Blue Door on Baltimore
2023 E. Baltimore St Baltimore, MD 21231 Central Maryland 410-732-0191 www.bluedoorbaltimore.com We continually make efforts to expand a Green footprint and reduce carbon reliance for our property Management and Leadership We use the following best management practices: Environment Policy Statement Environmental Team: Single Person Owned establishment. Reviews of consumption done monthly and quarterly. Set Annual Goals: Monthly reviewing energy and water usage to ensure reductions are occurring in usage. Reviews of Products for details on their production, contents and recycle qualities. Examine grocery buying habits to ensure local growers are used as much as possible. We have a purchasing policy to encourage the purchase of environmentally-friendly products and services List of our environmentally friendly products and services: Comphy Micro fiber bed linens - require 50% laundry dry time than traditional cotton fabrics, contain recycled materials and can be recycled. Gilchrist and Soames guest soaps and lotions which have no petroleum based products with recycled containers. Room cleaning done with cotton towels to reduce reliance on paper in cleaning. Local Farmers Market utilized for local produced products. Energy and water efficient washers used to reduce consumption of power, water and detergents. High efficiancy water heaters for supplying guest rooms and operations. Set back thermometers for heating and cooling. 100% wind generated electric purchased. Environmental Restoration or Community Environmental Projects: Members of Butchers Hill Community Association, and Historic House Tour sub-committee member. Members and business donor for Friends of Patterson Park. Members of Authentic Baltimore dedicated to the preservation of historic properties in Baltimore City. Maintain cleanliness of building curb footprint and maintain debris-free storm drain located in front of property. Catch system to recycle rain water run-off. Independently Audited Environmental Management System: Responsible Care Waste Reduction We use the following best management practices: Have a plan in place to reduce property waste Track overall waste bills and established baseline data for quantity of wastes produced Set a numeric goal of overall waste reduction Guest Rooms Use bulk soap dispensers instead of individual soaps / shampoos in guest rooms Use real coffee mugs and no polystyrene products Instruct housekeeping to save and reuse unopened items Kitchen and Prep / Dining / Catering / Meetings and Events / Campground Snack Bar Use effective food inventory control to minimize waste Purchase locally grown produce and other foods Purchase organic foods Purchase sustainably grown foods Do not use polystyrene coffee cups Do not use any disposable containers, dishware, cutlery or cups Use disposable food service items are eco-friendly - polystyrene is avoided If disposable containers are used, they are made from - bio-based materials, recycled content, and/or compostable material Use cloth napkins and tablecloths Use reusable dishware and glassware and minimize use of disposables Use non-bleached napkins and coffee filters Provide condiments - (cream and sugar, etc.) in bulk Use water pitchers and filtered water to minimize the use of single-use bottles Use menus and table placards as opportunity to communicate green activities Print menus on recycled FSC-certified, recycled-content paper with vegetable-based inks and include recycling symbols, recycled-content, and a message about the inks Provide organic, local or sustainable food choices Use Maryland Green Travel logo or other emblem to indicate organic, local or sustainable menu choices Use screen-based ordering systems Launder staff uniforms using wet or other environmentally friendly methods versus chemical-based dry cleaning Restrooms Use bulk soap dispensers in public restrooms Purchase recycled-content paper towels and toilet paper Registration / Office Use last-in/first-out inventory and effective labeling systems Use electronic correspondence and forms Purchase from vendors and service providers with a commitment to the environment Encourage suppliers to minimize packaging and other waste materials Purchase recycled paper with a high percentage recycled content Make 2-sided copies / printed materials and avoid making extra copies Use recycled content paper for copies / printed materials Remove facility and staff names from junk mail lists when possible Reuse or donate shipping and packing supplies (peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.) Promote other green attractions, activities and Maryland Green Travel facilities Retail Sell environmentally friendly products Sell sustainable, organic or local products Buildings and Grounds Use green cleaning chemicals Dispense cleaning agents in bulk to reduce quantities used Purchase durable equipment and furniture Purchase low-VOC carpets and fabrics Use low VOC adhesives Use reused building materials or those from sustainable sources Use latex paints that are low or no-VOC Properly recycle and/or dispose of thinners and solvents - required by EPA regulations Perform preventative maintenance on all appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing and vehicles Use less toxic materials Use integrated pest management - IPM Minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers in landscaping Use a nutrient management plan that minimizes the use of fertilizers Use natural fertilizers instead of synthetics Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Waste Reduction: We focus our paint buying on water based products if at all possible. We collect toxic chemicals and old paint for disposal at Baltimore City Toxic Chemical Removal Days held twice per year. We have re-purposed fixtures and storage units for support and use in Back office operations