Accor North America has signed a new agreement with wind energy provider Community Energy, Inc. for the supply of renewable and clean energy to the nine Sofitel-branded properties in the United States. Purchasing wind power in the form of Renewable Energy Certificates gives Sofitel epa Green Energy Partner rating and makes the brand the first to choose renewable energy for each of its properties in the country. The energy credits acquired by Sofitel are credited to the national electricity grid by Community Energy.
EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson noted that "EPA applauds its corporate partners for protecting our environment by purchasing green energy," adding, "By making a voluntary shift to renewable energy, Accor North America is demonstrating that you don't need to wait for a signal to go green." Sofitel's leadership in the hospitality industry was also highlighted by Community Energy President Brent Alderfer noting that "its purchase of renewable energy puts its energy dollars to work for the benefit of the environment and the country."
Sofitel's nine hotels — two in Chicago, and one in Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington DC — will purchase a total of 1,527,000 kilowatt hours of renewable energy. Compared to the average generation in the national grid, this purchase reduces about two million pounds of carbon dioxide per year, the impact of which is equivalent to planting more than 324 hectares of trees a year or stopping driving 3 million 798 thousand kilometers.
The brand has also set an example in its initiatives to reduce water and energy use, such as ozone washing systems.
Last September, Sofitel San Francisco Bay was awarded by the WateReuse association as customer of the year for being the first to collaborate with the city of Redwood City, California. Likewise, the Accor North America chain carried out its Earth Guest program in 2007, with the planting of 20,000 trees on behalf of each of its employees in the region; the implementation of a checklist across all of its properties and corporate headquarters, and the donation of $375,000 to educational and charitable groups. Program activities are directed and implemented by Accor North America's four brands: Sofitel, Novotel, Studio 6 and Motel 6.
