Boulder, Colorado – At two conferences in April, HVS Eco Services, a consulting practice dedicated to increasing profitability while reducing the environmental impact of the lodging industry, will help hoteliers learn new strategies for saving money and protecting the environment.

Chris Elder, Director of HVS Eco Services-Atlanta, will participate as a panelist in a breakout session titled “Green Hotels: Improve Profitability and Property Values” on April 23, 2009 at the AAHOA Annual Convention and Trade Show in Washington, D.C. The panel will meet from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“There are some very basic yet impactful tactics that operators can employ to reduce energy costs at a hotel,” said Elder. “Just having a streamlined system for managing your utility bills can cut internal processing costs by 75%. Efficient bill management also provides valuable business intelligence that leads to substantial reductions in energy consumption. It’s good news for the environment and the industry that practices like these are really starting to take hold.”

John Scaggs, Managing Director of HVS Eco Services, will participate in a session titled "Environmental Sustainability Solutions for Hotels and Resorts" on Thursday, April 23, at the China Hotel Investment Summit in Shanghai. Other panel participants include development executives from Starwood Hotels and Resorts and InterContinental Hotels Group, in addition to independent hotel developers and operators, and representatives from local design firms. The panel will meet from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. The session will be moderated by Gregory Hartmann, Managing Director of HVS Boulder.

"Hoteliers around the globe are all facing the same fundamental challenges: the need to reduce utility consumption in the midst of increasing energy prices and waning occupancy levels, and the need to improve their environmental reputation among their guests, employees, shareholders, and local communities," said Scaggs. "Engaging in a global dialogue to discuss ways to overcome these universal challenges helps define a clear path to success."

The AAHOA Annual Convention and Trade Show will be held at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland from April 22-25, 2009. Legendary General Electric Chairman and CEO Jack Welch will serve as the keynote speaker. For more information on the AAHOA Annual Convention and Trade Show, please visit .

The China Hotel Investment Summit (CHIS) will be held at the Grand Hyatt Shanghai from April 22-24, 2009. Now in its fifth year, the CHIS is widely regarded as the premier event for the hotel investment community in the Asia Pacific region. For more information on CHIS, please visit .

If you will be attending either conference and would like to schedule a meeting with Chris or John, please contact them at [email protected] and [email protected], respectively.

HVS Eco Services offers environmental sustainability solutions specifically tailored to the hospitality industry. The Boulder, Colorado-based consulting practice offers services that are designed to concurrently reduce the utility costs and the environmental impact of hospitality operations. Please visit to learn more.

John Scaggs
+1 303 301-1128