Five Chicago hotels have been awarded Green Seal Certification - Hotel Monaco Chicago, Hotel Burnham, Hotel Allegro Chicago, InterContinental Chicago, and the Talbott Hotel - making Chicago the city with the most Green Seal Certified hotels in the nation.

An additional twenty Chicago hotels have also accepted the challenge by pursuing Green Seal certification, an environmental lodging standard with requirements in waste minimization, energy efficiency, water conservation, waste-water management and green procurement.

Green Seal Inc., an independent not-for-profit organization, certifies lodging properties that represent leadership in reducing their impact on the environment and human health Green Seal's certification process involves review of the hotels' purchasing records, processes and procedures, as well as an on-site audit of the property. Certification grants the hotel license to use the Green Seal mark for one year, after which the hotel is audited for continued compliance.

"Green Seal is delighted to be partnering with the City of Chicago on its Green Hotels Initiative," says Dr. Arthur Weissman, President and CEO of Green Seal.  "We anticipate that a large number of hotels will be certified in Chicago, which is testament to the hard work of Mayor Daley's employees as well as of the hotels themselves."

Research data from the Chicago Climate Action Plan shows that 71 percent of green house gas emissions in Chicago result from buildings.  With its 24-hour operations, the hotel industry can be carbon intensive.  As a result, hotels can play an important role in helping reduce emissions and provide tourists and visitors with world-class accommodations and sustainable lodging standards.