W Hotel - San Francisco
181 Third St
San Francisco, CA 94103
Map It!
Part of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, W Hotel San Francisco is a 404-room, 4-diamond hotel located in the downtown district. In 2008, the hotel earned the ENERGY STAR for superior energy performance and was recognized by the California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA) with a "Good Earthkeeping" award for incorporating sustainability into the fabric of the hospitality industry and leading by example to encourage others to reduce their environmental footprint.
The green program at W Hotel San
Francisco (W SF) started as a grass roots gathering of employees
who wanted to "do the right thing." In 2007, the staff
submitted a petition signed by 34 percent of the employees
asking hotel management to support a green program. The program
was started by Anastasia Jernigan, one of the cooks at the
hotel's on-site eatery, "xyz restaurant."
By 2008, the hotel had a fully engaged green committee. The committee continues to meet regularly and works to incorporate green initiatives. The workplace also has a culture of sustainability that is driven by all of the employees, and not by "management mandate."
Among the energy efficiency steps
taken, more than 90 percent of guestroom lighting and 90 percent
of back-of-house lighting is energy efficient, using CFLs, LEDs,
motion sensors, and other technologies. The HVAC cooling towers
were upgraded with higher efficient heat eliminators and VFDs.
Motion sensors power off HVAC
in unoccupied guestrooms, and ENERGY STAR power management
features are activated on all PCs. Management continues to track
energy usage and savings with a third-party vendor through the
hotel's utility company, PG&E. Lastly, to
further improve energy efficiency and encourage the use of
renewable energy, management is considering installing wind
turbines on the hotel's roof--a first for a commercial building
in the city.
In addition to these energy efficiency improvements, the hotel has a robust "WORLD" program (We Optimize Resources through Leadership in Development of sustainable practices) that encompasses sustainable practices in energy management; water conservation; recycling and waste reduction; air quality improvements; and sustainable, local, and organic food and beverage purchases. The hotel also offers a comprehensive "green meetings" option for customers that features organic, biodynamic, or local food and beverages, and zero waste and carbon neutral events. The building is in the process of being certified by the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and as a Green Business by the San Francisco Department of the Environment. Representatives of the hotel also participate in Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide's Sustainability Council advisor committee, which represents over 900 hotels worldwide.
W Hotel San
Francisco has a robust outreach and communications program to
spread the word about energy efficiency and environmental
operating practices. The hotel's general manager is a regular
guest speaker and active supporter of Sustainability MBA courses
at local universities. Management also partners with students from
local sustainability education programs at SFSU and Presidio
Business School to develop strategic sustainability management,
marketing, and communication dashboards and to support internships
and case studies for up to six students each semester through
on-property programs. The hotel also incorporates green education
in all talent training and new hire orientation.
Hotel management is committed to adopting practices that
support sustainability, move toward zero waste, reduce its
climate footprint, and conserve and restore the natural
resources and ecosystems on which we all depend. Their goal is
to grow a business that operates in harmony with the laws of
nature, and to learn from and share with others along the way. W
Hotel proves that a luxury hotel can adopt sustainable operating
practices without sacrificing any of the services or amenities
customers expect.
Communications:
Unavailable
Testimonial:
Unavailable
Please note: Narrative information in this profile has been provided by The W Hotel San Francisco or a representative of this facility. Other building information was verified and submitted to EPA at the time of application. Building energy performance, operating characteristics, and ownership/management may be subject to change over time.
Building Owner:*
The W Hotel San Francisco
Property Manager:*
The W Hotel San Francisco
Year(s) Labeled (Rating):
2008 (80)
2013 (82)
Facility Type: Hotel
Total Floorspace: 289418 sf
Year Constructed: 1999
Contract Type: None
Technologies Used:
| Stage 1-Recommissioning |
| Stage 2-Lighting |
| Stage 3-Load Reductions |
| Stage 4-Fan Systems |
| Stage 5-Heating and Cooling Plant |