Sustainability + The Environment

In in Hotel rooms, we have partnered for over a decade with Malin + Goetz New York we opted to steer away from individual travel sized disposable containers and single use plastics, and instead opted for full size refillable dispensers to reduce wasteful packaging. We also use Eco Logo Certified housekeeping cleaning products from Ecolab.

All of our Chef’s creations emphasize local, organic, sustainable produce, and suppliers are chosen for their fresh flavors and green practices. Our properties are certified with Ocean Wise and FeastON. At the Drake Hotel we also have a kitchen composting and organic waste program in place, and work with Too Good To Go to minimize food waste.

The Drake is proud to participate in full recycling of glass, paper, cardboard and plastics from hotel guestrooms and F+B venues.  We practice safe disposal of hazardous materials, and special wastes and unwanted electronics that can’t be put in The Drake’s Blue Box and should not go in the garbage (such as leftover paint, non-rechargeable batteries and empty propane cylinders) or electronics (such as televisions, computers and fax machines). Our kitchen also recycles fryer oil via a local bio-fuel organization.

On an ongoing basis, The Drake promotes staff awareness of energy consumption, and encourages sensitivity to how heating/cooling, lighting, and other systems work and the energy that is wasted by leaving doors open or lights on when not necessary.  Hydro and gas conservation though energy audits of our properties have resulted in installation of low-flow showerheads and lighting system retrofits. Our goal is to reduce our energy demand and overall environmental footprint through continuous investment in energy-efficient operating policies, fixtures and equipment replacements.

The Drake Hotel meets the Toronto Green Standard 2.0 – Tier 2 requirements for sustainable design, which was the highest sustainable level requirement for the City of Toronto Standard at the time of construction.

The Drake Hotel’s building envelope design high levels of insulation and thermal bridging mitigation, allowing for optimal thermal performance and energy efficiency. Window glazing and a special UV film on all windows allows for highly efficient temperature control, as well as migratory bird protection. Mechanical systems, including Variant Refrigerant Flow Heat Pump systems, achieves a minimum of 25% greater efficiency than required by the Ontario Building Code.

The Drake Hotel has been able to reduce potable water consumption by a minimum of 30% using efficient water fixtures and appliances. Water efficiency was carried to the exterior of the building by utilizing multiple green roof locations with native drought tolerant species to mitigate Storm Water without the use of onsite cisterns to store excess water during rainstorm events.