Greetings!
 
Showcasing our AGPOM Members' sustainable practices is always a joy for us and this month's featured property is a brand new AGPOM member. Because Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort is so inspiring in their sustainability efforts we just couldn't wait to share them with you! Also included in this newsletter is an important article about risk management planning when adding new amenities to your property, eco-tips for making your holidays a little greener, AGPOM's Award-winning Green Insurance Partner and a spotlight on your AGPOM Member Benefit: Training Track.
The Association of Green Property Owners and Managers Newsletter
  
  
This Month's Featured
AGPOM Member
  
All photos courtesy of Sleeping Lady Resort
 

Sleeping Lady has long been known for its sustainable and ecologically-minded practices.

 

Once the location of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s and 1940s, when purchased in 1991 by Harriett Bullitt, 18 buildings were saved and remodeled to meet or exceed current building and energy codes. New buildings were constructed to blend with the original style and the land was replanted with native vegetation. All designed with the environment in mind.

 

Environmental conservation and a reverence for the natural landscape are essential elements of Sleeping Lady's mission and vision. They aspire to be models for both the eco-building and ecotourism industries, and to demonstrate the benefit of conservation in their daily operations. 


A Sampling of their sustainable features:
  • Reclaimed wood sourced on site used in construction
  • A two-acre organic garden that provides ingredients for the kitchen and composting
  • Energy saving compact fluorescent lights and occupancy sensors to control lighting
  • Electric vehicles fleet for maintenance staff
  • Water-conserving fixtures in bathrooms, including low-flow sink aerators, shower heads and toilets
  • A Geo-exchange system that supplies heating and cooling through underground tubes insulated in the earth.

 

Sleeping Lady's facilities are designed to be as energy efficient as possible and the use of natural materials in furniture, bedding and building materials are utilized throughout the resort. 

 

To help heat water, Sleeping Lady use a Therma-Stor heat pump. This    heat recovery system extracts heat from the kitchen and laundry and transfers it to heat water while also cooling and dehumidifying hot sports above the oven, dishwasher and dryer. Additionally, an air-to-air heat exchanger trades warm indoor air with cooler outdoor air while capturing and reusing some of the indoor heat.

 

Floors throughout the resort are mostly made from sustainably harvested wood or recycled fir. Bathroom floors are made of Marmoleum�, a composite of linseed oil and plant fibers that provides an natural alternative to plastic. Even the building insulation is composed on natural material made from ground computer paper and cardboard boxes. It is combined with a water-based, non-toxic fire-retardant binder.

 

 

Sleeping Lady Resort is currently pursuing the Leadership in Energy and environmental Design (LEED) Certification for Existing Buildings. Read more about Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort's sustainability here

 

Guests at Sleeping Lady can enjoy the natural setting of the Cascade Mountains and Icicle Creek without sacrificing the comforts of home. Whether you're looking for an adventure or simply to slow down and relax, Sleeping Lady offers many indoor and outdoor amenities to choose from.

 

Learn more about Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort here

 

 

Like to have your property featured in a future AGPOM newsletter? Contact us!

Additional Guest Services, Amenities Also Means Looking at Risk Management

 

By Annie George
Sound Risk Management Strategies

 

Today's consumer expects increasingly more when vacationing - whether it's a girl's weekend at a resort and spa, winter recess with the family at a property that boasts a water park and all types of kid and adult activities, or a romantic getaway involving moonlit dinners and daytime excursions.

 
And it's not only vacationers that are looking for more from the properties they choose; destination weddings have become increasingly popular with events planned for guests for a fun-filled weekend before, during and after the ceremony. 
   
Properties have stepped up to the plate, meeting consumer tastes and lifestyle choices in expanding the number of guest services that are part of an active and robust hotel and hospitality business. Indeed that's good for business. But along with an increase in business comes the ongoing need for constant reevaluation of the risks associated with these services to maximize profit, as well as to provide protection from injury and property loss. For a risk manager of a hotel property, these amenities represent vast potential exposure for injury or insurance-related loss. While injuries and losses cannot be avoided entirely, they can be minimized with proper risk management strategies in place.

 

Begin with the Right Insurance Plan

Proper risk management in the hospitality industry starts with an industry-specific insurance plan that is put together with the assistance of a firm that specializes in insuring hotels and resorts. A hotel/resort should work with a professional who understands the risks typically faced in the hospitality industry. Additionally, risk management practices must be established, implemented and regularly reviewed to make sure they reflect the property's current offerings and services. A professional experienced in the industry will have the resources and knowledge to help establish these practices.

 

Read the full article here 

AGPOM Member Benefit Feature: Training Track

Automate your employee training program with Training Track

 

Training Track delivers the scope and flexibility you need for a complete and automated online training program. Many different courses offered including: Wellness, Hazard Communication, Sexual Harassment Prevention, and other topics. Watch the video to learn more!

