USA, Long Beach, California. April 02, 2024

Coinciding with Earth Day 2024, Ensemble Hospitality is introducing a new eco-friendly tourism program, "Sustainable Travel with Ensemble" that will be rolled out at its nine owner-operated hotels in three states. To celebrate its new sustainable travel program, Ensemble hotels are preparing for several special events leading up to Earth Day on April 22 with this year's theme of "Planet vs. Plastics."

EarthDay.org is unwavering in its commitment to end plastics for the sake of human and planetary health, demanding a 60% reduction in the production of all plastics by 2040.

"Sustainable Travel with Ensemble" is focused on reducing Ensemble's overall carbon footprint and designed to drive positive change and reduce carbon emissions in the coming years by concentrating on five key initiatives at the property level including,

- Carbon offsetting: reduce energy consumption by 10% year over year.

- Single-use materials: eliminate 90% of all single-use plastics, such as bottles, bags and flatware.

- Minimize waste: reduce, reuse, and recycle 10% waste diversion.

- Water usage: reduce water consumption by 5% year over year.

- Focus on food: sustainable sourcing.

"All of our hotels have increasingly improved their green practices in recent years and now we are even more motivated to officially introduce our new ‘Sustainable Travel with Ensemble' program. These travel practices amplify existing companywide sustainability initiatives," said Kristi Allen, Executive Vice President at Ensemble Hospitality. "Our goal is to build on these successes and foster a more sustainable, thriving, and equitable future for everyone. By embracing sustainable travel practices, we can minimize our environmental footprint, support local communities, and contribute to the preservation of natural resources in the markets that we operate."

The "Sustainable Travel with Ensemble" program reinforces the sustainability efforts that have been underway at Ensemble Hospitality properties including the elimination of plastic water bottles at all properties; replacing single-use, in-room amenities with larger refillable dispensers at Dream Inn Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, Calif., and the Best Western Sedona in Sedona, Ariz.; and LEED certification or its equivalent at two new hotel projects with La Bahia Hotel and Spa now under construction and opening in spring 2025 in Santa Cruz, and Waylen - Navy Yard under construction beginning this year in Philadelphia.

Each Ensemble Hospitality hotel property has formed an onsite sustainability committee and has identified three baseline results resources important to measuring the program success at each hotel including "Green Key Global," "Avendra" and the analysis of "Monthly Utilities Reports."

Green Key Global is the hotel and lodging industry's sustainability certification program of choice. A property that is certified through Green Key Global has met their criterions, which are continuously revised and improved for alignment with the latest sustainability standards. A hotel property certified through Green Key Global regularly goes through a rigorous assessment and audit process in which they are evaluated in the following areas: energy conservation, water conservation, solid waste management, hazardous waste management, indoor air quality, community outreach, building infrastructure, land use, and environmental management.

To assist with focusing on food sustainable sourcing, Ensemble Hospitality has partnered with Avendra, North America's leading hospitality procurement services provider, which strives to operate and do business in a manner that balances economic, social and environmental needs and limitations, while moving together towards corporate social responsibility and sustainability.

Ensemble Hospitality will focus on Monthly Utilities Reports that will be analyzed at the hotel property levels to determine action steps in energy and water management by establishing goals and tracking activities to maximize sustainable efficiencies.

Ensemble corporate has also created a sustainable footprint across several states including eight projects in California, nine projects in Pennsylvania and one project in New Jersey with green assets owned comprised of eight commercial office buildings and four hotels, and projects under development with two hotels, one commercial life sciences building, seven multi-family projects and one parking garage. Ensemble has received certifications in LEED ratings including one platinum, ten gold, eight silver, one certified, and three LEED equivalent.

In sustainability detail, Ensemble owns 660,385-square-feet of commercial office space and 580,000-square-feet of hotel space for a total of 1,240,385-square-feet with a total hotel units and keys of 831. Ensemble has under development 141,825-square-feet of commercial life science space, 455,909-square-feet of Hotel space, 2,279,660-square-feet of multi-family space, and 250,000-square-feet of parking garage space, for a total of 3,127,394-square-feet, with hotels units and keys of 378 and multi-family units and keys of 1,723, for a total units and keys of 2,101.