May 10th, 2013 by TRT Blog

Hoteliers, property managers and other professionals immersed in the hospitality industry are increasingly facing the need for greener practices and accommodations within their establishments. As a supplier of sustainable, cost-efficient services to countless resorts, hotels and motels for over 35 years, The Refinishing Touch has witnessed the industry change first-hand and is enthusiastic to see the environmental evolution continue.

According to a recent survey from TripAdvisor.com, analyzed responses from 1,300 U.S. travelers revealed that 62% of travelers almost always consider the environment when planning their vacations.  Furthermore, another 69% of respondents vouched they will make even more environmentally-conscious decisions in the year to come.

In response to the increase in consumer demand for eco-friendly amenities, TripAdvisor has launched its new rating service entitled ‘Green Leaders’. Having teamed up with Energy Star, the U.S. Green Building Council and the United Nations Environment Programme, the site will now feature a green button alongside other ratings, helping travelers easily sort through the most sustainable near their travel destination.

Ratings, which range from bronze to platinum, will be given based on various environmental practices such as implementation of linen and towel reuse programs, energy-efficiency appliances and practices, solar panels, green roofing and more. Since its launch, TripAdvisor states that 32 million members have utilized the service and over 100 million green reviews have already been written.

Consumers now have a number of ways to obtain information pertaining to a hotel’s green practices – a new deciding factor when making accommodations. In order to maximize business growth, hoteliers must implement sustainable alternatives – which doesn’t always have to break the bank.

For instance, The Refinishing Touch’s furniture asset management services, which include refinishing, re-upholstery and armoire conversion, achieve maximum cost savings and time efficiency while significantly reducing a renovation project’s estimated carbon footprint. Our studies suggest past clientele have saved over 80 percent in budget costs, and nearly 90 percent in carbon emissions. Similarly, we have also begun recognizing our clients for their commitment to sustainability through our Sustainability Awards, a program dedicated to honoring businesses that have reduced their environmental impact through furniture asset management solutions.

For more information about The Refinishing Touch and our furniture repurposing services, please visit our website here.  To inquire about how your own business can go greener, request a free quote today.

Energy Star, furniture asset management, green, Green Leaders, refinishing, reupholstery, Sustainability, Sustainable Tourism, The Refinishing Touch, Travel, TripAdvisor, U.S. Green Building Council, United Nations Environment Programme

April 30th, 2013 by TRT Blog

Clients across the hospitality, government and higher education housing industries call on The Refinishing Touch’s furniture asset management services not only for its time-efficiency and cost savings, but in an effort to make a greater push towards sustainability. Because of this, we are always interested to hear from other industry leaders, in order to gain valuable insight into other environmental efforts spanning the globe.

Recently, we caught up with Eberhardt Rues, CEO and founder of EcoFriendly Hotels WorldWide, a voluntary referral hotel group, and Sustainable Hotel Development, an interim hotel consulting service, both located in Florida. Rues’ dedication to global sustainable tourism has remained at the forefront of his career and, in this special Q & A session, we sit down with him to hear more on environmental progress, challenges and trends throughout the industry.

The Refinishing Touch (TRT): Can you tell us more about EcoFriendly Hotels WorldWide and Sustainable Hotel Development?

Eberhardt Rues (ER): My environmental experience began with the development of the first RUES EcoLodge Village, in the Amazons of Ecuador, during 1976 until 1980. Unfortunately, a severe inundation in 1980 flooded the whole Village, but I made a promise to continue supporting sustainable hotel and tourism development around the globe for years to come after the incident. EcoFriendly Hotels Worldwide became the first voluntary referral hotel group in 1994. As a company, we aim to develop Bolivia as a prime eco-tourism destination in Latin America. This visionary goal was actively supported by the European Commission and by the Bolivian Tourism Secretary. After some success, we then launched our first website in 2003, and by this time, we had well over 100 member and partner hotels, spanning across five continents, all dedicated to sustainable tourism and working with us to solidify their initiatives.

TRT: How have you seen a commitment to greener initiatives evolve over time within the lodging industry?

ER: Greener initiatives began to take hold in the US with the introduction of the LEED program and the EcoTourism Society and Conservation International, among many others. These programs started to plant their roots at the turn of the millennium, and helped propel the industry to consider more sustainable alternatives. The driving forces behind these fundamental eco-changes, in my experience, have been the emergence of more environmentally-conscious guests and consumers, as well as the increasingly popular Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.

