Treehugger and other publications such as GREENROOFS.COM recently reported that Montparnasse in the south of Paris has a new mixed-use project designed by French-Brazilian firm Triptyque Architecture: Villa M. It includes a hotel, coworking space, and a “dynamic healthcare-focused center.” For the project Triptyque won the Building of the Year 2022 award from ArchDaily. According to GREENROOFS.com, the hotel’s 67 rooms and six suites each bear the first name of a woman or man who has marked the history of medicine or science. The building is dramatically covered in plants. “We designed Villa M as a naturalist architectural manifesto: that is,...

Two organizations—Sustainable Travel International (STI) and GSN Planet—just released their own versions of calculators with very similar missions. In the case of STI, its embeddable carbon footprint calculator is for calculating and offsetting travel emissions. It allows any company to power carbon offsetting directly from their own website. Once embedded, visitors can use the calculator to calculate their travel emissions and purchase carbon offsets from Sustainable Travel International. In addition to flights, users can offset other high emissions travel activities including cruises, vehicles, liveaboards, yachting, and private jet charters. Offsets purchased through the calculator will be channeled through Sustainable Travel...

Over the years I have reported on many green hotel projects that have been part of mixed-use developments. I recently heard from LEO A DALY, the global planning, architecture, engineering and interior design firm, in regard to the topping out of 20 Mass, a redevelopment of 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW in the District of Columbia. The $200M project will transform the previously seven-story government office building into a 10-story mixed-use development, bringing a vibrant new mix of hotel, retail, and office spaces to the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Located directly adjacent to Union Station and four blocks north of the United...

The Pacific Northwest is certainly a great place for growing grapes and making wine and now the Washington wine industry has launched the state’s first statewide certified sustainability program for wine grapes, signifying a commitment to quality fruit, environmental stewardship, and healthy communities. Sustainable WA will begin certifying vineyards this summer. “From pest and disease management to sustainable water management, prioritizing worker health and safety and tracking various inputs, this program is environmentally sound, socially equitable, and economically viable,” said Sustainable WA Program Manager, Katlyn Slone. Sustainable WA is the first certified sustainability program built specifically for Washington vineyards. To achieve...

Earlier this week I received a note from Jay H. Shah, CEO of Hersha Hotels and Resorts, regarding the company’s 2021 EarthView Sustainability Report. Hersha Hotels and Resorts, a REIT, unveiled EarthView in 2010. “The EarthView program is an adaptive, science-based, holistic approach to sustainable hospitality that aligns innovative practices with Hersha’s core values,” Shah says. I reviewed the report and found the following highlights: Hersha has committed to achieving net-zero Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions across all operations by 2050, with an interim reduction target set for 2030. Hersha became a signatory of the CEO Action for...

One niche that is growing in sustainable travel is high-end tents. Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Marriott recently released news about tent projects. I recently learned about another called Las Qolqas in the heart of Peru’s Sacred Valley. Situated in the ancient Andean town of Ollantaytambo, halfway between Cusco and Machu Picchu, Las Qolqas is a sustainable haven for exploration and self-discovery. Its founders, Herman van den Wall Bake and Carlos Gonzalez, have internationally created this peaceful place as a testament to their commitment to the preservation of the environment, local community, and culture, as well as harnessing travel...

I have reported on Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort numerous times on Green Lodging News. I recently learned that the carbon-neutral property in Eagle Beach, Aruba, plans to go carbon negative this year. The announcement was made on Earth Day. How does the property plan to reach its goal? Here is a list of their latest initiatives: Green loans for employees. To continue the reduction of fossil fuel-dependency, Bucuti & Tara provides employees with loans for electric bicycles, electric automobiles, and solar panels for home use. Charging stations. Guests and staff have complimentary use of the resort’s electric charging stations for...

Original artwork is certainly a common element in many hotels. There can be many reasons for it: to support local artists, to support a good cause, to enhance an aspect of the building’s design, etc. Earlier this month—April 1 to be exact—The Luna Fine Art Gallery opened at the Courtyard & Springhill Suites by Marriott Amelia Island. The Innisfree Hotels art gallery was inspired by one of the company’s regional managers, Olivia Hoblit, who lost her 14-year-old daughter due to an aneurysm. The hope is the gallery will raise money for the Trinity Love Hoblit Foundation. The purpose of the...

Just prior to Walt Disney Resort announcing that is has earmarked nearly 80 acres of land for new affordable housing development in southwest Orange County, Fla. (see article), Vail Resorts announced four investments to provide accessible and affordable housing for its employees at Park City Mountain in Utah, Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia, Vail Mountain in Colorado, and Okemo Mountain Resort in Vermont as part of the company’s strategic focus on investing in the employee experience. Collectively, the four investments will provide new affordable housing to more than 875 Vail Resorts employees, marking a more than 10 percent increase in affordable employee housing...

At the La Quinta Resort & Club in La Quinta, Calif., attention is paid to the environment not only on Earth Day but throughout the year. On this Earth Day eve, the resort is planning a five-course plant-based dinner using fresh produce and ingredients sourced from the Coachella Valley. The meal will be served at Morgan’s in the Desert, La Quinta Resort & Club’s signature fine-dining restaurant. Based entirely on the local bounty of the surrounding area, the tasting menu will take guests and locals alike on a plant-based culinary journey around the Coachella Valley, highlighting the abundance of greens...