ORLANDO, FLA.—The final agenda has been set for the second annual Green Lodging and Hospitality Conference. The event, hosted by the TREEO Center, University of Florida, will be held December 9 to 11 at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Fla. (note new venue). The theme of the conference is “Greener Roads Ahead.” The theme acknowledges the continuing need for the lodging industry to increase profitability by both reducing costs and increasing property revenues—all while minimizing environmental impact. The event is open to owners and operators of any lodging establishment—inside and outside of Florida. Vendors are also welcome to participate.
The first day, December 9, will begin with vendor visitation from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Harris Rosen, president and COO, Rosen Hotels and Resorts, will be the first keynote speaker at the lunch that will follow from 11:45 a.m. to 1:20 p.m. David Jerome, senior vice president for corporate responsibility for InterContinental Hotels Group, will be the second keynote speaker during the lunch.
The first breakout session, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., is titled, “Green Lodging from 10,000 feet—How a Corporate Hotel Company Goes Green.” Moderated by Ray Hobbs, senior vice president, Kelco Management & Development Co., the panel will include: Dee Dee Baggitt, associate director of engineering, Rosen Hotels; Chuck Engelhardt, V.P. design & construction, Hilton Hotels; and Brian McGuire, senior director, Hotel operations & Six Sigma, North America at Starwood Hotels & Resorts.
Also from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on December 9, Maribel Balbin, water use efficiency manager, Miami-Dade Water & Sewer Dept., will moderate the session, “Technical Ways to Save, Part I, Cost Effective Tools for Water Conservation.” The panel will include: Jason T. Downey, sales and marketing manager, OzoneSolutions; Ken Shear, senior commercial sales engineer, Kohler, Water Efficient Fixtures; and Kathy C. Malone, state builder and developer coordinator, Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program, University of Florida.
Focus on Green Washing
From 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., two breakout sessions will be held. The first session, “The Sustainability of Marketing Sustainability—Discussing Strategies for Selling Green without Green Wash,” will feature Wende Blumberg, chairman, American Green Lodging & Hospitality Assn., as moderator. Panelists will include: Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, Green Lodging News; David M. Stipanuk, emeritus professor, facilities management, planning & design, Cornell University; and Ray Burger, president, Pineapple Hospitality.
The second session, “Technical Ways to Save, Part II, How Energy Efficiency Enhances the Bottom Line,” will feature Suganthi Simon, pollution prevention coordinator, U.S. EPA, Region 4, as moderator. Panelists will include: Darlene Keefe, senior account executive, Progress Energy; William C. Fizer, president, Lodging Technology Corp.; and Julio Rovi, principal, The Cadmus Group, EPA Energy Star. The two 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. sessions will be followed by a reception.
The second day of the conference, Thursday, December 10, will open at 8:15 a.m. with a general session entitled, “The Art and Science of Environmentally Preferable Purchasing.” The moderator will be Peter Goren, president, American Green Lodging & Hospitality Assn. Panelists will include: Heidi Siegelbaum with Calyx Sustainable Hotel & Tourism Consultants; Mark T. Petruzzi, vice president of certification and strategic relations, Green Seal, Inc.; Ken Harwood, senior manager, Proctor & Gamble; and Scott Parisi, EcoGreenHotel.
From 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., two breakout sessions are scheduled. In the first session, “Sustainable Renovations,” Bernadette Upton with Eco Décor will be moderator. Panelists will include: Diana Dobin, senior vice president, Valley Forge Fabrics; and Dina M. Belon, principal/owner of RUSH Hospitality. In the second session, “Technical Ways to Save, Part III, The Sun and the Wind—Ideas for Harvesting These Resources and the Available Grants,” the moderator will be James Fenton, PhD, director, Florida Solar Energy Center. Panelists will include: Mike Hess, CEO, Mariah Power; Colleen Kettles, executive director, Florida Solar Energy Research and Education Foundation; and John Harrison, program director, solar energy training, solar energy research, Florida Solar Energy Center.
All About Air-conditioning
During lunch, Peter Goren, president, American Green Lodging & Hospitality Assn., will moderate a discussion with Dr. Jennifer Languell, founder and president of Trifecta Construction Solutions. Following lunch, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., two breakout sessions will be held. In the first session, “It’s All About the AC,” attendees will learn how to run HVAC and PTAC systems more efficiently. The moderator will be Dr. Dan Meeroff, associate professor, civil, environmental and geomatics engineering, Florida Atlantic University. Panelists will include: Bob Baker, RGB Group; Richard Reiss, AnTrac; Dave Matthes, Reagan Environmental Solutions; and Don Thornburg, R&D manager, Camfil Farr.
The second session, “Technical Ways to Save, Part IV, Managing and Reducing Your Waste,” will be moderated by Karen Moore, vice president, American Green Lodging & Hospitality Assn. Panelists will include: Miriam Zimms, senior consultant, Kessler Consulting, Inc.; Shawn Seipler, executive director, Clean the World; Linda Dunwoody, operations manager, Veolia Environmental Services North America; and Jon Yob, Creative Recycling Systems.
The second day of the conference will wrap up with two breakout sessions from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The first session, “What Were We Thinking?—Why a Hotel Owner Decides to Go Green,” will be moderated by Ray Hobbs, senior vice president, Kelco Management & Development Co. Panelists will include: Greg Brosius, president, Stafford Hospitality; Michael Tall, senior vice president, Charlestowne Hotels; and Stuart Arp, general manager, Sandpearl Resort.
In the second breakout session, “Technical Ways to Save, Part: V—Indoor Environmental Quality,” Karen Moore, vice president, American Green Lodging & Hospitality Assn., will moderate. Panelists will include: Dave Odom, vice president, Liberty Building Diagnostics Group; Stephen P. Ashkin, The Ashkin Group; and Matthew Peterson, S.E. Division entomologist, Orkin.
The final day of the conference, Friday, December 11, will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a general session entitled, “Advanced Greening” moderated by Peter Goren, president, American Green Lodging & Hospitality Assn. Panelists will include: Ken Harwood, senior manager, Proctor & Gamble; and Dr. Dan Meeroff, associate professor, civil, environmental and geomatics engineering, Florida Atlantic University. From 10:15 to 11:30 a.m., David Jerome, senior vice president for corporate responsibility for InterContinental Hotels Group, will moderate a general session entitled, “Give Kids The World, a Very Special Sustainable Place!” Panelists will include: Pamela Landwirth, president, Give Kids The World; and Michael Bausman, director of facilities resources, Give Kids The World. The conference will wrap up with a final “The Future of Green” general session from 11:30 a.m. to noon.
For more information on the conference, click here.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
