With the holiday season upon us, there is no better time to reflect back on the year that has gone by. And what a year it has been for our industry—for the bad and for the good. Fattened by several record years, it is not teetering on the edge like the automobile companies, but it still took a beating in 2008 and will continue to do so in 2009. Smith Travel Research recently reported that across the United States, our industry’s occupancy rate is now below 50 percent. According to PKF Hospitality Research, RevPAR, which fell 1.1 percent in the third quarter of this year, will most likely drop by 7.8 percent in the coming year. In November, more than 50,000 jobs were eliminated in the hotel and restaurant industries. Many new hotel construction projects have been postponed or canceled. In cities like Las Vegas, you can get a room at a reputable hotel for less than $30.
As bad as the U.S. economy has gotten this past year, I contend 2008 was a great year for our industry and one filled with hope for a much better future. How can I be so optimistic? I am seeing signs everywhere that our industry is taking sustainability more seriously, and that is good for business. The major chains are changing the way they approach hotel design and construction, they are better understanding the economic value of greening operations, they are setting specific energy and water consumption reduction goals, they are appointing sustainability experts at the corporate level to guide and educate their employees, they are rolling out green brands, and they are better understanding the values of consumers who increasingly are demanding ethical and environmentally responsible business practices.
I launched Green Lodging News in July 2006. The activity I have seen in some months of 2008 has dwarfed that seen in all of 2006 or 2007. It is a challenge now to keep up with all of the green building projects, new green products and innovations, and related activity. These are truly exciting times we are in. The following are what I consider the most significant green lodging stories from 2008.
Number of LEED Projects Increases
• The number of hotel projects in the pipeline that are pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) passed the 400 mark—a dramatic jump from 2007.
• Despite the wishes of the American Hotel & Lodging Association and others, USGBC decided it would not create a separate LEED for Hospitality program. In November, USGBC announced that the various LEED rating systems—LEED for New Construction, LEED for Commercial Interiors, and others—have been aligned under LEED 2009. The good news for the lodging industry is that LEED 2009 is hotel friendly and USGBC is all ears when it comes to making additional improvements to LEED.
• The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C., became the first hotel to earn LEED Platinum certification.
• At its Greenbuild event in November, USGBC drew more than 26,000 people on the first day.
• Several organizations made announcements related to green hotel certification. The Green Seal GS-33 program for hotels was expanded to include three levels: bronze, silver and gold. Green Globe International, Inc., the worldwide owner of the Green Globe brand, announced an initial agreement to utilize Green Globe standards in a co-branding relationship with Green Hotel Certification, which is owned by Green Certifications, Inc.
• USA Today reported that the number of lodgings prohibiting smoking indoors has nearly quadrupled during the past three years. There are now more than 8,300 smoke-free lodgings in the United States—nearly 6,000 more than in 2005. In February, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that its Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton hotel properties in the United States, Caribbean and Canada would eliminate smoking by the end of the year. Shilo Inns also announced that it will eliminate smoking in its properties by 2009.
First ELEMENT Hotel Opens
• Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced that its newest brand, ELEMENT hotels, will require all hotels brand-wide to pursue LEED certification. Starwood opened the eco-friendly doors of ELEMENT Lexington in Lexington, Mass. on July 1.
• National park and resort concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts completed one of the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems in the United States. Covering five acres of Southern California’s Death Valley National Park—a 3.3 million-acre park that is the sunniest place in the country—the one megawatt (MW) system will generate more than one-third of the total annual electricity needs of Xanterra’s operations in Death Valley.
• The Willard InterContinental Hotel released the first sustainability report for an individual hotel.
• Marriott International, Inc. and the state of Amazonas signed an agreement to support the first project of its kind to help protect 1.4 million acres of endangered rainforest. This innovative partnership between government and the private sector is one of the first in the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation. Marriott has committed $2 million to fund an environmental management plan administered by the newly created Amazonas Sustainable Foundation.
• Two studies, one by the New Buildings Institute (NBI) and one by CoStar Group, validated that third party certified buildings outperform their conventional counterparts across a wide variety of metrics, including energy savings, occupancy rates, sale price and rental rates.
• Several states, including Rhode Island, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, stepped up their efforts to green lodging properties in their respective states. The Florida Green Lodging Program approached 400 participants.
• The Hotel Association of Canada got very close to having 1,000 properties participate in its Green Key program.
There certainly were many other significant developments in 2008. Be sure to continue to visit Green Lodging News for updates on the latest news and trends.
Green Lodging News Welcomes MTS Seating as Directory Partner
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