Green Lodging News reported earlier this week that Choice Hotels International, Inc. had released its 2024 Sustainability Report. The report covers the fiscal year of January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. Choice is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world, with over 7,500 hotels representing more than 650,000 rooms in 46 countries and territories. Choice’s sustainability strategy and initiatives, many of which align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), demonstrate its commitment to being a responsible steward for people and the planet. “We are committed to propelling the success of others and building a...

NATIONAL REPORT—In an era marked by rising energy costs, shifting regulations, and a growing demand for sustainable business practices, the cold storage industry stands at the crossroads of innovation and necessity. Energy efficiency is no longer a bonus—it’s a mandate. For businesses that rely on walk-in coolers and freezers, from restaurants and grocery stores to pharmaceutical labs and food distribution centers, future-ready refrigeration means embracing smarter, greener, and more efficient technologies. Cold storage is an energy-intensive necessity. With compressors running 24/7 and temperature consistency being critical to product integrity, refrigeration systems account for a substantial portion of operational energy use....

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Arlo Washington DC, which opened in November 2024 as Arlo Hotels’ seventh location nationwide, has achieved LEED Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This recognition highlights the hotel’s dedication to sustаinable development, environmental care, and effіcient operations in the heart of the nation’s capital. LEED Certification is the world’s most widely used green building rating system and an international symbol of excellence. Through design, construction, and operations practices that improve environmental and human health, LEED-certified buildings are helping to make the world more sustainable. The property’s sustainability elements include a 6,000-square-foot green roof with a 12,000-gallon cistern, which captures...

SAN DIEGO—Anacove, a leading provider of AI-enabled, cloud-connected energy management solutions for the global hotel industry and an Oracle partner, announced that its suite of hotel energy management solutions is available on Oracle Cloud Marketplace, and can be deployed on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), and integrates with OPERA Cloud via the Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform (OHIP). Oracle Cloud Marketplace is a centralized repository of enterprise applications offered by Oracle and Oracle partners. The Anacove line of hotel energy and operations management solutions enables high level business benefits that include: Smart thermostats that reduce energy usage and cut utility costs. Toilet leak detectors that...

GLENVIEW, ILL.—ITW Food Equipment Group is attending the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show, May 17 to 20. The group’s premier brands, including Hobart, Baxter, Traulsen and Vulcan will share booth 4031 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Attendees are invited to visit the booth to see equipment innovations designed to help foodservice professionals streamline and improve their kitchen operations, as well as to see live cooking demonstrations. In addition to a central prep area and live cooking demonstrations by the Vulcan and Baxter Culinary team, there will be a commercial kitchen corner featuring a comprehensive lineup of products from the family...

While the hospitality market’s sustainability ambitions have hit the launchpad here in the U.S., they haven’t quite reached a sustained orbit.  But we’re on our way, and to get there, our nation must first acknowledge that, at this moment, we’re trailing much of the world in this vital stewardship movement throughout. We’ve got a way to go. The commercial asset class of hospitality is still trailing behind much of the developed world to date. So, what in the world does that mean for our industry in 2025 and 2026? Many great sustainability technologies are now available, and more innovations enter the...

Since I first entered the lodging industry in 1989, I have come across thousands of new products and technologies. It must have been around 2002 that I first encountered Excel Hand Dryer’s XLERATOR Hand Dryer. I will never forget the first time I placed my hands below it. It was unlike any other hand dryer experience I had up until that time. The air power seemed jet engine strong and unforgettable. I walked away impressed, knowing that company owner Denis Gagnon and his son William had a winner on their hands. I suspect you have experienced one of the XLERATOR Hand...

EAST LONGMEADOW, MASS.—For almost a quarter of a century, Excel Hand Dryer Inc. has been producing XLERATOR Hand Dryers—a game changer in the hand drying space that dries hands completely in 10 seconds while using 80 percent less energy than conventional hand dryers. Excel Hand Dryer Executive Vice President and COO William Gagnon said there are now approximately one million XLERATOR Hand Dryers in use around the globe. “We just put 1,000 XLERATOR Hand Dryers in the largest airport in the world in Turkey,” Gagnon says. XLERATOR Hand Dryers can help facility managers save thousands of dollars annually by eliminating the...

SINGAPORE—Banyan Group, a leader in sustainable hospitality, unveils its 2024 Sustainability Report—One Banyan, One Sustainable Future. The 19th edition reports on the Group’s advancements in driving action and impact across key environmental, social, and economic dimensions, reaffirming sustainability as a core foundation of its business. Guided by its founding mission of “Embracing the Environment, Empowering People” and the belief that travel can be a force for good, the Group’s key progress in 2024 includes: Accelerating decarbonization and energy transition: In line with its ongoing commitment to addressing the business’ environmental impact, Banyan Group continued to invest in energy-efficient infrastructure and on-site renewable energy. Upgrades in lighting...

OAKLAND, N.J.—Amerlux announced that it has released the newest addition to its award-winning collection of architectural downlights, Hornet 2.5, a fully unified, low-glare recessed series that blends seamlessly into the ceiling while outperforming the competition in precision, comfort and beam control. The award-winning design-and-manufacture lighting company says Hornet 2.5 delivers up to 2,000 lumens at 100 lumens per watt, a market-best in its category, all from a discreet 2.5-inch aperture. Hornet 2.5 is designed to reduce ceiling brightness and trim glare, while its adjustable model delivers smooth 40° tilt-and-shift aiming with minimal beam cut-off—even past 30°. “Our commitment to delivering performance without sacrificing comfort is at the core of the Hornet...