeles – July 22, 2014 – Energy and environmental enthusiasts are increasingly calling businesses to take green action and implement sustainable initiatives. Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City is continuing to make great strides and is proudly one of the few Green Seal Silver certified environmentally conscious lodging facilities in California. The hotel executives understand sustainability as the ability to meet present needs without comprising that of future generations. The property is committed to energy-conservation, waste-minimization and executing an environmentally friendly operation. By doing this, the hotel is not only helping to reduce the greenhouse emissions that impact global climate change and save energy; but also improve efficiency, lower operating cost, provide a cleaner and healthier hotel environment, and set a positive example for employees that boosts morale and property loyalty. After all, preserving the world’s natural resources is the responsibility of every individual both at work and at home. Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City continues to look ahead and innovate with green practices.
In 2009 the hotel began working with Green Seal, a non-profit organization, which developed life cycle-based sustainability standards for lodging properties. This institution sets the environmental norm in the hospitality industry and offers third party certification for those that meet the set criteria. The partnership began the step by step process of compliance for the hotel and in 2010; Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City attained the Bronze Level certification.
In 2011, 2012 & 2013, we have achieved the Silver level certification. We are striving to achieve Gold status this year. In 2014, we have successfully completed a 7 million dollar Energy Upgrade PACE project with the county of Los Angeles that included the following:
-Putting in two new 450 tons centrifugal variable speed driven chillers as well as premium efficient motor pumps, controls and Building Automation System (estimated Annual Energy Use Reduction is 2,744,458 KWH/approximately $361,170.00).
-Installing new low flow guestroom shower heads (estimated yearly water savings is 2,326,875gls).
-Light retrofitting of about 11,000 lamps throughout the hotel with energy efficient LED Lighting and new generation fluorescent lamps (energy savings are still under evaluation, but are expected to be @ 25%-35%).
-Replacement of guestroom HVAC & refrigeration motors with high efficiency EC (Electrically Commutated) Motors that use heavy duty rare earth magnets, rather than dual electromagnets, reducing power as well as wasted heat energy allowing refrigeration motors to have a double impact on energy savings.
–Installation of High Performance OptiTune 22 window tint film in all guestrooms that reduces up to 87% of glare, rejects up to 85% of solar energy and blocks 99% of UV radiation. The Data Logger Assessment results prior to install showed a reduction of up to 38° of heat inside guestrooms during heavy sunny days.
-Installed of View Dynamic Glass (electrochromic glass) that automatically transitions between clear and variable tint, providing control over the amount of light, glare and heat reducing AC costs.
-Elevator Modernization of 14 conveyors of which 8 traction elevators will use regenerative drive cars saving up to 50 percent energy over conventional systems (Elevator produces power in the down direction). The energy generated when the cab goes into braking mode is converted into electricity and fed into the building’s system reducing energy usage.
Today, there are 15 recycling programs established in the hotel, which divert to 80-85% of the total waste from being sent to local landfills. Cardboard, printing paper, light bulbs, guestroom amenities, batteries, toner cartridges, aerosol cans, food waste, yard waste, and kitchen deep fry oil have all been included in the recycling process. The food waste, for example, goes from the hotel compactor to a material recovery facility, where it is separated, and then turned into organic compost. In 2014 alone, the team at Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City hotel recycled the following:
*45.75 tons of cardboard and mixed materials (paper, glass, plastic & aluminum)*2,605 light bulbs *164 toner cartridges, and 800 aerosol cans *3.27 tons of guestroom amenities (soap, shampoo, conditioner, hand cream, mouthwash).
In total, the hotel helps save 724 trees and 198 cubic yards of landfill space. While recycling is just a fragment of the hotel’s green operation, Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City also initiates environmental friendly policies, including purchasing less hazardous chemicals for laundry, dish washing, and housekeeping, in order to protect our land, air, and water resources. In addition, the hotel has implemented energy efficient lamps and motion sensor timers in meeting rooms. They have water conserving toilet fixtures throughout the hotel, and they also offer a towel & linen conservation reuse program to guests who stay multiple nights. We continue to strive in decreasing our carbon footprint and are among the ecofriendly hotel leader in Los Angeles.
