NATIONAL REPORT—In this article, CBRE’s Alan Jutte provides insights on a study of hotel operating statements from CBRE’s Trends in the Hotel Industry which showed that new properties with energy-efficient features resulted in substantial energy savings compared to older or less efficient properties. The study concluded that while sustainability efforts can lead to reduced costs, the extent of these savings may depend on various factors such as room size, building size, amenities, building materials, etc. Sustainability is an increasingly crucial component across almost all industries. Embracing new and more efficient business models and technologies is expensive, and often developers and operators...

If your company has set goals—even ambitious goals—for greenhouse gas emission cuts in the next decade and you are satisfied with those goals, it is time to reevaluate. That is the message from a very important UN report released last week from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In a nutshell, the report said we are all not doing enough to keep temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Temperatures have already risen to 1.1°C above those levels, a consequence of more than a century of burning fossil fuels, as well as unequal and unsustainable energy and land use. Said the...

DUBUQUE, IOWA—Innovative Ink Publishing, an imprint of Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, has released Sustainable Hospitality, written by green hospitality industry expert Dan Ruben. The textbook provides hospitality professionals and students with the knowledge and resources to make their properties environmentally sustainable. “The target audience is hospitality professionals who work for hotels, cruise ships, and other hospitality sectors, as well as hospitality students,” Ruben says. “Managers of senior living facilities, dormitories, and other lodging facilities will benefit from this book, too. Sustainable Hospitality offers a roadmap to a leaner operation—one where less energy and water are consumed, and where less waste is generated....

AMBLER, PA.—Bradford White Water Heaters, an industry-leading American manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, announces that its Infiniti GS and GR tankless water heaters and select eF Series Ultra High Efficiency commercial tank gas water heaters have been certified by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), the leading voice within the Green Restaurant movement, for use in GRA-certified restaurants. Installation and use of GRA-certified products helps restaurants achieve and maintain Green Restaurant certification, the industry’s highest standard for sustainability. “Bradford White and the GRA share a commitment to helping businesses reach their operational efficiency goals,” said Carl Pinto, Jr., Senior Director of Marketing...

HOLLYWOOD, FLA.—Hard Rock International is once again teaming up with global conservation leader World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for its annual Earth Hour movement, bringing the world-renowned brand’s “Save the Planet” motto to life. Hard Rock Hotels, Cafes and Casinos around the globe will participate on March 25, 2023, by “going dark” for one hour starting at 8:30 p.m. local property time. Guests at participating properties’ restaurants, bars, Rock Shops, hotel rooms, lobbies and outdoor spaces will partake in the movement by engaging in fun, entertaining activities, without the use of electricity: from candle-lit dinners and acoustic musical performances to flame shows, cocktail promotions,...

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—A major UN “report of reports” from the authoritative Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), outlines the many options that can be taken now, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human-caused climate change. The study, “Climate Change 2023: Synthesis Report”, released yesterday following a week-long IPCC session in Interlaken, brings into sharp focus the losses and damages experienced now, and expected to continue into the future, which are hitting the most vulnerable people and ecosystems especially hard. Temperatures have already risen to 1.1 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a consequence of more than a century of burning fossil fuels, as...

AMBLER, PA.—Bradford White Corp., an industry-leading American manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, will showcase its innovative, high-quality solutions for the restaurant facility management industry at the Restaurant Facility Management Association Annual Conference in San Antonio March 21 to 23. “We’re looking forward to highlighting the reliable, powerful and efficient products we offer to help restaurant facilities management professionals thrive and grow in this dynamic industry,” said Carl Pinto, Jr., Senior Director of Marketing Communications for Bradford White. “RFMA provides a unique opportunity for the leaders and experts to connect and share insights that are driving the industry.” The RFMA Annual...

KIRKLAND, WASH.—Noble House Hotels & Resorts—the family-owned boutique hotel brand with a carefully curated collection of 25 hotels, resorts, and experiences across North America—has partnered with Green Seal and applied for certification for 13 of its properties, continuing its sustainability efforts. Noble House Hotels & Resorts is deeply committed to protecting and sustaining the environment and all the communities connected to its hotels and resorts year-round. Working with Green Seal provides the hotel brand access to sustainable purchasing experts with a global reputation for excellence and the tools and guidance needed to adopt safer and more sustainable practices and products. Each...

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS—Barbados has copped the Green Destinations Story Award for Environment and Climate at one of the world’s largest travel trade shows, ITB Berlin. The nomination came from Barbados’ ambition to be the first island in the Caribbean to achieve a 100 percent renewable energy goal by 2030 and a 70 percent carbon neutrality goal by 2050. The strides taken thus far have landed Barbados its first milestone in this prestigious category, namely having the largest fleet of electric buses in the Caribbean. Minister of Tourism and International Transport, the Honorable Ian Gooding-Edghill proudly accepted the award in Germany March 7, 2023, expressing gratitude to...

ATLANTA—ASHRAE announced its unwavering commitment to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with the launch of its redesigned building decarbonization webpage and the release of a new Building Performance Standards Technical Resource Guide. The ASHRAE Task Force for Building Decarbonization (TFBD) webpage includes technical resources, information, videos and publications to expedite the adoption of climate change mitigation policies and reaffirms the Society’s goals stated in the ASHRAE Vision 2022 Report, approved by ASHRAE’s board of directors, as well as the ASHRAE Position Document on Building Decarbonization, to achieve net zero GHG emissions in operation for all new buildings by 2030. “Over the years, ASHRAE has demonstrated its...