HONOLULU—Hokulani Waikiki by Hilton Grand Vacations Club, which opened a year ago in December 2013, has achieved LEED certification as recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The upscale, urban timeshare resort earned the internationally recognized certification for implementing environmentally friendly construction practices and building systems.
“Hokulani Waikiki was built and designed with a strong focus on honoring Hawaii’s unique cultural heritage,” said Kim Kreiger, Senior Vice President Club and Resorts for Hilton Grand Vacations. “This certification further demonstrates the importance and responsibility we feel to preserve and respect Oahu’s land and natural resources, which is part of what makes Hawaii so special.”
LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a globally recognized green building certification program that provides independent, third party verification that a building project meets the highest green building and performance measures. To obtain LEED certification, buildings must pass a rigorous checklist of sustainability points that include water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and awareness and education.
A few initiatives that earned Hokulani Waikiki LEED Certified status include the installation of a system that reclaims heat from the cooling towers that serve Hokulani and a number of other projects in the Waikiki Beach Walk entertainment district. The reclaimed heat is used to heat domestic hot water, heat the plunge pool and for dehumidification systems that remove excess humidity from all the ventilation air for the Hokulani guestrooms and public spaces. In addition to the substantial savings in purchased energy, reclaiming this heat energy reduces the load on the cooling towers. Since the cooling towers reject heat through the process of evaporation, this reduces the water consumption by up to half a million gallons per year.
Hokulani Waikiki was also recently recognized with a 2014 Gold Key Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design in the Best Timeshare/Fractional Ownership category by Boutique Design magazine. Los Angeles-based Indidesign, selected for the interior design of the property, used natural and native materials, finishes and textures to capture the essence of Hawaii’s vibrant culture and environment. Locally, the property was also recognized with a Hana Nui award from the Waikiki Improvement Association. This award recognizes a company, organization or group for its significant contribution toward the enduring revitalization of Waikiki’s physical, cultural and/or economic environment.
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