PHILADELPHIA—Campus Apartments, a developer and manager of university-affiliated real estate, announces that its first hotel development, Homewood Suites by Hilton—University City, was awarded the Silver level of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The upscale extended-stay hotel, which provides residential-style accommodations for visitors to area universities and medical facilities, opened in May 2012 after 18 months of development. Located in Philadelphia’s University City District, the hotel was designed and constructed to meet green building standards with sustainable systems and an energy-efficient envelope.
The City of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. and The Reinvestment Fund provided some financing to help create a building that is 25 percent more efficient than the current building code through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. By reducing energy consumption and incorporating a multitude of green features in the hotel’s design, Homewood Suites by Hilton® – University City achieved Silver-level certification from LEED®, the nation’s most widely recognized and accepted green building rating system.
Commitment to Philadelphia
“For our first hotel development, it was important for us to invest in the city of Philadelphia and the University City neighborhood both economically and environmentally,” said David Adelman, president and CEO of Campus Apartments. “The development team has created a sustainable building that will not only minimize Campus Apartments’ footprint, but also further our commitment to environmental responsibility.”
To achieve its LEED Silver certification, Campus Apartments developed the building’s interior and exterior with various energy-efficient elements that reduce consumption, optimize performance and control costs. The building features an energy-efficient water-loop heat pump system to power heat and air-conditioning, as well as a smart control system to monitor the building temperature. In addition, lighting from energy-efficient fixtures is controlled by occupancy sensors in common areas and card-control systems in the guest suites. Additional sustainable elements include a green roof, high-efficiency MEP systems, on-site storm water management and low-flow fixtures. By incorporating these green features into the design of the building, the hotel serves as an example for progressive sustainable architecture within the hospitality industry.
“The addition of the first LEED Silver-certified hotel to the Homewood Suites portfolio is a tremendous milestone and further extends the brand’s culture of corporate responsibility,” said Bill Duncan, global head, Homewood Suites by Hilton. “Working with Campus Apartments for the first time, Homewood Suites is proud of their dedication to create a hotel that not only serves the immediate needs of the local community, but also makes a positive impact for the future.”
Go to Campus Apartments and Homewood Suites by Hilton.
