Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Virginia Green
Hotels & Lodging Facilities

Virginia Green
Holiday Inn National Airport, Crystal City
Arlington, VA

Virginia Green is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s campaign to promote environmentally-friendly practices in all aspects of Virginia’s tourism industry. Virginia Green has established "core activities" specific to each sector of tourism, and these practices are considered the required minimum for participation in the program. However, Virginia Green encourages its participants to reduce their environmental impacts in all aspects of their operations, and this profile provides a full list of all their “green” activities. These are the activities that guests / customers can expect to find when they visit this facility.

Holiday Inn National Airport, Crystal City

Welcome to the Nation's Capitol and the Holiday Inn National Airport, the best hotel in Arlington Virginia! Take advantage of our free wireless high-speed Internet. For government, contract and military travelers, the Holiday Inn offers a unique per diem package, the best of any Arlington hotel. This includes a full hot breakfast in our restaurant and unlimited local phone calls. We offer the amenities and meeting room services a business traveler needs for a productive visit. Our Arlington hotel offers accommodations that are great for vacations too! The monuments, museums and attractions in Washington DC and historic Old Town Alexandria are easily accessible by Metro or car. Shop at the Pentagon City Mall and Fashion Centre Mall. Enjoy O’Malley’s Sports Pub and The National Diner where Kids Eat Free! We offer free high-speed Internet in our guest rooms and wireless Internet in our public areas. Our finest attribute is our professional and friendly staff.

The B. F. Saul Company Hotel Division rolled out an initiative termed “Our Big Green”. This initiative committed the hotel division to become a leader in the hospitality industry for the sustainability of our environment. We have implemented leading and innovative business practices, provide education and training, utilize eco-friendly products, enhance daily work habits and monitor compliance and success.

Virginia Green Activities

This facility pledges that they:
Offer optional linen service
- Have signage in each guest room explaining the linen reuse procedures 
- Train housekeeping staff on our process for optional linen service  
- Purchase water- and energy-efficient washers and dryers 
- Minimize the use of bleach and chlorinated chemicals 

Recycle
- Have in place clearly marked recycling bins or provide convenient drop-off locations for guests to recycle: 
- Glass Bottles 
- Plastic Bottles 
- Aluminum cans 
- Steel cans 
- Newspaper 
- Office paper
Other items recycled by the facility: 
- Cardboard 
- Fluorescent lamps 

Reduce solid waste
- Track overall solid waste costs 
- Instruct housekeeping staff to save and reuse unopened items 
- Recycle fryer grease 
- Have an effective food inventory control system to minimize waste 
- Provide condiments, cream and sugar, etc. in bulk 
- Use water pitchers to minimize the use of single-use bottles 
- Purchase recycled-content paper-towels and toilet paper 
- Make double-sided photocopies and avoid making extra photocopies 
- Use electronic correspondence and forms when possible 
- Use green cleaning products that are dispensed in bulk 
- Install carpet with sustainable or recycled content and low-VOC adhesives 
- Use latex, low or no-VOC paints 
- Properly recycle and/or dispose of thinners and solvents 
- Perform preventative maintenance on all appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing, and vehicles 

Use water efficiently
- Track overall water usage and wastewater costs 
- Have established a numeric goal to reduce water consumption over time 
- Perform preventative maintenance to stop drips and leaks 
- Have installed low flow faucets and showerheads (use less than 2.5 gallons per minute) 
- Have installed low flow toilets (use 1.6 gallons per flush or less) 
- Have minimized impervious areas (paving, concrete, etc.) 

Conserve energy
- Track overall energy bills 
- Have had an energy audit to identify efficiency opportunities within the past 12 months 
- Have established a numeric goal to reduce energy usage over time 
- Have individual thermostats for each room; ensure they are correctly adjusted 
- Regularly perform preventative maintenance on HVAC system 
- Use natural lighting (i.e., open draperies and raise shades whenever adequate light from windows is available) 
- Use lighting sensors to turn on/off lights 
- Have adopted a policy/practice to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms 
- Have installed high efficiency fluorescent ballasts and lamps (T-5 and T-8) 
- Have installed compact fluorescent light bulbs in all rooms and canned lighting 
- Have installed LED Exit Signs 

Offer a green events package
- Include the availability of "green meetings/conferences" in marketing packages (see the factsheet on Environmentally-Responsible Conferences & Events) 

Holiday Inn National Airport, Crystal City    Holiday Inn National Airport, Crystal City

For more information on Holiday Inn National Airport, Crystal City, see www.hinationalairport.com or contact Will Everett at william.everett@bfsaulco.com or 703-684-7200.

For more information on the Virginia Green program, see www.deq.state.va.us/Programs/PollutionPrevention/VirginiaGreen.aspx.

Virginia GreenVirginia Green is a partnership supported by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Hospitality & Tourism Association, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

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