TRT: What is your greatest sustainable achievement?
ER: In 1993, I wrote the first “Eco-Hotel Management” guidebook in the Americas. The book was published in 1995, by Grupo Editorial Iberoamerica, Mexico, D.F. and was distributed throughout 22 Latin American countries – helping hotel management teams become greener and look into alternative solutions.

TRT: Which challenges remain in place for hotels keen to adopt green practices?

ER: In my opinion, one of the greatest barriers that stand in the way of hoteliers going green is the lack of environmental curriculum both for hotel management staff and within universities. Another challenge, although this condition is improving, is that many states are still operating without strict environmental regulations and enforcement.

TRT: Despite these challenges, what gives you hope when it comes to the adoption of green and environmentally-friendly practices?

ER: Environmentally – sound practices are progressing and have been progressing since the mid-1990s, not only in the US, but globally. Those working in the travel industry understand that sustainable products and services – ranging from cleaning solutions, certification of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) or furniture repurposing – are also safe, cost-effective and profitable. Greener alternatives provide a healthier environment for our children and generations to come. It pleases me to see that ‘eco-friendly’ is no longer being thrown around as a fashionable marketing term, but has slowly evolved into an achievable goal throughout the industry.

For more information on EcoFriendly Hotels WorldWide and Sustainable Hotel Development, please contact Eberhardt Rues. To learn more about The Refinishing Touch’s cost-effective, sustainable furniture asset management services, like refinishing, re-upholstery and armoire modification, visit our website.

Eberhardt Rues, EcoFriendly Hotels WorldWide, furniture asset management, guest blog, hospitality, lodging, Sustainable Hotel Development, The Refinishing Touch, tourism

April 26th, 2013 by TRT Blog

The Refinishing Touch begins each project with the avid determination to provide cost-effective, sustainable and environmentally-friendly furniture asset management solutions to all of our customers and the establishments in which we operate. Through the implementation of our refinishing, re-upholstery, and remanufacturing solutions, hotels are able to reduce budgets and eradication unnecessary landfill waste, while minimizing the impact projects have on guests and day-to-day workflow.

Recently, our team completed a project at The Westin Grand Central Hotel in New York, NY. Previously known as The New York Helmsley Hotel, the property became part of the Westin family of hotels in October of 2012 and subsequently underwent an expansive renovation project, focused on combining beauty and sustainability. Nestled in the heart of downtown Manhattan, the hotel is a popular stay for travelers, tourists, and locals alike.

When the hotel was faced with furniture in need of an update, Westin Grand Central turned to The Refinishing Touch. Our crew quickly moved in to assess the existing furniture assets, formulate an effective plan, and reinforce 445 sofas and 754 lounge chairs. The end-result was over 1,000 re-upholstered like-new assets.

And the Westin Grand Central didn’t stop there. The hotel has also recently commissioned The Refinishing Touch to re-upholster 65 additional furniture assets. And in addition to saving approximately 80 percent in refinishing and re-upholstery costs when compared to purchasing new furniture, the hotel has also remained worry-free about the environmental-health of its establishment throughout the entire project. The Refinishing Touch implements eco-friendly materials and low VOC lacquers across all of our furniture asset management projects, bringing a new level of sustainability to each of our customers.

For more information on The Refinishing Touch and its services, please visit our website or email us today for a free quote. To book a stay at the luxurious Westin Grand Central Hotel, make a reservation here.

environmentally friendly, furniture asset management, hospitality, hotel, New York, Operational Update, re-upholstery, refinishing, renovation, The Refinishing Touch, VOC lacquers, VOCs, Westin Grand Central

April 5th, 2013 by TRT Blog

Along with providing high-quality furniture asset management services to our clients in the US and Canada, The Refinishing Touch also tries to spare some time to attend tradeshows, giving us the opportunity to hear more of the research, innovations and trends in our key industries.

Over the past quarter, we’ve packed our bags not once, but twice, to attend two conferences in the sunny state of California. To start off the New Year, we made our way to the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles, California. From January 22^nd until the 24^th, we attended the leading hotel investment conference in the world, accompanied by over 2,400 top industry leaders. Through networking, seminars and panel discussions, we walked away from the event with in-depth knowledge of the hospitality sector, which we have served for over 35 years.

