SAN DIEGO—When the Hotel Indigo San Diego-Gaslamp Quarter opens August 1, it will be the first InterContinental Hotels Group hotel to open with LEED certification as a goal. It will also be the first hotel in San Diego to pursue LEED and the first Hotel Indigo to open in that city. There is currently just one other Hotel Indigo in California—in Rancho Cucamonga. The 12-floor, 210-guestroom property was built where an auto repair shop once stood. Non-hazardous material from the building site was recycled and diverted from the local landfill. The hotel is located close to the active Gaslamp Quarter and within walking or cycling distance to public transportation.
The hotel’s design is inspired by its local surroundings. Guests entering the property are welcomed by a floor to ceiling water wall in the lobby, a rock wall behind the front desk and numerous live plants. Chris Jones, general manager of the hotel, says the goal of the design is to “bring nature inside.” The InterContinental Hotels Group, which will own and operate the hotel, commissioned a local photographer to capture San Diego in photos. Each guestroom includes a wall mural featuring a local scene. Outside the property, a 40-foot glass mural mimics the ripples of the Pacific Ocean. The name of the mural is “Indigo Waves.”
The hotel’s stylish, inviting design is inspired by the Golden Mean (also known as the Fibonacci Sequence or Phi)—a universal design constant found in nature, art and architecture to create a pleasing, well-balanced environment. Simple touches can be found throughout the hotel, from perfectly proportioned headboards on guest beds (five padded panels across, three down) to Haiku poems on restaurant menus.
Two Green Roofs Included
The Hotel Indigo San Diego-Gaslamp Quarter will feature two green roofs—one on the ninth floor and one on the twelfth. The ninth floor will include an herb garden. Herbs such as basil, spearmint, chocolate mint, rosemary, cilantro, flat leaf parsley and tarragon will be grown for use in the hotel’s Phi Bar and Bistro. The garden on the twelfth floor will hold four primary plants: stone crop, silver carpet, sea pink and gazania. Both green roofs will help reduce heating and air-conditioning costs and reduce storm water runoff.
“Our Phi Bar and Bistro menu is designed for foods we can harvest from southern California,” Jones says. “It will feature very local, fresh cuisine.”
The hotel will not include an on-site laundry facility. Laundry will be cleaned by an off-site company in a LEED-certified building that uses solar heated and reclaimed water to reduce its carbon footprint.
To reduce waste sent to the landfill, the hotel will recycle, position a compost bin on its roof and purchase biodegradable “to go” containers. Leftover amenities will be donated to homeless shelters.
Other Green Initiatives
Here are few more examples of steps the hotels is taking to reduce its impact and ensure a healthy stay:
• Improved indoor air quality will be due to a no smoking policy and quality ventilation systems.
• The owner used low VOC paints, coatings, sealants, adhesives, and carpet for better indoor air quality.
• The design allows for ample natural day lighting to help optimize energy efficiency.
• Reserved parking spaces and parking discounts for guests who drive low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles.
• Preferred parking is offered to employees who car pool, and bike racks and shower facilities are available for those who bike to work, reducing reliance on fuel and parking spaces.
• The use of native plants and high efficiency irrigation systems will reduce the need for watering.
The InterContinental Hotels Group is expected to earn the entry level of LEED certification. Jones says the decision to pursue LEED was not made until a year into the project.
Go to the Hotel Indigo San Diego-Gaslamp Quarter.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
