Hotel Carlton, part of boutique hotel company Joie de Vivre Hospitality, is the first in San Francisco to have solar panels installed to offset its energy use.

The hotel partnered with San Francisco-based Sunlight Electric, a commercial solar power supplier to undertake the installation and has had 105 solar panels fitted covering 1,332 sq ft (124sq m) of its roof.

The panels will reduce the hotel’s electricity usage by 12 per cent, its carbon emissions by 14,970 kg per year and will save 4.5 acres of trees.

The balance of energy used is being offset through the hotel’s participation with Carbonfund.org, making its operation carbon-neutral.

Guests will be able to monitor the total kilowatt energy generated by the solar power system through a computer monitor at the hotel’s front desk.

“The operational changes we have made along with the new solar panels will lessen the environmental impact of the hotel,” said Pamela Flank, general manager.

The 161-room boutique hotel has been accredited as the City’s Green Business certification for its many eco-friendly practices such as using non-chemical cleaning products, recycled paper and soy-based inks.

The hotel also has motion light detectors in guest rooms, low flow showerheads and toilets to conserve energy and water, a comprehensive recycling scheme and a employee conservation education programme.

“We are proud to have met the strict San Francisco Green Business certification standards so that we can offer an environmentally-sustainable experience to our guests, our employees and the community,” said Flank.

Hotel Carlton hosted an event on 21 April to celebrate its switch to solar power.