Los Angeles Green Business Certification Program

The Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation has developed the City of Los Angeles Green Business Certification Program, which is comprised of three programs: the Los Angeles Green Lodging Program, the Los Angeles Green Business Program and the Los Angeles Green Arts Program. The City of Los Angeles Green Business Certification Program recognizes and promotes businesses that volunteer to operate in a more environmentally responsible or sustainable manner. To become a Certified Green Business, participants must meet program standards for conserving resources, preventing pollution and minimizing waste and be in compliance with all environmental laws and regulations.

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The Green Business Program focuses on three business sectors – restaurants, auto repair shops, and office and retail enterprises are able to apply to have their businesses recognized as certified green businesses. Additional commercial and industrial sectors will be added as program capacity and demand grows. The Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) and the Bureau of Sanitation have developed certificate criteria for the Green Business Program based on the State of California Green Business Program.

The Green Lodging Program concentrates on the hospitality industry, with the non-profit organization Green Seal conducting the certifications in partnership with the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, and the Bureau of Sanitation providing program oversight. Los Angeles hotels that earn the Green Seal are leaders in sustainability and have completed a certification process and on-site audit. There are three levels under which lodging properties may apply for certification:

1. Bronze: an entry level that contains essential leadership elements of a lodging operation.
2. Silver: a more comprehensive level of required leadership operations.
3. Gold: subsumes the second and adds additional criteria characterizing properties that are at the forefront of environmental leadership.

To qualify, hotels must demonstrate sustainable practices in waste management, energy efficiency, wastewater management, hazardous waste disposal and environmentally sensitive purchasing. Bronze recognizes hotels with a strong foundation of sustainable practices; Silver distinguishes hotels that have substantially reduced their environmental impact and practice at the leadership level of sustainable practices.

Concourse Hotel at Los Angeles International Airport - Certified Silver
6225 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310.670.9000

Crowne Plaza Los Angeles International Airport - Certified Bronze
5985 W. Century Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310.642.7500

Hilton Los Angeles Airport - Certified Bronze
5711 W. Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310.410.4000

Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel - Certified Bronze
6101 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310.642.1111

Westin Los Angeles Airport - Certified Silver 
5400 West Century Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310.216.5858

Hilton Los Angeles Universal City - Certified Gold
555 Universal Hollywood Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 91608
818.506.2500

JW Marriott at L.A. Live - Certified Silver
900 W. Olympic Blvd. 
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213.765.8600

Here are some of the ways that L.A. hotels save on the costs of energy, water, waste disposal and more: 

• Replacing old packaged terminal air conditioners with energy efficient systems for a 120-room hotel at 85% occupancy can save $5,360 a year.
• The Westin Bonaventure achieved an estimated annual savings of 10 million gallons of water (compared to other hotels with similar occupancy) due to efforts which included switching from dual-head showers to single-head showers.
• Replacing 192 32-ounce bottles of ready-to-use cleaner with one 16-ounce bottle of concentrated all-purpose cleaner can save as much as $760 a year.

The Green Arts Program operates in collaboration with Arts: Earth Partnership (AEP) and L.A.’s Department of Cultural Affairs. The Green Arts Program certifies theaters, galleries, studios, performing arts companies, museums, and other venues hosting arts-related activities using AEP’s Cultural Facility/Theater/Museum/Art Gallery/Studio Certification Checklist.