Green in San Jose

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is committed to providing luxury guest accommodations and meeting space, while reducing our impact on the environment.  We at The Fairmont San Jose are no different.  Our commitment to be environmentally friendly is reached through the following:

For all guests staying multiple nights, housekeeping will change the linen every second day.  Towels that are left hanging will not be removed and towels placed on the floor will be replaced.  Of course if a guest so chooses, we gladly change the sheets daily. 

The hotel uses eco-conscious hotel cleaning products.  Partially used amenities and household goods are distributed to local shelters and charities.

We offer paperless check in and check out at the Front Desk, while guests may alternatively check out using the TV in their guestroom.  A dedicated TV channel provides hotel information and updates to all guests. We will stop daily guestroom newspaper delivery upon request.  We email letters and contracts whenever possible.

Currently approximately 87% of the hotel uses compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), replacing traditional incandescent bulbs.  In the United States, a CFL can save over US$30 in electricity costs over the lamp's lifetime compared to an incandescent lamp, and save 2000 times their own weight in greenhouse gases. 

For guests driving into the hotel, we offer complimentary valet parking for all Hybrid vehicles.  Hybrid vehicles reduce the strain on our natural resources and improve the air quality as well.

We offer recycling bins in all guest rooms, plus we have them available for meeting spaces as well.  Employees are also asked to recycle throughout the hotel.  We recycle glass, plastic, newspapers, and paper. 

Water is our most important resource and is a resource that is becoming more expensive for human consumption each day.  Throughout the hotel, we offer water saving faucets and showerheads.

In 2006 The Fairmont San Jose installed a cogeneration plant that we utilize for our electrical and hot water needs.  Cogeneration is the use of a heat engine to simultaneously generate both electricity and useful heat.  This has increased the efficiency for the hotel by 70%.

We have also installed an energy management system in the hotel.  With this system it is possible to control heating and cooling functions with software that takes into account a wide range of variables, thereby achieving greater efficiency.

We have installed motion detectors for light switches in our executive offices.  These switches control the lights throughout the offices, thereby reducing electrical power for our offices when someone is not present.

Our menus are created using local, sustainable options whenever possible.  Our seafood choices are sustainable.  We offer organic beverages; our tea collection is committed to sustainable production adhering to all social and environmental laws.

For meeting rooms we offer refillable water pitchers as opposed to water bottles to reduce waste.  We use china and flatware cutlery instead of disposable items, linen napkins to replace paper napkins, creating a disposable free element.

Fairmont San Jose also has a committee whose mission is to find new innovative initiatives for our hotel and our brand. 

Due to our efforts Fairmont Hotels and Resorts has been recognized as a world leader for hotel green efforts.  With this goal in mind, Fairmont San Jose has committed itself to being green without comprising the guest experience.