Nearly one month later, we found ourselves at yet another tradeshow – this time at the Buyer Interactive Trade Alliance & Conference (BITAC) Purchasing & Design West, in Dana Point, California. Each and every year, as blogged about in the past, we make it a priority to attend this conference, as it provides us with a great venue to meet with past customers and future prospects. From March 10^th through the 12^th, our team experienced a warming reception, relationship-building dining, interactive educational sessions, one-on-one meetings, and evening entertainment. We had a wonderful time getting to meet industry professionals, and informing them of our award-winning furniture refinishing, re-upholstery and remanufacturing services – we already can’t wait for the next BITAC event!

While the first quarter of the fiscal year 2013 was certainly busy, filled with renovation projects and tradeshows, it was also very rewarding. By attending these conferences, we connected with potential clients, learned more about how our existing clients operate and were able to help spread the message about the work we do.

Were you at the BITAC or ALIS events with us this season? We’d love to hear more about your own experiences, and connect with you! Please email us or tweet us your feedback: @RefinishTouch.

To find out which events we will be traveling to next, be sure to subscribe to our InTouch quarterly newsletter by visiting our past archives here. The next edition will be hitting email inboxes on Tuesday, April 16^th – you don’t want to miss it!

March 19th, 2013 by TRT Blog

Over the past 35 years in business, The Refinishing Touch has been proud to provide sustainable and fiscally-responsible furniture asset management services to some of the largest, most well-known hotel corporations, including the Hilton, Hyatt, Best Western, IHG and more.

From our work, we’ve witnessed firsthand the tremendous progress in sustainability and environmental leadership throughout the hospitality industry – from the smallest gestures, like adding more easily-accessible recycling bins, to larger-scale initiatives like the construction of green roofs and solar panels.

Recently, the Global Sustainable Tourism Council hosted a conference where individuals and businesses alike shared this one common goal – making the world a better, greener place. Held in New Jersey, the conference highlighted the major trends and achievements in sustainability both in the city and worldwide.

Some of the key takeaways from the event included:

- 41% of leisure travelers today expect some progress in energy efficiency, waste recycling and water conservation in hotels

- Nearly two-thirds of business travelers cite an establishment’s eco-friendly initiatives when booking a room

- Wyndham is the greenest hotel company, according to Newsweek, while Fortune rates it as ‘the most admired company in the industry’

With these figures in mind, it’s important that property managers think outside of the recycling box, when attempting to further sustainable practices. For example, when undergoing renovations, one should think twice before buying new furniture in an effort to help prevent wood from making its way into landfills. Not only will The Refinishing Touch’s refinishing, re-upholstery and remanufacturing help reduce the amount of waste, but it will also lessen a property’s carbon footprint and prevent deforestation.

Operating a sustainable hotel is not only beneficial to the environment; it is also a low-cost way to capitalize on short- and long-term ROI. By up-cycling furniture assets, one can save up to 80 percent in renovation costs – a critical factor when faced with the increasing number of budget cuts. While some may view ‘green tourism’ as a pricey goal, it is now more cost-effective and attainable than ever before.

For more information on The Refinishing Touch and its refinishing, re-upholstery and remanufacturing in the hospitality, government and higher education housing sectors, please visit our website or listen to an audio overview here.

carbon emissions, conference, furniture asset management, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, hospitality, New Jersey, recyclying, remanufacturing, rennovations, reupholstery, Sustainability, The Refinishing Touch, tourism

March 15th, 2013 by TRT Blog

84 ski resorts in the Western United States were evaluated and ranked last month by the Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition for its annual environmental report card, and it’s great to see so many well-known ski areas topping the list and continuing an ongoing commitment to sustainability.

In addition to information submitted by resorts, ranks were determined based on information compiled from various web sites and public documents pertaining to 35 criteria points across four categories, and evaluated based on ski areas’ environmental practices, including environmental policies and regulations, addressing climate change, habitat protection, and watershed protection.

However, here at The Refinishing Touch, we were surprised to find that a resort’s score was subject to a significant drop while undergoing expansions or renovations. As a company that specializes in sustainable furniture asset management solutions, we are well-versed in the workings of a successful environmentally-friendly development project. While everyone, from ski resorts to college campuses, must still pay careful attention to the land on which they choose to expand, they can begin to eradicate a move’s negative environmental impacts by implementing some of the countless sustainable options available today.

