Hospitality Measurement

"From Behavior Change to Environmental Outcomes In Sustainable Hospitality: Metrics, Formulas, Variables, & Assumptions" [PDF] was published on June 13, 2011.

NEWMOA is undertaking an effort to improve the measurement and estimation of positive environmental outcomes from sustainable hospitality practices. This work was initiated to support state and local government programs that are conducting outreach, assistance, and certification initiatives with the sector. That said, the hope is that the tools and information developed from this effort will be of broader use within the sector. The intent is to improve the ability of state programs and hospitality operations to calculate the positive environmental impacts of their sustainability efforts and thereby not only strengthen these efforts but also lead to broader adoption of sustainable practices and better messaging and marketing of sustainable hospitality initiatives.

NEWMOA recently completed Phase 1 of the Hospitality Metrics Project. In Phase 1 NEWMOA developed a series of formulas for calculating environmental outcomes from sustainable hospitality efforts. These formulas allow for estimating environmental outcomes from behavior changes tracked at facilities. NEWMOA began this project by examining the metrics used for Maine’s Environmental Leader Certification Program for hospitality businesses and Vermont’s Green Hotels Program.  NEWMOA also reviewed the metrics used in Florida’s Green Lodging Performance Worksheet and New York State’s Environmental Performance Worksheet. Many other online calculators, tools, and resources were also examined. Areas where the formulas, underlying data, and/or assumptions could be improved upon were identified through these discussions. NEWMOA staff worked to further flesh-out the formulas, analyze and improve upon the assumptions, and research data sources to use in populating the formulas.

A Draft document for Phase 1 was circulated in July 2010 to approximately 400 sustainability practitioners and other stakeholders for review and comment. The formal review period ended on September 27, 2010 and NEWMOA held a Webinar to review the comments received and discuss the next steps on October 19, 2010. The culmination of the Phase 1 work is this Final document, "From Behavior Change to Environmental Outcomes In Sustainable Hospitality: Metrics, Formulas, Variables, & Assumptions," which was published in June 2011.

NEWMOA expects to begin the next phase of this Project in the Fall of 2011. Phase 2 of the project will focus on developing an online environmental benefits calculator for use by programs, hoteliers, and other hospitality operations. The online tool would enable them to plug-in information on sustainability initiatives and the calculator would estimate the environmental outcomes resulting from their efforts.

Phase 1 and Phase 2 of this project are funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx™).

For more information about NEWMOA's Hospitality Metrics Project contact: Andy Bray, (617) 367-8558 x306; abray@newmoa.org.