June 29th, 2012 by TRT Blog

Early last week, it was reported that 23 international hotel organizations have agreed on a standard measurement to calculate the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings. As a world leader in environmentally safe, on-site furniture asset management, refinishing and upholstery specializing in hotels, universities and government facilities, The Refinishing Touch team has long awaited the day that such a measurement would be adopted, and most importantly, be used around the globe.

The methodology, named HCMI 1.0, was created in 2011 by The International Tourism Partnership (ITP) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). Facilities around the world, including boutique hotels and casinos, have tested the transparent carbon measurement over the past year, ensuring its credibility and effectiveness in today’s green world.

The measurement of carbon emissions will be implemented by some of the most well-known hotel chains, including the Fairmont, Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental, and the Marriott. The standardization ensures consistency and transparency when reporting on a building’s sustainability.

The HCMI 1.0 tool is another example of the green revolution that is taking place today, especially in the hospitality industry. Some of the large hotel organizations that are now using the standard carbon measurement system have even used our furniture asset management services, showcasing some of the behind-the-scenes, sustainable investments various hotel chains are making in an effort to create a greener world.

For more information about The Refinishing Touch’s past eco-friendly projects at hotels, universities and government facilities, or to calculate your own carbon footprint using our Carbon Foot Print Calculator, visit our website here.

carbon emissions, carbon foot print calculator, carbon footprint, Fairmon, furniture asset management, Government, HCMI 1.0, Hilton, hospitality, Hyatt, InterContinental, ITP, Marriott, The International Tourism Partnership, Universities, World Travel & Tourism Council, WTTC

June 27th, 2012 by admin

Which do you personally think is the greatest innovation in sustainability in the last 35 years?

June 26th, 2012 by TRT Blog

As the sustainability movement continues to strength across the hospitality, government and higher education industries, many are now focused on how to successfully mix both environmentally-consciousness and aesthetics. Recently, particularly at hotels where style is key, the concept of ‘eco-chic’ is traditionally a trend that is shied away from, assuming there’s a large price tag that accompanies such a name. But here at The Refinishing Touch, our goal is to provide tailored furniture asset management services to help hotel operators realize that not only is ‘eco-chic’ attainable, but it is also affordable.

Now more than ever, hotels have a countless number of sustainable and stylish renovation options that don’t break the bank. Some of the options that have captured even the most upscale lodger’s attention include the following:

-          Refinishing furniture with updated finish colors and hardware for a new, contemporary look, without the environmental waste or the financial burden

-          Reupholstering pieces such as dining chairs, sofas and arm chairs, with fashionable fabrics and textiles

-          Installing energy-efficient fireplaces, creating a cozy atmosphere while cutting the heating bill

-          Utilizing recycled wooden platforms instead of box springs to hold bed mattresses in place

-          Investing in rugs made from recycled materials, for a more chic and eco-friendly feel

-          Replacing traditional light switches with dimmers, giving guests the option of saving electricity while creating a mellow ambiance

According to a recent article in Hotel Interactive, hotel chains that utilized some of these renovation alternatives spent $15,000 to $20,000 per room in costs, but in return, boosted rates from $75 per room to $225 room. As it turns out, hotels can please guests and Mother Nature at the same time, all while capitalizing on profit.

As providers of on-site sustainable furniture asset management services, we continue to make the goal of becoming ‘eco-chic’ more achievable than ever, benefitting both the guests and the hotel owners.

For more information on The Refinishing Touch’s services or to get a free quote, go to www.therefinishingtouch.com.

eco-chic, energy efficiency, finish colors, furniture asset management, furniture hardware, furniture refinishing, Government, higher education, hospitality, Hotel Interactive, mother nature, recycle

June 22nd, 2012 by TRT Blog

Here at The Refinishing Touch, we pride ourselves on being able to listen to our customers and provide them with services that are proven to better the environment and their bottom line. Recently, we’ve been working to combat a costly trend with our hospitality customers – Product Improvement Plans (PIPs) – mandatory renovations and updates required by corporate brand owners for franchise owners.

To share our knowledge on ways to complete PIPs without breaking the budget, we are sponsoring the upcoming Hotel Interactive webcast: Pressure Free PIPs. Mario and other industry leaders will not only discuss the implications of PIPs and the business challenges they create, but they will also offer solutions as to how hotel owners can meet budget-consuming renovation requirements and brand expectations, through furniture asset management, refinishing, remanufacturing and more.

The webcast will focus on realistic solutions so hotel owners across the country can take genuine strides to fulfill their PIP requirements without spending a fortune or ditching existing assets.