Hilton Los Angeles / Universal City Continues to Collect Green Accolades
Celebrating Four Impactful Years of Sustainability
LOS ANGELES, C.A. (March 1, 2012) ─ Energy and environmental enthusiasts are increasingly calling on businesses to take green action and implement sustainable initiatives. Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City is making great strides in this endeavor and is proud to be one of the few environmentally conscious “Green Seal Silver” certified lodging facilities in California.
There are presently 15 recycling programs established in the hotel that divert to 80-85% of its total waste from being sent to local landfills. Cardboard, printing paper, light bulbs, guestroom amenities, batteries, toner cartridges, aerosol cans, food waste, yard waste, and kitchen deep fry oil have all been included in the recycling process. The food waste, for example, goes from the hotel’s compactor to a material recovery facility where it is separated and turned into organic compost. In paper and food waste alone the hotel’s efforts saved 724 trees and did not take up 198 cubic yards of landfill space.
Since the program’s progressive start in 2009, the team at Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City has recycled the following material:
- 268.48 tons of cardboard and mixed materials (paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum)
- 5,927 light bulbs, 185 ballasts, 596 toner cartridges, and 575 aerosol cans
- 5,476 lbs of plastic containers and 8,770 lbs of soap from leftover guestroom amenities were donated to the Clean the World non-profit organization
- 171 lbs of AA batteries, 4,280 lbs of appliances and 11,499 lbs of e-waste
- 1,051 tons of recovered yard and food waste
But recycling is just a fragment of the hotel’s green operations to protect our land, air, and water resources. The Hilton also initiates environmentally friendly policies by purchasing less hazardous chemicals for its laundry, dish washing, and housekeeping departments. In addition, they have added energy efficient lighting and motion sensor timers in meeting rooms; installed water conserving toilet fixtures throughout the hotel, and they offer a towel & linen conservation reuse program to guests who stay multiple nights.
Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City continues to look ahead and innovate with green practices. In 2009 the hotel began working with Green Seal, a non-profit organization that developed life cycle based sustainability standards for lodging properties. This institution sets the environmental norm in the hospitality industry and offers third party certification for those who meet the set criteria. In 2010, the Hilton began by attaining the Bronze Level certification, and has since recertified at Silver Level every year. Earlier this year, the California Green Lodging Program (a division of California Dept. of General Services/Statewide Travel and Meeting) also granted the hotel their highest rank sustainability prize, the Environmentalist Level award. In addition, there are currently discussions about pursuing LEED certification via their existing building evaluation process.
The hotel’s executives understand that sustainability is meeting present needs without comprising the earth’s future generations, and have shown their commitment to energy-conservation and waste-minimization by implementing environmentally friendly operations. By doing this, the hotel is not only helping to reduce the greenhouse emissions that impact global climate change and save energy, but is also improving efficiency, lowering operating costs, providing a cleaner and healthier hotel environment, and setting a positive example for employees that boosts morale and property loyalty.
Earth Hour 2011: It’s time to go beyond the hour
Where Will You Be On Saturday From 8:30 to 9:30? Hopefully in the dark!
At 8:30 PM on Saturday 26th March 2011, lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour and people will commit to actions that go beyond the hour.
Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries/territories participating. Global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, CN Tower in Toronto, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.
In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4000 cities in 88 countries/territories officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.
On Saturday 27 March, Earth Hour 2010 became the biggest Earth Hour ever. A record 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas switched off. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.
Earth Hour 2011 will take place on Saturday 26 March at 8.30PM (local 
time). This Earth Hour we want you to go beyond the hour, so after the lights go back on think about what else you can do to make a difference. Together our actions add up.
Universal City & Los Angeles 