LAS VEGAS—The HD 2007 Expo & Conference got off to a green start with the second annual Green Luncheon on Wednesday. The luncheon featured case study presentations by representatives of San Francisco-based design firm Gensler and by Larry Traxler, vice president architecture and design, Hyatt Hotels Corp. The three case studies included: Hyatt Regency Chicago, Lower Wacker Exhibit Hall and Riverfront Development; MGM Mirage City Center, Las Vegas; and Eagle Lodge Sky Resort, Mammoth, Calif.
The Hyatt Regency Chicago is in the process of adding a zero-energy building addition to its Lower Wacker Exhibit Hall. Hyatt intends to pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification for the project—the highest LEED level. The building will collect rainwater that will be recycled for uses such as toilet flushing and incorporate natural lighting to minimize energy consumption. Because of the consistent winds flowing through the area, Hyatt is studying the possibility of using wind turbines to generate electricity for the building.
Tom Ito, director of hospitality, North Carolina region for Gensler, said the multi-season Eagle Lodge Sky Resort will incorporate sustainable practices at every level. It will be heated and cooled using a geothermal system. Energy Star appliances will be featured throughout and hard plank siding will be used instead of wood siding. The 68-unit property also will include underground parking to eliminate a heat island effect.
“This type of parking facility will be more energy efficient and will alleviate the potential for storm drainage issues,” Ito said.
CityCenter Project in Pursuit of LEED
J.F. Finn III, principal-in-charge of the $7 billion MGM Mirage City Center project, talked about the green aspects of that 18 million-square-foot development. It is the United State’s largest LEED project and includes the first casino that will pursue LEED certification.
“MGM Mirage, the largest employer in Nevada, took a leadership position in the pursuit of LEED,” Finn III said. “They understood the notion of a carbon footprint.”
A few of the green highlights, according to Finn III:
• Parking facilities structured to minimize heat island impact.
• Greywater reclamation.
• The use of sun shades on windows to reduce cooling costs.
• The use of Forest Stewardship Council certified wood.
• Approximately 80 percent of construction and demolition waste diverted from landfills through recycling.
Finn III said it is costing MGM Mirage less than 1 percent of the total project’s costs to build to LEED standards and the return on that investment will be less than two years.
Q&A With Gensler, Hyatt
After the case study presentations, Hyatt’s Traxler and the representatives of Gensler fielded questions from the audience.
Vito Lotta, director of hospitality, North Carolina region for Gensler, said there are numerous benefits to pursuing sustainable design: creating a higher real estate value for your property, lower operational costs and the opportunity to charge higher rates.
Melissa Mizell, senior associate with Gensler, said sometimes hotel interior designers don’t recognize the impact their decisions can have on the guest experience.
“The interior design products we choose have an impact on how healthy we all are,” she says.
Mizell cited products having no volatile organic chemicals and no formaldehyde content as being key to a healthy hotel interior. She mentioned that California is banning the sale of formaldehyde-containing products beginning in 2008.
When an attendee asked the panelists what they thought the biggest obstacle to sustainability in design was, Traxler said “lack of education.”
“We should be looking to Asia and Europe to learn what they have done,” he said. “We are 10 years behind.”
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
