“MDC Wallcoverings made this
happen for us. The REcore
product had the recycled
content and the design that the
hotel wanted.”
- Jill Schmitz,
Ramsey Purchasing
- The OMNOVA Reclamation Program has diverted nearly one ton of used vinyl wallcovering from the hotel during renovation.
- Ramsey Purchasing selected RECORE wallcovering for its 30 percent recycled content.
- By smartly pairing reclamation with recycled content, The Portola Hotel is one step closer to LEED Silver.
The Portola Hotel Taps MDC for its Sustainable Wallcoverings and Reclamation Program
Hotel Diverts Waste from Landfills and Contributes to LEED Points
For its recent renovation, the owners of the Portola Hotel & Spa hired a team that was experienced in LEED-quality design and whose design solutions would reflect the needs of the hotel’s environmentally conscious clientele.
According to Sunday Spencer, director of sales and marketing for the Portola Hotel & Spa, LEED certification was both morally driven and a competitive advantage.
“We’re an independent hotel in Monterey County, California, which is a naturally eco- friendly location,” she said. “Many corporations in the Bay Area have fully embraced sustainability and have green travel departments. The majority of our guests have come to expect a certain level of eco-responsibility.”
The lobby of the Portola Hotel reflects the natural landscape of California.
The executive team at the Portola Hotel chose Ramsey Purchasing for the 379-room renovation due to the company’s previous experience with sustainable projects, and put them in charge of buying materials that would contribute toward a LEED Silver certification.
The diversion of material from landfills and use of recycled content are two of the factors considered by the LEED point system.
One of the biggest contributors to the hotel’s candidacy for certification was the removal and replacement of its wallcoverings. To do this, Ramsey utilized the OMNOVA Wall- covering Reclamation Program offered by
MDC Wallcoverings. OMNOVA, the manufacturing mill for MDC, upcycles the reclaimed wallcoverings into new wallcoverings and other building products.
“The Portola Hotel wanted to do everything possible to contribute eco-friendly qualities to the hotel, and we supported their mission to achieve a LEED certification,” said Jennifer Ramsey, principal of Ramsey Purchasing. “Our client was pleased with the product because the materials and process reflected their philosophy.”
Portola room
The reclamation program works in conjunction with RECORE, a recycled wall technology made with 30 percent recycled content (which includes a minimum of 20 percent post- consumer recycled content). RECORE is featured in Bolta® and Genon® brands and looks, performs and hangs like traditional vinyl wall covering.
The hotel will complete its renovation in the fall of 2010. At that time, it will become the largest participant in the OMNOVA Reclamation Program, which was introduced at GreenBuild 2008. The innovative RECORE product and reclamation program were developed in response to market demand for a more sustainable wallcovering material.
This program diverted nearly a ton
of wallcovering waste that otherwise
would have been destined for a
landfill. The OMNOVA reclamation
program, in conjunction with the
REcore product, will put the hotel
closer to achieving LEED silver
certification.
In this case, more than 16,000 square feet of old vinyl wallcovering, weighing approximately 1,600 pounds, was saved from the landfill.
The hotel’s design team collaborated with MDC and OMNOVA to develop a custom taupe-colored, highly textural grasscloth-like wallcovering to reflect the hotel’s coastal, Monterey aesthetic.
The wallcovering made such an impact on the hotel that the pattern is featured as the backdrop on its website.
“MDC Wallcoverings made this happen for us,” said Jill Schmitz
of Ramsey Purchasing. “The RECORE product had the recycled con- tent and the design that the hotel wanted.”