Join us on Tuesday, July 17 2012, to learn more about how your hotel can complete PIPs, pressure free. For more information about the panelists and the webcast, or to register for free, please visit http://www.hotelinteractive.com/webinar.aspx.

furniture asset management, hospitality, Hotel Interactive, Mario Insenga, PIPs, Product Improvement Plans, refinishing, remanufacturing, renovations, webcast

June 19th, 2012 by admin

Which of the following sustainable government initiatives do you think is most important?

June 19th, 2012 by TRT Blog

Thirty-five years, 420 months, roughly 12,775 days and countless hours—anyway we chalk it up, we here at The Refinishing Touch are thrilled to announce our most recent milestone of three and half decades in business.

While many things have changed throughout the years, the purpose throughout our journey has remained the same. Everyone at The Refinishing Touch believes in our goal to create a more sustainable future, which, as we’ve come to learn, is a task that takes time, effort, and support from others. But through this unwavering goal and 35 years of hard work, we could not be more proud of the on-site environmentally safe and sustainable furniture asset management services we offer to a wide array of companies and organizations around the world.

Not only are we excited over reaching the 35-year mark, but we are also humbled by the opportunities we’ve been given to serve the hospitality, education, and government industries throughout the years. Every partnership The Refinishing Touch creates contributes to a smaller carbon footprint and a more informed country.

We’d like to take a moment to thank our clients for helping us reach such a milestone. In the hospitality industry, this includes hotel chains such as the Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, IGH, Wyndham, and more. The government has also capitalized in furniture asset management services, with projects completed in the U.S. Superior Court, U.S. Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy bases worldwide, including the White House and Executive Office of the President. In the education sector, we have worked with numerous universities and colleges across the nation.

Today, The Refinishing Touch has more than 20,000 customers and we estimate that we have saved more than three million tons of carbon dioxide and nine million trees. For us, that is what it all comes down to as we reach 35 years in the business – a more sustainable tomorrow.

Click here to read the entire press release on The Refinishing Touch’s 35 year anniversary milestone.

35 years, anniversary, education, furniture asset management, furniture refinishing, Government, hospitality, Sustainability, The Refinishing Touch

June 15th, 2012 by TRT Blog

Here at The Refinishing Touch, we hope that individuals, organizations, and institutions understand how valuable furniture is as both a long-term investment and asset.  Last month, we began a series about furniture asset management and tips for success with asset evaluation.  In our second segment of this series, we explore the long term implications when evaluating your budget.

Tip #2: Thinking beyond cost

After you have taken inventory of your furniture and determined long term goals for your company, think about the implications of buying new furniture.  You might determine that you have the budget to do so and it may seem like most simple and obvious course of action, but consider thinking, however, beyond purchase price.  While The Refinishing Touch has saved its clients, on average, 80 percent in furniture costs, there are other factors to consider.

Many organizations are gaining accolades for sustainability initiatives and environmental consciousness, such as Gaylord Hotels.  Customers, whether in the hospitality sector or elsewhere, are being encouraged to support companies who make the extra push to remain green and because of this, restoring or modifying current assets instead of buying new can lead to a more positive relationship with your client base.

Upgrading current furniture, rather than replacing it entirely, benefits the environment by significantly reducing waste as well.  Clean the World is just one example of a company turning potential waste into a valuable resource.  The Refinishing Touch has helped customers who chose to refinishing conserve 90 percent in carbon emissions, as compared to buying new.  Furniture asset management allows companies to not only save our earth from thousands of tons of wood and material, but to also preserve quality—current hotel furniture is often of superior quality than newly manufactured furniture, and therefore will last longer once preserved than others may last new.

Cost, while an important factor in furniture asset management, cannot be the only consideration.  To be successful, it is vital to think beyond the dollar signs.  Refinishing current assets not only saves on the bottom line, but also saves our environment, of which customers, in the hospitality, government and higher education industries, are becoming more and more conscious.

For more information about furniture asset management or to get a free project quote, visit our website at http://www.therefinishingtouch.com/.

armoire modification, asset management, budgeting, cost-effective, fabrics, furniture asset management, furniture assets, furniture hardware, refinishing, remanufacturing, reupholstery, Sustainability

June 12th, 2012 by TRT Blog

At The Refinishing Touch, we’re always thrilled to see cities and local governments making efforts to increase their sustainability and establish green initiatives. We’ve also been reading more and more articles recently, outlining how businesses in sprawling metro areas such as New York have joined the fight to keep their cities more environmentally conscious.  Smaller cities, however, though not as densely populated or as economically booming, are also keeping up with sustainability.

