Toronto Hotel Embraces Green Energy Sources
December 1st, 2010 by 
The hotel industry offers a variety of opportunities for workers who have attained solar certification. One exciting example is the Planet Traveler Hotel on College Street. The building, which once stood abandoned and in poor condition, was recently refurbished and is now being touted as Toronto’s greenest hotel. Hotel owner, Anthony Aarts, and his business partner, green venture capitalist, Tom Rand, worked together to complete the renovations.
Solar Certification Can Help Workers Access Jobs in Hotel Industry
The Planet Traveler features two types of solar installations – roof-mounted photovoltaic panels power the building and solar thermal cells help meet water-heating demands. Solar certification and training will ensure that employees in the building trades possess the tools needed to ensure that this and any future installations take place safely and efficiently. The hotel’s success story is another bright spot in Toronto’s solar industry.
Green Energy Features Cut Hotel’s Emissions
The Planet Traveler’s renovations took four years and $2 million to complete. $200,000 of this money was allocated to green energy retrofitting. The hotel hopes to reach its goal of reducing emissions by 75% in the future by utilizing both its solar panels and geothermal technology. Its geothermal pumps transmit heat from about 115 metres underground, through almost two kilometres of pipes. Copper coils help to insulate the drainage pipes, recovering heat lost in the water cooling process. These coils were designed by RenewABILITY, a Canadian pipe company that specializes in reducing heating costs. LED lightbulbs also help conserve the energy generated by the solar panels.
Hotel Is Mostly off Toronto’s Grid
The hotel has many other low-carbon features as well. Thanks to the investments its owners have made in green energy technologies, the hotel provides most of its own energy, enabling it to exist mostly off the grid.
The Planet Traveler charges $30 per dorm-style bed or $75 for a private room, and currently boasts 114 beds. It is scheduled to be open soon.
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photo: Clean Energy.
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