WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and MindClick announced a partnership to present the Sustainable Hospitality & Leadership in Design (SHLD) Awards at the AHLA Responsible Stay Summit, with entries now open.
Founded by the Hospitality Sustainable Design Collaborative (HSDC)—a consortium established in 2023 by MindClick, Marriott, Highgate, Hilton, and Hyatt—the SHLD Awards shine a spotlight on hotel projects that mitigate climate impact, protect guest and team health, and advance equity through design choices and purchasing practices.
What makes SHLD different: SHLD is the only hospitality design awards program solely dedicated to sustainable design, and it requires every submission to meet a defined minimum sustainability threshold before judges evaluate aesthetics, functionality, and other performance metrics. This approach ensures that winning projects deliver both design excellence and measurable sustainability outcomes.
Hotel Sustainability Begins with Design
The partnership between AHLA and MindClick underscores a shared commitment to the principle that hotel sustainability begins with design, and to advancing practical solutions that enable the industry to build, furnish, supply, and operate hotels more sustainably.
“Three years after making the industry-wide commitment to sustainability through our Responsible Stay initiative, AHLA could not be more excited about the innovations taking place in design,” said AHLA President & CEO Rosanna Maietta. “We are delighted to partner with MindClick on the SHLD Awards, which will celebrate sustainable design projects that improve the guest experience and enhance hotel operations.”
“After a successful inaugural year, we are honored to partner with AHLA,” said JoAnna Abrams, MindClick CEO. “The Responsible Stay Summit convenes leaders across the industry with a deep, unwavering commitment to build, furnish, supply and operate hotels sustainably. We look forward to recognizing and celebrating breakthrough design innovation, and sustainability in collaboration with AHLA.”
Call for Entries
A&D firms, brands, owners, and affiliated organizations are invited to submit projects that demonstrate verifiable progress in interior design and finishes—emphasizing adaptive reuse and refurbishment, healthy, low-emitting materials, responsibly and sustainably sourced materials, locally produced/short-supply-chain products, and innovative, next-generation materials—alongside measurable outcomes in energy/carbon, water, waste/circularity, and indoor environmental quality.
Enter now at https://www.shldawards.com/submit. The final deadline: November 21, 2025, 11:59 p.m. PST. Judging will be convened at ALIS DESIGN+ on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. The winners will be announced at the AHLA Responsible Stay Summit on March 4, 2026, in McLean, Va.
