Every Hyatt hotel has an environmental plan and has taken action towards sustainability. Here are a few of their stories.

Grand Hyatt New York

Simple things are often overlooked, says Diana Beltran, Environmental Development Manager at the Grand Hyatt New York. After employees expressed concern over the amount of toilet paper the hotel disposed, they began the relationship of “Rock and Wrap It Up”. The Grand Hyatt New York has since donated to various organizations or shelters the unused toilet paper and bruised toiletries from guest rooms. The first week, they collect over 60 pounds of toilet paper. Re-using and making their community better!

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa

The Grand Hyatt Kauai has moved in the direction of solar power. The resort is installing an 18,500 square-foot, 280-kilowatt system atop a roof structure that will be built over an existing parking lot, providing shade for parking as well as clean, renewable solar power for resort operations. The solar power system is expected to generate 438,000 kilowatt hours of power each year, representing 15-20% of the resort’s total energy needs. This is a reduction of over 237,000 tons of CO2 emissions, further reducing the amount of oil Kauai Island Utility Cooperative has to import annually by over 7,000 barrels. Depending upon time of year and weather conditions, the amount of electricity generated by the system is equivalent to what is needed to power 300 homes. Wow! Doug Sears, general manager of the Grand Hyatt Kauai stated, “This is a huge step in the right direction. We are thrilled to be taking this step to conserve resources. The resort has many successful environmental programs in effect, but this solar project takes us to the next level of environmental responsibility.”

Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa

Novan Solar of Golden, CO will install one of the nation’s largest solar hot water systems ever built for a hotel at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Novan solar thermal system will provide domestic hot water for guest rooms, the main laundry services room and all the restaurants at the 492-room resort.

The 27-acre Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa has complete resort facilities, including a 2.5 acre “water playground”, 27-holes of championship golf, world-class tennis, Spa Avania and the Native American and Environmental Learning Center as a part of the 560-acre Gainey Ranch resort and residential development in Scottsdale.

The 172-collector Novan solar system is part of an energy-reduction project designed by the Hartman Company, an engineering and design firm in Austin, Texas, which will eventually reduce the resort’s energy use by approximately half. The solar system has a 20,000-gallon storage tank, larger than currently required, which will enable a possible Phase 2 of the project doubling the current system size.

“This project is in accordance with Hyatt Corporation’s global initiative of environmental consciousness and sustainability. This initiative encompasses building, designing and managing innovative and sustainable hotels, while protecting the natural environment and local communities in which we operate around the world,” stated Jennifer Schaff, Director of Engineering for the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa.

“We have been told that we were the first resort in the country to have an environmental program including energy efficiency, waste minimization, environmental health and safety for employees, and environmental education for our guests,” added Ms. Schaff.