NATIONAL REPORT—Hoteliers looking to dramatically decrease the volume of food waste sent to landfill or elsewhere for composting are increasingly turning to food waste decomposition machines. These machines quickly reduce the volume of waste down to either drainable liquid or dry soil amendment. While just a few years ago there were just a handful of vendors selling the machines, today there are more than a dozen. Machines available work similarly but features vary from one supplier to the next. The good news for green lodging establishments is that suppliers are making it very affordable to implement the machines and...

PHILADELPHIA—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that LEED v4, the newest version of the LEED green building program, launched at the annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Philadelphia. LEED has revolutionized the marketplace since 1998 as the world’s premier benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED v4 builds on the fundamentals of previous versions while offering a new system that prepares all LEED projects in a portfolio to perform at a higher level. “LEED v4 is a quantum leap for LEED,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “Over the past...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International employees have pledged $4.7 million this year to support nonprofit organizations serving the resort company’s host communities in Nevada, Michigan and Mississippi. Additionally, the company’s worksite giving program gives employees the opportunity to support other nonprofit organizations of their choice.Celebrating its 11th anniversary, The MGM Resorts Foundation has raised more than $54 million (including 2013 donations) and supported more than 2,000 charitable organizations since its inception in 2002. The Foundation supports community charities by distributing employee-designated donations and issuing grants to community nonprofits selected by an employee grants council.“Our employees have demonstrated, yet again, their...

LONDON—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced its Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) results, charting substantial improvements in both its Disclosure Score and Performance Rating. The CDP results, which were released in October 2013, saw IHG achieve an overall score of 85B in the Climate Change submission for 2013—a significant rise from its 2010 score of 54C.  IHG’s substantial improvements this year have been driven primarily by the success of IHG’s Green Engage program, an online system that tracks the use of energy, carbon, water and the management of waste in properties along with the associated costs. It comprises more than 200...

LAS VEGAS—Green Chips, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing Nevada's sustainability identity, has launched a Community Web Portal to inspire collaborative initiatives among Southern Nevada's businesses, municipalities, organizations and citizens. The site will also function as a resource for individuals and businesses looking to be informed on, and connect with all areas of sustainability.“Sustainability is a multifaceted subject and all areas need to be represented to help our community grow,” said Rick Van Diepen, Executive Director of Green Chips. “We have developed this community portal, with underwriting from the Caesars Foundation, to become the pre-eminent resource for businesses and individuals...

CORTLAND, N.Y.—Hope Lake Holdings, LLC has received a congratulatory letter from the President, CEO & Founding Chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council, S. Richard Fedrizzi, on earning LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, certification on Hope Lake Lodge & Convention Center. The project has achieved LEED Certification under the LEED for New Construction Rating System.“LEED certification identifies Hope Lake Lodge & Convention Center as a showcase example of sustainable design and demonstrates leadership in transforming the building industry,” Fedrizzi said. “In honor of this impressive achievement and in appreciation of Greek Peak’s participation in LEED, certificates...

MONTEREY, CALIF.—Portola Hotel & Spa, Monterey’s first and only Silver LEED EB certified hotel, announced its donation to Santa Cruz’s Bonny Doon Elementary School for the installation of its new 31 kilowatt solar array. The new solar panels, sponsored by The Offset Project’s Monterey Bay Carbon Fund and other members of the community, reduce the school’s electricity bill by 10 percent and allows for students to monitor renewable usage in the classroom. The project is the result of Portola Hotel & Spa extending its commitment to renewable clean energy beyond the property and into the local community.Bonny Doon Elementary...

NATIONAL REPORT—It will be at this year’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (November 20 to 22 in Philadelphia) that the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Environmental Design (LEED) v4 will be introduced. For the hospitality industry, the rollout will be significant. It will be the first time that there will be hospitality-specific adaptations of LEED: LEED Hospitality-New Construction, LEED Hospitality-Existing Buildings, and LEED Hospitality-Commercial Interiors. The adaptations are the result of many years of conversations and input from LEED stakeholders in the hospitality community. Some of that input can be found among the more than 22,000 comments...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, received The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) Award from the Building Owners and Managers Associations of New Jersey for its corporate headquarters campus in Parsippany, N.J.The TOBY Award honors outstanding office buildings for excellence in building management, operational efficiency, emergency planning, tenant relations and community impact. Wyndham Worldwide's campus was honored for its achievements in the Corporate Facility category, and also took home the Grand Building of the Year Award for earning top honors among all winners. This is the first time the company received the awards.“A tremendous...

NEW YORK—The New York Convention Center Operating Corp., Empire State Development and the New York Convention Center Development Corp. joined November 11 with the Hotel Association of New York City, FXFOWLE, Epstein and Tishman Construction, an AECOM Company, in a celebration of the newly renovated Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York. From the installation of a new 240,000 square-foot glass curtain wall to the construction of the largest green roof in the Northeast, the Javits Center has undergone a comprehensive renovation. Located on Manhattan’s West Side in Midtown, the Javits Center is considered the busiest convention center...