The Guardian recently wrote an article that focused on mid-West cities, Milwaukee and Columbus, as precedents for smaller cities that are excelling in sustainability, despite the fact that most land-locked cities lack the same resources major coastal cities, such as New York or Los Angeles, have.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin has seen two of its major industries, manufacturing and brewing, decline in recent years.  The city’s government, however, has turned this negative into a positive, creating urban farms out of areas that were previously abandoned factory space or industrial sites.  Green buildings and designs are becoming more commonplace in the city of 600,000, as green initiatives are underway from some of Milwaukee’s cornerstone companies, including Harley Davidson and Pabst.

Columbus, Ohio has followed in Milwaukee’s footsteps, also building an energy-conscious development on old industrial property.  Though still reliant on the coal industry, Columbus has put into place an E3 program, designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2 percent annually.

While New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other large cities have been the most vocal supporters of expansive green initiatives, smaller cities have benefits of their own – many cities throughout America’s heartland have large university communities, a good majority of which are focusing more and more on sustainable education and initiatives.  But, as most are well aware, in order to continue to increase our nation’s overall sustainability, it must be a collective action. Whether its large cities, small cities, local or the federal government, we must all come together to preserve our environment for generations to come.

Columbus, Government, green initiatives, Milwaukee, New York, Sustainability, The Refinishing Touch

June 8th, 2012 by TRT Blog

As a leading furniture restoration and armoire modification company in the hospitality, government and higher education industries, it’s great to see organizations thinking outside the box to increase sustainable and environmentally-friendly initiatives.  And Gaylord Hotels is the most recent hospitality establishment to have done just that, by committing to recycling soap and bottled amenities at all four of its North American locations.

Clean the World, a charitable organization dedicated to global hygiene education, will in turn recycle the unused or lightly used toiletries (soap, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, lotions, and gels) and distribute them to shelters, rescue missions, and organizations worldwide.  Clean the World estimates that more than 84,000 pounds of soap and 62,500 pounds of bottled amenities will be collected from Gaylord to aid underprivileged children and families throughout the world.  Gaylord joins an entire network of organizations that have answered Clean the World’s call.  In its three years of operation, 1,400 contributors have amassed over 10 million bars of soap and other hygiene-related items to give to disadvantaged communities in 45 countries.

With 9,000 children worldwide dying each day from respiratory infections and diarrheal diseases—which can be prevented by washing with bar soap—Gaylord and Clean the World have made a venerable commitment to spread outreach to the farthest corners of the world.  Gaylord’s contributions serve as a reminder about the importance of being an informed hotel guest and to support hotels who have undertaken sustainable, green initiatives.  Whether it’s reaching out to Clean the World, refinishing furniture rather than buying new, or sourcing locally grown food for hotel restaurants, these establishments deserve our support in keeping our environment clean and our fellow humans healthy and safe.

Clean the World, furniture refinishing, Gaylord Hotels, global hygeine, hospitality, Sustainability, The Refinishing Touch

June 5th, 2012 by TRT Blog

Renewable energy can, at times, be a difficult concept for individuals, companies, and local governments to grasp.  Recently, we read an article that discussed how Virginians are mistakenly sticking to traditional electricity instead of embracing reusable energy because of its convenience and cost.  The article also highlighted some unknown facts about renewable energy and how legislation is encouraging increased use.  And while the article focuses on energy specifics in Virginia, many of the points are pertinent to everyone, nationwide.

Renewable energy can be derived from more forms than many are aware of, including wind, falling water, wave motion, waste, biomass, and tides. Though offshore wind is the most expensive of these resources, states are beginning to fund projects directed at finding innovative ways to reduce the cost of offshore wind development.  Massachusetts has developed Cape Wind, America’s first offshore wind farm, which is estimated to produce up to 420 megawatts of clean energy, while some electric companies, such as Virginia’s Dominion, have received grants to develop similar programs.

Many states have created benchmarks for energy companies when it comes to electricity and reusable energy.  Some, such as New Jersey and Maryland, have made it mandatory for electricity providers to generate a percentage of energy through renewable resources. Other states, including Virginia, have enacted soft standards, recommending percentages (15% by 2025), only giving bonuses if the goal is reached, but no penalties if it is not.

As a furniture refinishing and reupholstering company, we understand the importance of sustainability and reusing our environmental resources.  Because of this, we hope that states will continue to take action, whether through reusable energy mandates, or overarching legislature. Encouraging homeowners, companies, and the government to join together to go beyond the convenience of traditional resources is the only way to develop the discussion and further the fight for widely accepted renewable energy use.

electricity, furniture refinishing, Government, hospitality, offshore wind development, renewable energy, renewable resources, Sustainability