Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Virginia Green
Hotels & Lodging Facilities

Virginia Green
Norfolk Plaza Hotel
Norfolk, 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.

Norfolk Plaza Hotel

Full service hotel and conference facility.

We want to do our part to positively impact the environment.

Purchase local products and supplies.

Virginia Green Activities

This facility pledges that they:
Offer optional linen service
- Have signage in each guest room explaining the linen reuse procedures 
- Change linens only upon request 
- Train housekeeping staff on our process for optional linen service  
- 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: 
- Plastic Bottles 
- Newspaper 
- Office paper
Other items recycled by the facility: 
- Printer/ copy machine toner cartridges 
- Cardboard 
- Fluorescent lamps 

Reduce solid waste
- Instruct housekeeping staff to save and reuse unopened items 
- Recycle fryer grease 
- Have an effective food inventory control system to minimize waste 
- Use disposable foodservice items that are made from renewable materials (not petroleum-based) 
- Use disposable foodservice items that are made from recycled content 
- Use cloth napkins 
- Use water pitchers to minimize the use of single-use bottles 
- Use bulk soap dispensers in public restrooms 
- Purchase recycled-content paper-towels and toilet paper 
- Remove facility and staff names from junk mail lists when possible 
- Reuse scrap paper for notes 
- Reuse or donate shipping and packing supplies (peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.) 
- Use electronic correspondence and forms when possible 

Use water efficiently
- Perform preventative maintenance to stop drips and leaks 
- Use water-flow metering to discover leaks and areas of high use 
- Have installed low flow faucets and showerheads (use less than 2.5 gallons per minute) 

Conserve energy
- Track overall energy bills 
- Keep office doors and windows closed if HVAC system is on 
- Use natural lighting (i.e., open draperies and raise shades whenever adequate light from windows is available) 
- Have adopted a policy/practice to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms 
- Have installed compact fluorescent light bulbs in all rooms and canned lighting 
- Have adopted a policy/practice to minimize the use of lighting during night cleaning 

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

Norfolk Plaza Hotel    Norfolk Plaza Hotel

For more information on Norfolk Plaza Hotel, see www.crowneplaza.com/norfolkva or contact Brad deise at brad.deise@cpnorfolk.com or 757-627-5555.

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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