WAKEFIELD, QUEBEC—Less than three months remain before the July 1 opening of the new 10,000-square-foot addition to the Wakefield Inn Mill & Spa. The 13-room addition, named the Eco River Lodge, is being built to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. “It is conceivable we might make Silver,” says innkeeper Robert Milling, adding that his goal is the first tier of certification. What will help the inn qualify for LEED is its passive solar design, use of local materials, and highly efficient geothermal heating and cooling system. Set within Gatineau Park, within a 25-minute drive of...

URUBAMBA, PERU—Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, has earned its LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the first hotel in Peru to be awarded with such a distinction. LEED is an internationally recognized, third-party certification for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. This certification recognizes Tambo del Inka’s commitment to areas of environmental impact and occupants’ well-being, having earned credits in the sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy savings, material use, indoor environmental quality, as well as technological and process innovation. “Tambo del Inka reaffirms...

CRYSTAL BEACH, TEXAS—In September 2008, Hurricane Ike leveled thousands of homes along the Texas coast. It was the third costliest Atlantic hurricane of all time. The four-room Out By the Sea Bed and Breakfast in Crystal Beach, owned by Carole Hamadey, survived the onslaught but still sustained significant damage. The next time a powerful hurricane comes knocking on Hamadey’s door, it will have a more difficult time “renovating.” Hamadey is about to add three additional guestrooms to her B&B using three steel shipping containers. That’s right, the large shipping containers one sees on ships crossing the ocean. Construction using the...

CAMBRIDGE, MASS.—If you run an inn, or a hotel for that matter, and are considering greening your operations, you may want to chat with Rachael Solem, owner and general manager of the 44-room Irving House in Cambridge, Mass. Since purchasing the large house in 1990, she has taken almost every step imaginable to reduce the property’s environmental impact. She knows what works, what does not work, and she will level with you about it. Take amenity dispensers, for example, which she still uses. “I have not found a dispenser that is attractive, easy for the guests to use, and...

MCLEAN, VA.—Home2 Suites by Hilton officially commemorated the opening of the brand’s first hotel today with a ribbon cutting ceremony and an announcement of a charitable community relations initiative. The first Home2 Suites, located in Fayetteville, N.C., welcomed representatives from the local community as well as executives from Hilton Worldwide, including President and CEO Chris Nassetta, to celebrate the opening of the first property for the newly developed extended-stay concept. Nassetta joined executives from the Home2 Suites brand management team, developer LBA Properties, owner Apple REIT and local dignitaries for the ribbon cutting ceremony and reception. As a signature element...

EDMONTON—Edmonton’s Shaw Conference Centre has received the Building Owners and Managers Association’s (BOMA) “Building Environmental Standards” certification. BOMA’s certification program, or BOMA BEST for short, recognizes organizations like Edmonton Economic Development Corp., which manages the Shaw Conference Centre, for its commitment to the environment. Applications for certification must be verified by a third-party assessor. The application process included showing 12 months of consumption data and a green purchasing policy, documenting in-house green practices, and meeting indoor air quality requirements for clients and staff. BOMA BEST is the successor to BOMA’s Go Green program, which Shaw Conference Centre achieved in...

DALLAS—NYLO Hotels LLC announced plans for a third hotel in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, this one in South Side Dallas, a thriving community just south of downtown. This project marks two “firsts” for the lifestyle hotel brand; it will be NYLO’s first conversion property, and it will be the first NYLO hotel to pursue LEED Silver Certification. The NYLO Dallas South Side will break ground in the first quarter of 2011 and open in the first quarter of 2012. The hotel will be operated by NYLO Hotels and developed by Matthews Southwest. NYLO Dallas South Side will be located three...

MONTEREY, CALIF.—Setting the bar for environmentally-conscious hotels in Central California, Portola Hotel & Spa, located in the heart of Monterey, was recently granted its Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Portola Hotel & Spa becomes one of only three hotels in all of California and one of only six hotels in the United States to earn this level of accreditation in the Existing Building (EB) category. As an independent hotel brand, and an existing building, Portola Hotel & Spa achieved this certification as a result of a longstanding commitment by...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. recently announced the opening of Element New York Times Square West. The first Element hotel to open in New York City, Element New York Times Square West is one of the city’s greenest properties and located in the center of fast-paced Times Square. Element, Starwood’s green trailblazer, continues to make history as the first major hotel brand to mandate that all its properties pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Element’s energizing, eco-chic environment offers bright public spaces, smart design, and modern...

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.—Despite its sensational natural environment, neither the City of Scottsdale nor the State of Arizona have a luxury eco-resort. That’s all about to change thanks to a unanimous approval from the Scottsdale City Council. Planned close to Scottsdale’s 20,000-acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve, one of the largest natural parks and preserves in the county featuring the scenic Sonoran Desert, the project is being promoted by developer Lyle Anderson Co. A member of the Scottsdale Hall of Fame, Anderson was the developer behind Desert Highlands and Desert Mountain. Combined they offer seven Jack Nicklaus golf courses with Desert Highlands being...