Through the utilization of The Refinishing Touch’s furniture refinishing services, our customers have been able to undergo major construction and renovation projects whilst simultaneously reducing their carbon emissions as much as 90%. Instead of buying new, organizations can refinish, refurbish, or reupholster existing furniture with non-toxic, low VOC lacquers – eliminating harmful landfill waste, carbon impact, and negative effects to surrounding air, trees, water and communities.

Although we were disappointed to see poor results from resorts such as the Arizona Snowbowl – that have reportedly begun making snow with 100% sewage effluent – the overall ski industry’s improvement in just a year’s time is encouraging. We hope these results will serve to inspire even more resorts in the years to come.

For more information on The Refinishing Touch and its services please visit the website at www.therefinishingtouch.com. For full ranking and results from the Ski Area Citizens’ Coalition, please click here.

Arizona Snowbowl, development, environment, furniture asset management, Park City Mountain Resort, refinish, refinishing, refurbishing, rennovations, reuphostering, Ski Area Citizen's Coalition, Sustainability, The Refinishing Touch, Western United States

March 5th, 2013 by TRT Blog

As a company that prides itself on providing our government, higher education and hospitality clients with cost effective, innovative ways to enhance sustainability, celebrating and supporting environmentally-friendly initiatives is important to us.

One particular initiative that we’ve discussed on our blog before is National Telework Week, and yesterday marked the start of the event’s 3^rd year anniversary. Brought to you by Telework Exchange and Cisco, employees vow to work from home during the entire week in order to aide in minimizing their individual and our nation’s carbon footprint.

Last year, more than 71,000 people pledged to work from home for the first week of March, ultimately saving the planet $5,651,890, 3,453 tons of air pollutant, and 6,413,006 miles of gas fumes.  Telework Research Network found that on average 20 to 30 million people work from home at least one day a week, while 3.1 million work from home full time – and if these figures continue to increase, carbon emissions will continue to decrease.

While employers may be weary of letting their staff work from home, studies have shown that not only will productivity increase but so will revenue – big time. Each employee that no longer makes the trip into the office will cut bills in half, resulting in savings worth thousands.

Teleworking was reportedly conceptualized back in the 1990’s during the Information Age when personal computers and high technology advancements really took hold. Then in 2010, President Obama declared his support by signing the Telework Enhancement Act, an act requiring Federal agencies to create policies for teleworkers, and Telework Week was officially born.

The idea of teleworking has its critics, but for one week negative connotations can, and should, be put aside for the greater good. The five-day event not only reduces waste for the week, but brings wide-spread awareness to the pollution problem that affects our planet every day, a critical first step towards improving our environmental future.

To join the movement and take the pledge, click here.  To learn more about how The Refinishing Touch is helping our clients reduce their environmental impact through furniture asset management solutions such as refinishing, re-upholstering and remanufacturing, visit our website: www.therefinishingtouch.com.

Information Age, National Telework Week, refinishing, Remanufactuing, reupholstery, Telework Exchange, Telework Research Network, The Refinishing Touch

February 26th, 2013 by TRT Blog

Here at The Refinishing Touch, we place great value on our customers’ feedback, not only because it helps us to continually improve our services, but it also endorses the best aspects of our furniture asset management solutions. Whether in the form of a 140-character tweet, a lengthier email or participation in our Customer Communications program, Green Connect, our clients’ satisfaction with the overall project is one of our top priorities.

Recently, we received a customer nod of approval of a different kind – when Mary Hart, general manager of Hampton Inn Batesville, was interviewed on WRBI Radio 103.9. During the interview, Hart elaborated on the outcome of The Refinishing Touch’s work at the Batesville location, after we refinished worn case goods in 66 rooms, including wardrobes, desks, nightstands, headboards, bathroom vanities and luggage benches.

“We looked at a company called The Refinishing Touch, and they came in and we saved about $300,000,” Hart said. “They came in and refinished [the case goods] right in the room. The furniture looks brand new – I’m not just saying that.”

By choosing our on-site furniture refinishing, and avoiding the costly and environmentally-hazardous effects of purchasing new furniture, the Hampton Inn Batesville saved 92.5 percent in budget costs and decreased its estimated amount of greenhouse gas emissions from 96.4964 tons to a mere 0.9548.

