LAS VEGAS—MGM Mirage’s $7 billion City Center project, an 18-million-square-foot development that will encompass 76 acres of the Las Vegas Strip between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts, is moving closer to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification one big bucket of dirt at a time. Construction has been underway for nine months now and foundations have been poured for each of the project’s seven towers. Set to open in late 2009, the mixed-use project will include the following: a soaring 60-story, 4,000-room hotel tower, casino and convention center; a five-star, 400-room Mandarin Oriental; 400-room Harmon...

BOSTON—The Saunders Hotel Group (SHG) and its Four Diamond Lenox Hotel in Boston have received two of travel’s most prestigious awards. The Lenox Hotel was selected as the top urban hotel in the world on Conde Nast Traveler’s Annual Green List. The Saunders Hotel Group received a second prestigious award at the Skal International Ecotourism Awards Ceremony held in Thailand. Conde Nast Traveler’s exclusive list identifies the world’s top 12 crème de la crème hotels, destinations, and tour operators. Chosen by a panel of experts, the winners are judged for their commitment to environmental initiatives, their local communities...

SAINT CHARLES, MO.—Pineapple Hospitality’s new compact fluorescent (CFL) Fresh Bulb not only improves the guest experience by providing superior light quality and eliminating strong odors, but it also demonstrates a commitment to helping preserve the planet’s precious resources. “Environmentally conscious customers will appreciate knowing their stays at your hotel will have less impact on the environment, and this leaves a positive impression of your property,” says Ray Burger, president of Pineapple Hospitality. “You also benefit, as the Fresh Bulb provides a complete payback in just a few months and a 20-fold overall return on investment in lighting cost-savings....

NATIONAL REPORT—As a marketing concept, EcoRooms have been around since 1995. It was then that Upland, Calif.-based Green Suites International developed the idea. For whatever reason—confusion in the marketplace caused by the introduction of other Green Room concepts, or a lack of eco-consciousness within the industry—EcoRooms never took hold. Today, however, an increasing number of hotel owners and operators are discovering the value in promoting their environmentally friendly guest rooms as EcoRooms. What exactly is an EcoRoom? According to Dan Bornholdt, president of Green Suites International, an EcoRoom is a guestroom that includes at least a dozen products that are...

Many business owners and managers are well aware of the problems caused by hard water—from clogged pipes and iron stains to spotty glassware and inferior drinking water. What they’re not always aware of, however, is the impact of hard water on energy use and the associated costs. In hotels there are several types of equipment that can be affected by hard water, in terms of impaired efficiency and wasted energy: boilers, hot water heaters, cooling towers, humidifiers, washing machines, dishwashers, and shower heads to name a few. Let’s take a look at how hard water affects the energy efficiency of boilers....

WINTER PARK, COLO.—Winter Park Resort is stepping up its efforts to ensure good stewardship of natural resources through its new environmental initiative, Connexion. The Connexion program’s goal is to inform, involve and educate resort employees, guests and the community about the environment. Connexion includes energy reduction efforts with the purchase of sustainable wind energy credits, the utilization of single-use items made from renewable resources in the resort’s on-mountain restaurants, and an expanded recycling program. The new Eagle Wind chairlift is the latest beneficiary of wind energy, continuing Winter Park’s commitment to power all future lifts with renewable energy....

NEW ALBANY, MS.—Master-Bilt, a manufacturer of a full line of commercial refrigeration systems for more than 65 years, has unveiled its new Anti-Sweat Module (ASM-115) for glass door walk-ins. The new ASM-115 alleviates condensation buildup on glass doors and frames, for continuous product visibility, while also significantly reducing energy costs. “Master-Bilt is creating simple solutions for our clients’ energy savings,” says Bill Huffman, vice president sales and marketing. “Not only is this unit cost effective, but it’s also unobtrusive and space saving as it only takes up a small part of the door, not hindering the view of...

EL DORADO HILLS, CALIF.—Chapeau Inc., d/b/a BluePoint Energy Inc., announced the signing of two discount energy purchase agreements in connection with the Sheraton Kauai Resort Hotel properties, which are owned and operated by a wholly owned subsidiary of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. These discount energy purchase agreements are intended to serve as the master form of agreement for all properties under the umbrella of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. These initial contracts with the Sheraton Kauai properties represent approximately $1.4 million in project revenue to BluePoint with aggregate potential electricity billings of approximately $4.2 million over...

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND—Earlier this month, the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) won the Swiss Ethics Prize for 2006, which is organized by the Haute Ecole d’Ingénierie et de Gestion du Canton de Vaud (HEIG-VD) and its department known as Unit e²co. The jury, chaired by the President of the Council of State of the Canton de Vaud Pascal Broulis, rewarded EHL for the efforts it has made since 1996 in the field of renewable energy. The school’s heating and power system, the solar cells and the small wind turbine are consistent with sustainable development, and also allow EHL students to familiarize...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), which developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system, has moved into new offices in Washington, D.C. The new offices and workstations are positioned to maximize day lighting, and all light fixtures were selected for their quality of light and high energy efficiency. Of the energy consumed, 100 percent is offset by renewable sources. The materials chosen are both aesthetically pleasing and environmentally responsible. For example, salvaged wood timbers create a screen forest wall for an elliptical conference room, and rapidly renewable bamboo, linoleum, and...