Hilton Worldwide became the first hospitality company to achieve Superior Energy Performance certification from the U.S. Department of Energy for leadership and improvement in energy management and productivity at three landmark hotels. Washington Hilton, Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort and Hilton Union Square San Francisco are the first commercial buildings to achieve the SEP certification.

“We are proud to not only be the first hospitality company, but also the first company outside of the manufacturing sector to achieve certification through the DOE’s SEP program,” said Maxime Verstraete, vice president of sustainability, Hilton Worldwide. “SEP provides us with performance metrics to drive continuous improvement in energy management that are aligned with our goals to reduce our carbon footprint and increase cost savings across our global portfolio of more than 4,500 properties. We look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Energy to expand our participation in the program.”

In addition to energy, the company has set targets in the areas of water conservation, waste diversion, carbon reduction and social impact. Hilton has also partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy through the Better Buildings Challenge to achieve a 20 percent energy savings goal over the next 10 years.