rather than sending them to the trash bin. Recycling Recycle cans in rooms. Trash separated to recycle disposed of items disposed. We have clearly marked recycling bins or provide convenient drop off locations We are recycling: Aluminium Cans Batteries Cardboard Electronics equipment Glass Fluorescent Lamps Newspaper Office Paper Packing Supplies Plastic Printer and copy machine toner cartridges Steel Cans Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Recycling: Remove the need to recycle plastic water bottles by providing UV Filtered water station for guest consumption. Water Conservation Have a plan in place to reduce property water usage Track water bills and established baseline data on water usage and wastewater generation Have a numeric goal to reduce water consumption over time Perform preventative maintenance to stop drips and leaks Discourage water-based cleanup, ie. sweep first Use microfiber technology mops Use or installed the following devices: low flow restrictors on faucets and showerheads low flow toilets (1.6 gpf or less) waterless urinals composting toilets automatic or sensored faucets or toilets in public restrooms an air-cooled versus a water-cooled icemaker high efficiency Energy-Star rated dishwashers Have an effective landscape management plan which utilizes: landscaping using BayScapes techniques Have an effective storm water plan management including: Pervious pavement, and/or minimization of impervious areas like paving, concrete, etc Use cisterns Use rain barrels Maintain vegetative buffers around streams and ponds Collection of storm water runoff for irrigational use	Energy Efficiency We use the following best management practices: Have a plan in place to reduce property energy usage Track overall energy bills and establish baseline energy usage Have a numeric goal to reduce energy usage over time Have had an energy audit to identify efficiency opportunities Have an energy management system in place to track and meter energy usage Kitchen Regularly evaluated existing ovens and other kitchen equipment for temperature settings and energy efficiency opportunities Confirmed that all refrigerator, freezer and oven gaskets provide a good seal, or replaced Routinely clean condenser coils on all refrigeration equipment Optimized flow rates of exhaust hoods through upgraded equipment or side panels. Lighting: Designed use of natural lighting Use lighting sensors to turn on/off lights Use occupancy sensors to turn on/off lights Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms Minimize the use of lighting during night cleaning Use of directional, downward-facing, lighting in parking areas and other outdoor areas Use high efficiency compact fluorescent light bulbs in rooms, canned lighting or wherever possible Use high efficiency fluorescent ballasts and lamps - T-5's & T-8's Use LED Exit Signs Use LED lighting for:Emergency signs and guest room night lights Heating and Cooling Have a high efficiency heating and air-conditioning HVAC system Regularly perform preventative maintenance on HVAC system Have programmable thermostats for each room and ensure they are properly adjusted Minimize the use of lighting during night cleaning Use ceiling fans Keep office doors and windows closed if HVAC system is on Have installed additional insulation Energy Efficiency: ENERGY STAR computers, appliances, office equipments etc. Have thermal-rated windows and insulation Turn off all electrical items in unoccupied rooms when not in use or at the end of the day Calculated the pollution factor of our energy usage by using a pollution calculator Purchase Green Power from utility Linen Service and Laundry: We use these best management practices: Provide optional linen service - Change linens only upon request Train staff on the process for optional linen service Have signage in each room explaining the linen reuse procedures Track optional linen participation rate Have water- and energy-efficient washers and dryers Use non-phosphate, non-toxic and biodegradable laundry detergents Minimize the use of bleach and chlorinated chemicals Use linen service providers that employ wet versus dry cleaning Line dry items whenever possible Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics for Laundry and Linen Service: Use Micro Fiber linens to reduce dry times. Green Events We use the following best management practices: Use ideas set forth in Maryland Green Travel's Checklist for Planning Green Events Support event planners who want to hold green events Provide visible recycling at all green events Minimize the use of disposable food service items Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics regarding Green Events: Subscribe to Green Lodging electronic news letters and LEED publications Other Green Practices Transportation: We use the following best management practices: For guests: Educate guests on the availability of mass transit Green Building: Our building is LEED certified: Historic Property:The Blue Door on Baltimore is a restored Baltimore Rowhouse- 1907 built. We continually strive to bring back elements into the house to their original design. House has two original cast Bath Tubs and original wood modlings. We are members of Authentic Baltimore for the preservation of historic architecture and information within Baltimore City. Sustainable Building Materials:An element of the decor at the Blue Door are our reclaimed wide plank Georgia Pine floors throughout the home. This reduces our need for installed carpet, making for a clean and alergy free environment for our guests. Measurable Results Reduce linen laundry drying time by 40% by using Micro fiber sheets. Reduce reliance on Fossil Fuel generated electricity by 100% by purchasing Wind generated electricity. Remove reliance on Plastic bottled water by 100% by using filtered water units in property.