Green Program

The Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association (AzLTA) and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) are pleased to offer the Certified Green Lodging program. This collaboration aims to facilitate a robust program that will help AzLTA lodging members continue to improve sustainability initiatives, while at the same time streamlining and modernizing the reporting process.

Learn more! Watch the Introduction to AzLTA Certified Green Lodging Program video.

BECOME A GREEN LODGING PROVIDER AND RECEIVE COUNTLESS BENEFITS:

Approved use of AzLTA’s Certified Green Lodging certification stickers for marketing (website, literature, decals, etc.).
A listing on the AzLTA website with an additional link on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality website which leads to the AzLTA website listing that identifies your business as AzLTA Green Certified: StayInAZ; AzLTA; ADEQ Resources; ADEQ.
Driving the brand reputation of your business by showing that it is doing everything that it can to be more environmentally sustainable in your community.
Measuring the environmental benefits that result from the initiatives that your business takes to qualify for and maintain certification within this program.
Creating new opportunities for your business to work in tandem with other local businesses in order to boost engagement, reputation, and interconnection within the local community.
Allowing AzLTA and its associates to let your guests know that you are committed to protecting the environment.
Preferred status with companies looking for hotels that practice sustainability and maintain corporate social responsibility.
Foster a “sense of place” with guests to make them want to keep returning to your business every year by showcasing and celebrating the captivating landscapes that are unique to Arizona.

We’re excited for this valuable program to help AzLTA members strengthen successful sustainability initiatives, while enjoying increased cost-cutting and budget savings.

Please note enhancements to the Certified Green Lodging Program are made possible by a successful grant award. The Students for Sustainable Lodging Project is coordinated within the guidelines of the ADEQ Pollution Prevention Program funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

How the Programs Works:

Complete the online Self-Certification Compliance Agreement and Self-Certification Checklist, filling out the line items that reflect actions the hotel has already taken. If you need assistance filling out the checklist, please call AzLTA at (602) 604-0729.
Each of the five (5) sections has specified required actions; these are industry standards that all “green hotels” should have implemented. These required items must all be completed in order to enroll in the program and receive the baseline certification level.
To become a certified Green Lodging Facility you must complete the required credits and have a tangible goal for the hotel. In order to receive a higher rank within the program, hotels must have implemented a specified number of additional credits and set an annual goal which will be reviewed for completion. Employing all of the initiatives in this workbook is unrealistic, so please use the ones that you have not yet implemented as recommendations.
Once the online Self-Certification Compliance Agreement and Self-Certification Checklist have been completed, send in Payment for review and annual certification to AzLTA:

FEES

$100 for properties up to 150 rooms
$200 for properties 150-500 rooms
$500 for properties with 500+ rooms
Non-member properties incur an additional $500 fee per category

Your enrollment and registration documents will be reviewed by AzLTA and you will be notified of your program eligibility which is subject to a program verification through an audit.

Once you’ve submitted your online enrollment:

AzLTA uses a third party inspector for program verification. The independent inspector will visit hotels by verification appointments held throughout the year. These visits will be scheduled in advance; there will be no “unannounced” visitations. Visits may require the independent inspector to spend the night to review management and staff activities. Participating businesses agree as part of the program to provide one night’s lodging in a standard, non-smoking room for this purpose at no cost to the inspector or AzLTA. Reservation should be provided at the time the visit is scheduled. Inspectors will not visit the business more than once per year, unless requested by the business or in order to provide certification to a hotel that did not qualify on the first inspection.

Once the checklist is completed by the hotels and an inspector has visited the location and verified that the information in the checklist is accurate, the supporting documents will go through a final review with AzLTA. You will then be sent an official notice of certification detailing your hotel’s official rank in the Green Lodging Program tiers. The official notice of certification will allow you to display the Certified Green emblem at your will, such as on a banner, flag, window, vehicle, counter, front desk, printed on your letterhead and marketing materials, etc.