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Green inn will be first of its kind in Midwest

DELAVAN TOWNSHIP — A totally "green," 19-room, luxury bed and breakfast inn being developed in Delavan Township will be the first of its kind in the Midwest.

The Green Leaf Inn, located off Wisconsin Highway 50 and west of Wisconsin Highway 67, plans to open in the summer of 2010 and will make Walworth County a major point of interest for the burgeoning eco-tourist movement.

The Inn will incorporate green energy sources, renewable and sustainable materials and practices, and environmentally responsible land and water use, according to a news release

That is the goal of Catherine McQueen and Fritz Kreiss, the owners of the Green Leaf. The couple has been in the energy industry for more than 17 years, and has been involved with the green energy movement from the start of their professional partnership, but the hospitality industry is a whole new field for them. With the Green Leaf, they've jumped in feet first."

"Walworth County is a wonderful location," Kreiss said. "Within easy driving distance to the three major population centers in the area (Chicago, Milwaukee, and Madison), yet still relatively unspoiled. Lake Geneva was one of the most popular tourist destinations in the area in the 20th Century. We want to set the stage to keep it that way in the twenty-first."

Their goal is to meet the highest standards for green building in all aspects of the Inn's design and construction. The list of technologies and practices involved has proven to be daunting. "We had a background in green energy: solar, wind, geothermal, biomass," says McQueen. "One of our early business ventures involved combined heat and power (CHP) units. But sustainable building, sustainable landscaping, water use, renewable materials, low-impact practices...we've put together quite a list of things to consider." With no previous experience in the hospitality industry, they've also had to learn about aspects of zoning and permitting that were new to them.

"We want the Green Leaf Inn to be a learning center," says Kreiss. "I think we can say it has already succeeded in that respect."

The couple have created a Web site to document the inn building process at www.greeningtheinn.com. The companion site, www.thegreenleafinn.com, will begin taking reservations once the Inn is closer to completion.

The completed Inn will feature 19 suites in two buildings. As part of the design process, Kreiss and McQueen will convert their current residence into a three-suite lodge and breakfast area. The two inn buildings will be connected by another structure, which will act as a welcome and conference center. Their aim is to provide an experience to guests which is both immersive in the green lifestyle and yet still luxurious. "People have an image that living green necessarily means doing without," says McQueen. "Actually, it means making careful, informed decisions. You can have your Jacuzzi; at the Inn, it will be powered by a solar panel or a small wind turbine, heated by a solar thermal system or biomass boiler, and the gray water will be recaptured and reused when you're done."

Guests will be encouraged to use their stay as a chance to explore green and sustainable technologies. "Our goal is to include as many technologies as we can feasably fit, and incorporate them in ways that make it easy for guests to explore what's going on behind the scene," says Kreiss. "On the other hand, if they just want to enjoy their hot tub and their bamboo sheets, that's also fine. We want to encourage, not preach."

"Green" tourism has been slow to start in America, which has lagged behind other countries in adopting a more environmentally conscious lifestyle, but the movement is growning, and "green" bed and breakfasts are beginning to appear across the country. "What's going to be different about the Green Leaf is that we're not doing a green retrofit," says McQueen. "We're doing this from the ground up. We're going to consider every aspect of the design and every aspect of the process. You will literally be living green wherever you go on the grounds, from the paving in the driveway to the bioswales at the end of the property."

The couple hopes the Green Leaf will be the first step in a movement to make Walworth County a prime location for new green businesses in the area. "The time is righ," says Kreiss. "The incentives are there. The industries are ready to gear up. Green is going to be a major part of this country's economic future. They could be a huge benefit to Walworth County; help this area maintain its quality of life without sacrificing its character. There's going to be a green center to this area: why not Walworth County?"