CHANHASSEN, M INN.—The national hotel chain, AmericInn, announces the environmental recognition of its AmericInn property located in Sarasota, Fla. This hotel location has been honored with a Green Lodging Certificate from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for taking important steps to ensure its hotel environment is eco-friendly for guests. The hotel has also introduced a limited quantity of PURE Allergy-Friendly Rooms, in which every surface, fabric, and air and water are treated for maximum comfort. The Sarasota-located AmericInn has been given this designation for meeting energy efficiency, waste and water reduction and indoor air quality benchmarks set by...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that its flagship Element hotel—Element Lexington—is the first Starwood hotel to earn Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and the first hotel in Massachusetts to achieve this prestigious rating. Element Lexington earned LEED Gold certification in recognition of its superior performance in areas including water and energy conservation and improved indoor environmental quality measures. The hotel, which opened its doors in July 2008, expects to recoup its investment in green building in less than five years, due to associated operational savings....

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes MTS Seating as a Green Product & Service Directory Partner. MTS Seating’s company-wide commitment to sustainability is reflected in its SynerGreen philosophy. MTS strives to make continuous environmental improvements in its processes and products while practicing sound business principals that focus on satisfying customer needs. MTS employs aggressive recycling programs and pollution-prevention initiatives, and it partners with suppliers who share its vision of environmental responsibility. The company’s goal is to have a positive impact on the planet and its customers. According to MTS, it is the first and...

ATLANTA—Kimberly-Clark Filtration has introduced a new filtration media that delivers MERV 13 performance for LEED Certified buildings. The media was developed in response to the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) standards for ASHRAE 52.2, MERV 13 filtration performance in LEED new construction and major renovation projects. The new media, Intrepid 513H, can be used in 2-inch and 4-inch pleated filters that are suited for virtually any commercial HVAC system. Before this new media was introduced, most 2-inch and 4-inch pleated filters were limited to MERV 8 or MERV 11 performance, which provides less efficient capture of airborne particles than MERV...

The U.S. Travel Data Center estimates that 43 million U.S. travelers are “ecologically concerned,” and AAA has found that 34 percent of their travelers want a green hotel; one that implements water conservation, recycles, and has a water-wise landscaping program. With these numbers growing, building green lodging is quickly becoming essential for those in the hospitality industry to stay competitive. Green building encompasses energy efficiency, recyclable materials, renewable resources and materials, low impact on the environment with a minimal waste stream, and good indoor air quality (IAQ). While there are a number of aspects to consider when building green, indoor...

YOUNTVILLE, CALIF.—The Napa Valley community of Yountville, Calif., with a population of a little more than 3,000 people, is now home to one of the greenest lodging establishments in the United States—the 62-room luxury Bardessono hotel, restaurant and spa. Set to open the first week of February, the development should earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification later in 2009. If it does reach that goal, it will be only the second hotel in the United States to do so. The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C., is the other. The owner and developer of the property is...

PORTLAND, ORE.—With the approach of New Year’s Eve, Shilo Inns’ owner, Mark Hemstreet, announced that Shilo Inns would usher in the New Year by making all Shilo Inn hotels and restaurants 100 percent smoke free. “We care about our customers as well as our employees’ health and comfort,” Hemstreet said. “We consistently get more and more requests from our guests for smoke-free rooms and since we have already had 95 percent of our rooms and suites nonsmoking for many years, we felt it was the best decision to finally turn the entire hotel and restaurant environment to “smoke free.” “Guests have...

BOSTON—The Seaport Hotel announced the implementation of an innovative, chlorine-reducing water treatment system to its indoor pool, making Seaport the first hotel in the United States to utilize this green technology. “At Seaport, we believe in providing guests with a safe and healthy, luxury experience while minimizing our impact on the environment,” said Matthew V. Moore, Seaport director of rooms and environmental programs. “With that in mind, the latest addition to our property’s extensive green program will reduce our use of chemicals and provide a superior pool experience.” Indoor pools, such as Seaport’s, especially benefit from this system provided by Grander...

DAVIE, FLA.—With both the environment and the economy weighing heavily on most hotel owner/operators today, the timing is ideal for the introduction of a new air-conditioning process that not only eliminates wasted energy usage but also results in better indoor air quality. This treatment process is being introduced by ChemTron, an industry leader in providing energy efficiency. One of the best ideas for quick cost savings is cleaning and maintaining air conditioners. Air-conditioning represents 50 to 70 percent of a hotel’s total utility bill. ChemTron has been working for 20 years to perfect a cleaning process that makes money for...

HIGHLAND PARK, ILL.—Hotels and spas looking for low maintenance, high performance and high design air purifiers have not had much of choice until now, according to Steve Tilkin, principal at T2 Site Amenities. Winner of many design awards, the air purifier by LightAir removes practically all airborne impurities including viruses, bacteria, dust, allergens, pet dander, pollen, and mold. Tilkin mentioned that many hotel properties have had poor experiences with other air purfiers that required high maintenance or released ozone. The LightAir product however, requires minimal maintenance. There are no filters to clean or replace. The housekeeping staff just cleans the...