INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Climate change, freshwater depletion, unsustainable use of resources, and biodiversity collapse are some of the most pressing challenges faced by humanity today. As the world’s population increases, so does the pressure on the world’s natural resources and on local communities. While hospitality might on the surface be less damaging than other industries where pollution is more visible (manufacturing, transport, agriculture, etc.), the hospitality service sector and its supply chain are directly affecting and being affected by sustainability matters. Energy and water consumption, working conditions, employment, waste, and carbon emission are among the issues which need to be urgently...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—The Beverly Hilton and the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, two of California’s most iconic luxury hotels and champions for the environment, together with Nostromo Energy, provider of breakthrough energy storage solutions for commercial buildings, announced the launch of Nostromo’s sustainable energy storage system serving the two adjacent hotels. The system is designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enable the hotels to reach their sustainability goals while saving on energy costs. This project with hotel ownership and leading real-estate asset management groups Alagem Capital Group and Cain International marks the first hospitality industry partnership using Nostromo’s innovative technology. During peak hours, air conditioning...

TORONTO & LAS VEGAS—This week hoteliers will have two opportunities to see the latest in energy-management solutions for hotels. Verdant will display its popular digital thermostats at HITEC Toronto, June 27 to 30 in Booth 607 at the Metro Toronto Convention Center, and at The Hospitality Show (THS), June 28 to 29 at the Venetian Resort in Las Vegas. While there, the Montreal-based company will introduce a new mobile app and a new energy service-optimization program. “Travelers are returning, and many say they are willing to spend more in 2023 than the previous year—that’s the good news,” said Verdant General Manager Michael Serour. “The...

NATIONAL REPORT—Interest in eco-friendly commercial buildings is on the rise and scrutiny of organizations’ ESG initiatives mean building owners’ and other stakeholders’ reputations and revenue depend upon them taking steps to become more sustainable. The Center on Global Energy Policy recently reported the buildings sector worldwide consumes approximately 30 percent of global energy—natural gas, electricity and solid and liquid fuels for heating, cooling, lighting, equipment and cooking. The commentary also pointed out the importance of decarbonization in the buildings sector. Interest in eco-friendly commercial buildings is on the rise, especially with increasing reports of global warming and companies’ impact of using vast amounts of...

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...