The Best Western Peppertree Auburn Inn is going green.
The four-floor, 124-room, 10-suite motel – located at 401 8th St. SW – was one of seven hospitality properties in the state selected to receive a “green makeover” through a federally-supported program.
The Washington Lodging Association chose Best Western Peppertree Inns and Columbia Hospitality as pilot companies to participate in its Greening Washington’s Lodging Industry program.
A Washington State Department of Ecology grant is funding the greening program, which is intended to help hotels throughout the state save money, maximize marketing opportunities and capture new business.
“It also will help our industry become better environmental stewards,” said Jan Simon Aridj, president & CEO of the Washington Lodging Association.
Auburn is one of four Best Western Peppertree Inns to participate as pilots. The others are located in Spokane, Liberty Lake and Omak.
Cascadia Consulting Group, WLA’s professional partner, will carry out the green project this summer. Audits will be conducted to determine what types of improvements will be made at each of the properties.
The “greening” could include energy efficiency upgrades – from lighting and plumbing to heating and air conditioning – changes in guest rooms such as adding recycling bins, implementing food scrap composting and other features, according to Amity Lumper, senior associate for Cascadia Consulting.
“Auburn really has been a testing ground, a leader of the four Best Western Peppertree Inns of Washington in trying out new technologies,” Lumper said.
The family-owned Auburn inn already has switched to more efficient lighting, Lumper said.
Rita Santillanes, owner of Best Western Peppertree Inns, is encouraged by the green campaign.
“As a hotel owner, you are so busy that you don’t have the time to do the research … so they are doing this for us,” Santillanes said. “For us, we feel like we’re headed for success already. And this will help the hotel industry by being the pilot program. We love this opportunity.”
In addition, open houses and workshops will be held to showcase the hotels’ efforts and share the results and lessons learned with industry peers, guests and the public.
Elsewhere
• The YWCA and the Green River Career Center will host a large job and resource fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 27 at Grace Community Church, located at 1320 Auburn Way S.
More than 30 businesses, employers and resource groups will be participating in the free event.
The fair, presented by the YWCA Auburn Career Development Center, is an opportunity for the public to meet and network with top local employers and explore training programs and resources. Job seekers are encouraged to bring copies of their resumes and cover letters.
For more information, call 253-735-7030.
• Three Auburn businesses – WPX Delivery Solutions, 3 Phase Energy Systems, Inc. and Emerald Downs – recently participated in the seventh annual Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce Tradeshow on Wednesday. The show, one of the region’s largest business-to-business networking events, ran for one day at the Qwest Field West Plaza.
More than 150 local businesses featured their products and services to more than 1,000 attendees.
WPX Delivery Solutions provides delivery solutions to financial, medical and other industries in the Western States. 3 Phase Energy Systems develops, manufactures and markets innovative solutions that capture potential energy from overlooked, undiscovered, underutilized or wasteful processes in businesses and factories.
Emerald Downs is the home of thoroughbred racing in the Northwest. The one-mile oval, which opened in 1996, offers year-round simulcast racing and seasonal live racing, featuring the region’s prized jewel – the $250,000 (Grade III) Longacres Mile in August.