 

Training Track
Training Track Orientation Video

Highlights of Training Track:

  • Automatic reminders of upcoming or overdue trainings
  • Automatically updates and documents completed trainings
  • Eliminates the need for an on-site trainer
  • Demonstrates compliance and reduces incidents
  • Creates and deploys customized training content
  • Offers safety procedures and OSHA Certification
  • Includes easy to implement New Hire Orientation Programs and Important HR Policy Trainings
  • Some of the training materials are available in both English and Spanish

 

Training Track is part of the AGPOM Risk Management Center, a comprehensive suite of insurance risk management, workplace safety, and compliance software tools, available complimentary through AGPOM Membership.

 

  

Get Started Using Your Risk Management Platform Benefit!

webinar

 

Did you know that the online Risk Management Center can save you money? Join us for an educational overview webinar to learn more about the applications within your risk management platform.

  

Upcoming webinars will be held weekly to help you get more out of your platform and improve your productivity.

 

Choose from one of the following webinars and click the link to register.

Thursday, November 21st at 11:00am PST    

 

 

 

Don't have your login information? 

Contact Elise Veley: Elise.V@succeedms.com

or call (503) 783-1925 for your user name and password.

Fulcrum Insurance Programs Recognized as Leader in Sustainability

 

 

  Photo by: John Curry Photography    Pictured: AGPOM Founders Eric Arthur and Dusty Rowland with Heather Teegarden, AGPOM Executive Director

 

AGPOM's founder and insurance partner, Fulcrum Insurance Programs, was honored by Seattle Business Magazine as one of Washington state's most sustainably oriented organizations during the Washington Green 50 Awards Tuesday evening. Winners were selected from a large pool of nominations by a panel of judges from prominent environmental organizations including: Washington Environmental Council, Climate Solutions, Bainbridge Graduate Institute and Washington Clean Technology Alliance.

 

"Environmental sustainability, especially in relation to cost savings and risk control is a key focus at Fulcrum Insurance Programs," said Dusty Rowland, Fulcrum President & CEO. "From internal sustainable business practices to offering Green Replacement Coverage, we actively seek to mitigate the environmental impact of our business."

 

As such, in 2009 Fulcrum launched their Risk Purchasing Group that targets and incentivizes businesses that have embraced "Green Initiatives." This program was created in concert with the creation of AGPOM as a key initiative.

 

Through AGPOM, Fulcrum is helping property owners and managers make a commitment to a corporate sustainability policy and are addressing  the overlap between going green and the management of business risk. As the exclusive insurance partner Fulcrum has the ability to offer AGPOM membership to new customers as part of a value-added insurance platform. For Fulcrum clients: the "Greener" an insured, the lower their premiums.

 

To learn more about Fulcrum's Environmental Commitment click here.

 

This Month's Eco Tip: Greener Holidays

  

by Heather Teegarden, AGPOM Executive Director 

  

With the fall and winter holidays right around the corner it is a perfect time to start thinking about how you can celebrate "greener" both at your place of business and at home. Make your holidays more eco-friendly by re-thinking holiday gifts and d�cor while you reduce waste and conserve energy!

 
Greener Gatherings and Greetings

Entertaining is a big part of the holidays. Having a company party? Take a peek at the eco-tip section of our AGPOM Monthly Summer Issue for some suggestions on how to "Green Up Your Gatherings." Sending out holiday greetings? Save money, time and natural resources by sending your greetings and party invitations electronically.

  

Holiday Decor  

Instead of plastic, disposable decorations use natural decorations or make your own. Try creating festive displays using driftwood, dried grasses, winterberries and other natural items instead. Or put those old magazines and gift catalogs to use by using them to make holiday crafts. Get other recycled holiday craft ideas here.

 

Outdoor LED holiday lights use up to 90 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs and can last 20 to 30 years. Use LED lights indoors as well-on a tree, a mantel, in a menorah and in holiday centerpieces. Save even more energy by using a timer to shut lights off automatically. Turn off or unplug holiday lights when leaving the building. Doing so will not only save energy, but will also help your lights last longer and reduces fire risk.  

 

Green Your Gifts

Try to buy items with minimal packaging and/or made with recycled content. Check product labels to determine an item's recyclability and whether it is made from recycled materials. If you're shipping presents yourself, create your own packing materials using recycled newspaper and shredded paper or eliminate  additional energy consumption and air pollution by shipping the gift from the factory to the gift recipient.

 

Shopping local businesses, especially online, eliminates the pollution from car travel and the waste of paper catalogues. You'll save energy, time and stress by not driving back and forth to various stores.

 

Offer some gifts unwrapped. The gift of time or shared experiences such as tickets to a show or a sporting event create meaningful memories-and no wrapping paper waste. Making your own wrapping paper and bows is another great option to making your gift more memorable and meaningful. Be sure to re-use last year's greeting cards as gift tags!

 

And what better way to show your thanks to your customers and clients than a gift that also gives back to the planet?  The National Resource Defense Council offers a variety of good options.

 

Source: EPA

 

Check back next month for our Eco-tip on setting Sustainable Goals for your Business in 2014

 

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Our mission is to build awareness and stimulate use of green building practices and other risk mitigation techniques in order to increase the security and profitability of property owners and managers nationwide. 


Our vision is to become a recognized leader within the green movement known for helping members realize untapped value using the connection between sustainability and risk management.
  
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