AHLA last conducted The Lodging Survey with STR in 2018. It provided valuable information on numerous trends in lodging, including ones falling under Sustainability. AHLA and STR no longer conduct that survey. A very valuable replacement to that survey is the 2022 Green Lodging Trends U.S. Market Report. It is based on U.S.-specific data gathered for the 2022 edition of the global Green Lodging Trends Report (GLTR). The newly available U.S. report from AHLA—representing its Responsible Stay program—is based on data from 17,000 U.S. hotels. There were two data collection methods: direct participation by responding to the GLTR survey on...

NEW YORK—One of Manhattan’s most prominent luxury hotels—the 463 all-suite Conrad New York Downtown—keeps pushing the bar higher for sustainability leadership in the Big Apple. Since opening in 2012, the hotel has maintained its LEED Gold certification, implemented numerous water-, energy- and waste-saving initiatives, and it just recently became the first hotel in the city and one of the first in the U.S. to utilize Power Over Ethernet (PoE) technology. The Sinclair in Fort Worth, Texas also uses this technology. PoE is used at the Conrad New York Downtown to power LED lighting in the lobby, in the newly renovated...

The world’s ongoing water crisis is real. One in four of the world’s largest cities are currently in water stress, and the global infrastructure for collecting, cleaning, and distributing water is critically strained. We are locked in an ongoing struggle to maintain sufficient supplies of water in the face of increasing global temperatures and continuing worsening droughts. Water waste is not only a major contributor to the decline of reservoirs, but also a significant source of carbon emissions. Water treatment and delivery in the United States account for 13 percent of the country’s total electricity consumption. In many municipalities, water is...

Evaporative cooling towers play an important role in green buildings by significantly reducing energy consumption when they supplement or replace traditional air conditioning systems, thereby reducing carbon footprint and operating costs. Although evaporative cooling is great at saving energy, it does consume some water but the benefits on energy savings outweigh the water usage, which in some places is a scarce resource. Water conservation is therefore a high priority in designing and operating water-cooled equipment and plays an important role in USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and other sustainability programs. LEED assigns credit points to reduce...

PHOENIX—Recognizing the importance for the hospitality industry to take the lead on addressing its most significant global challenges and on establishing sustainability programs that meet evolving guest expectations, BWH Hotel Group is doubling down on its commitment to environmental and social responsibility across its expansive global portfolio. Alongside its engagement with the Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, BWH Hotel Group has created a new global sustainability strategic initiative, called “Because We Care,” which will focus on three important pillars: Earth, People and Community (EPC). BWH Hotel Group is celebrating the significant efforts its hotels across nearly 100 countries have already undertaken...

ATLANTA—Honeywell recently announced a new collaboration with Marriott International to improve in-room comfort and control for guests who stay at hotels across Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of hotel brands. Together, Honeywell and the Marriott Design Lab will explore opportunities to test and deploy personalized and innovative guestroom control offerings building on the Honeywell INNCOM product suite that features leading guestroom automation, energy management and operational efficiency offerings. The effort will take a guest-centric approach to create better experiences. Honeywell will work with the Marriott Design Lab to explore how a guest’s interactions with technology can affect mood and energy, anticipate a...

NATIONAL REPORT—In this article, CBRE’s Alan Jutte provides insights on a study of hotel operating statements from CBRE’s Trends in the Hotel Industry which showed that new properties with energy-efficient features resulted in substantial energy savings compared to older or less efficient properties. The study concluded that while sustainability efforts can lead to reduced costs, the extent of these savings may depend on various factors such as room size, building size, amenities, building materials, etc. Sustainability is an increasingly crucial component across almost all industries. Embracing new and more efficient business models and technologies is expensive, and often developers and operators...

DUBUQUE, IOWA—Innovative Ink Publishing, an imprint of Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, has released Sustainable Hospitality, written by green hospitality industry expert Dan Ruben. The textbook provides hospitality professionals and students with the knowledge and resources to make their properties environmentally sustainable. “The target audience is hospitality professionals who work for hotels, cruise ships, and other hospitality sectors, as well as hospitality students,” Ruben says. “Managers of senior living facilities, dormitories, and other lodging facilities will benefit from this book, too. Sustainable Hospitality offers a roadmap to a leaner operation—one where less energy and water are consumed, and where less waste is generated....

AMBLER, PA.—Bradford White Water Heaters, an industry-leading American manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, announces that its Infiniti GS and GR tankless water heaters and select eF Series Ultra High Efficiency commercial tank gas water heaters have been certified by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), the leading voice within the Green Restaurant movement, for use in GRA-certified restaurants. Installation and use of GRA-certified products helps restaurants achieve and maintain Green Restaurant certification, the industry’s highest standard for sustainability. “Bradford White and the GRA share a commitment to helping businesses reach their operational efficiency goals,” said Carl Pinto, Jr., Senior Director of Marketing...

AMBLER, PA.—Bradford White Corp., an industry-leading American manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, will showcase its innovative, high-quality solutions for the restaurant facility management industry at the Restaurant Facility Management Association Annual Conference in San Antonio March 21 to 23. “We’re looking forward to highlighting the reliable, powerful and efficient products we offer to help restaurant facilities management professionals thrive and grow in this dynamic industry,” said Carl Pinto, Jr., Senior Director of Marketing Communications for Bradford White. “RFMA provides a unique opportunity for the leaders and experts to connect and share insights that are driving the industry.” The RFMA Annual...