Another positive aspect of The Refinishing Touch’s services is the guests staying at the hotel during the renovation work weren’t disturbed, as the hotel remained open for operation during the entire project. The Refinishing Touch crews would work on vacant rooms, and turn them over for occupation the next day. Even staff members who were on-site during our award-winning refinishing process were kept safe – as all our finishes are clean, non-toxic and non-flammable, containing no amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

For more information on Hampton Inn Batesville’s overall experience with The Refinishing Touch, please listen to a portion of the radio interview below, or read the press release here.

customer satisfaction, furniture asset management, green connect, greenhouse gas emissions, Hampton Inn Batesville, Mary Hart, refinishing, The Refinishing Touch, WRBI Radio

February 22nd, 2013 by TRT Blog

During our 35 years’ of providing on-site, cost-efficient furniture asset management services, we’ve noticed a common trend throughout various industries – the need for improved sustainability. The ongoing push towards green is seen each time The Refinishing Touch delivers its refinishing, re-upholstery and remanufacturing solutions to hotels, government offices, military barracks, college dormitories and more, all across the US and Canada.

The need for environmental preservation has even hit the grand seas, as large cruise lines like Royal Caribbean Cruises have begun implementing waste and carbon reduction techniques into overall corporate missions.

Jamie Sweeting, vice president of Environmental Stewardship at Royal Caribbean, elaborates on such efforts in a recent video interview by Environmental Leader. “We’re doing more in the way of waste management and waste handling,” Sweeting says in the clip. “We can have larger spaces to hold recyclables, for example, and that allows us to maximize the amount of recycling from our ships.”

Along with increasing consumer recycling, the popular international cruise line is also utilizing state-of-the-art technology to reduce and track the amount of energy and carbon used by each passenger. According to Sweeting, studies have shown a traveler on a cruise ship sends less than two pounds of trash to the landfill each year, compared to the over four pounds produced when at home.

Corporations are taking both small and large steps towards achieving minimal waste and carbon production. Whether through intricate implementation of technology, or by simply re-purposing existing furniture to avoid the environmentally-damaging need to buy new, the hospitality industry is showing signs of immense progress when trying to make guests’ stays as green as possible.

For more information on the carbon impact of refinishing furniture versus buying new, please refer to our website here. To hear Sweeting’s full interview, please watch the video below.

carbon emissions, cruises, environmental, Environmental Leader, green, re-upholstery, refinishing, remanufacturing, Royal Caribbean Cruise, Sustainability

January 25th, 2013 by TRT Blog

Green and luxury – some people may argue that these two ideas are mutually exclusive, but here at The Refinishing Touch, we know from the hundreds of hotels, spas and resorts that we’ve worked with to implement furniture asset management solutions over the past three decades that it is simply not true.  And we’re not alone either.

One story that caught our eye this week was one from the Lenox Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts.  Environmental project manager, Scot Hopps and his team have developed a number of clever and innovative ways to champion sustainable living for hotel guests throughout the duration of their stay.  Hopps told The Boston Globe that although “green is definitely the term du jour, what we are doing is more about sustainability and a long-term scope.”  As well as including a hypoallergenic floor throughout the hotel, the Lenox also uses hybrid vehicles, has filtered refill water stations to avoid plastic water bottle waste, and installs LED light bulbs throughout the hotel.

As a company that provides furniture asset management solutions for government agencies, higher education institutions, and hotels across the country, we know just how difficult it can be to implement and maintain green strategies, while sticking to a tight budget.  The Refinishing Touch’s services allow customers to refinish, remanufacture and re-upholster existing furniture, providing significant savings in budget expenditures and carbon emissions, when compared to buying new.

What the Lenox hotel has proven, not only to others in the industry, but hotel guests and travelers as well, is that when properly executed, design, taste and style need not be compromised in the mission toward sustainability.

To learn more about the Lenox Hotel, visit their website here. And to learn more about The Refinishing Touch and our services, go to our homepage, or request a free project quote today.

Boston, furniture asset management, LED lighting, Lenox Hotel, luxury, re-upholstery, refinishing, remanufacturing, Scot Hopps, Sustainability, The Boston Globe, The Refinishing Touch