STAMFORD, CONN.—Element Hotels, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.’s eco-innovation lab, announced a collaboration with Sistine Solar, Inc.—a company that uses innovative design to change the way the world thinks about solar power—to produce a one-of-a-kind solar canopy for the Element brand. Starting today, Element Dallas Fort Worth Airport will debut a nature-themed, custom designed charging station that allows guests and locals to relax as they recharge their devices through the power of sunlight. This collaboration is a continued proof point of the Element’s commitment to sustainability and eco-design, further demonstrating how sustainability and socialization can go hand in...

ATLANTA—The Sustainable Tours part of the upcoming Sustainable Meetings Conference has been announced. The tours will take place on Friday, June 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Friday is the final day of the Atlanta conference that begins on Wednesday, June 17. Tour options will include: Atlanta Botanical Garden, Atlanta Community Food Bank, Atlanta Streetcar Adventure, Center for Civil and Human Rights, Georgia World Congress Center, Hands On Atlanta, Museum of Design Atlanta, Southface Eco Office, and Westin Peachtree Plaza. One can register for the tours as part of the conference registration process.This year’s Sustainable Meetings Conference, with...

NATIONAL REPORT—At last month’s Clean Show in Atlanta, Ralph Daniels, President and CEO, Aquawing Ozone Injection Systems (AWOIS), thought about all of the ozone laundry companies that have exhibited at the show over the years—companies that, in many cases, are no longer in business. “The ones that have survived are the ones that offer local support,” Daniels says. “That is the key in hospitality.”AWOIS, and a handful of other companies like it, have stayed around because they offer not only local support but proven systems that can dramatically add efficiencies to laundry operations. By adding ozone to the laundering...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced the signing of a management agreement with Diamond Developers to launch the second Hotel Indigo in the U.A.E. Hotel Indigo is IHG’s boutique brand and each Hotel Indigo property is designed to reflect the local neighborhood it is located in. From the design of the building to the hotel’s artwork and locally-inspired menus, each Hotel Indigo property is unique to its surroundings, so no two properties are the same. In addition, guests can look forward to immersing in stories of the neighborhood through creatively crafted spaces reflecting the area’s heritage—a key cornerstone of...

MORRIS, CONN.—Crusaders for food as authentically fresh as it is refined will experience just that at the newly rebranded Winvian Farm, which is emerging as the East Coast’s preeminent farm-resort, when it comes to exceptional, organic, non-GMO cuisine.Winvian Farm is once again home to a working farm (the original farm dates to the 1700s) thanks to the efforts of Executive Chef Chris Eddy and proprietor, Margaret Smith, whose passion for healthy eating and earth-to-table menus inspired the re-creation of the farm. Chef describes his culinary style as “food with a conscience,” which is evident in every bite.Winvian Farm houses...

LONDON—Building on the success of the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative, now used by more than 21,500 hotels around the world, the International Tourism Partnership (ITP) is announcing ambitious plans to standardize water measurement in the industry.Water scarcity is a recognized global problem, with demand for water projected to exceed supply by 40 percent by 2030. By the same year, more than a third of the world’s population will be living in areas of high water stress.As part of a rapidly growing tourism sector and a large consumer of water in its own right, the hotel industry needs to take...

HONG KONG—Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts marked the global rollout of its culinary sustainability initiative, Rooted in Nature, by hosting a month-long celebration of the group’s most exceptional food purveyors. From small farms in the Maldives to fishing villages in Malaysia, the hotels recognized the farmers, fisherman and ranchers that make dining at Shangri-La not only delicious but also sustainable.Special Rooted in Nature events and promotions taking place at all Shangri-La and Kerry hotels highlighted sustainable sources of produce, fish, and meat that can be found on the hotels’ menus year-round and celebrated the purveyors who responsibly steward the land...

LOS ANGELES—Disneyland Resort was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with the 2014 Food Recovery Challenge award for its zero waste efforts, and the highest percent increase in food recovery of any theme park in the nation.“Disneyland is a model for food recovery efforts,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Disney has the potential to educate millions of people who visit the resort on zero waste, while doing its part to fight climate change and create a better environment for Southern California residents.”The EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge partners with organizations and businesses to prevent...

LOS ANGELES—The Boutique & Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA) has unveiled its lineup of hospitality visionaries for its Annual Boutique Hotel Investment Conference to be held June 3 at the SVA Theatre in New York. The primary focus of the conference, powered by BLLA, is capital investment and financing for independent boutique and lifestyle hotels. The program will include an individual vignette from Mark Keiser, Chief Development Officer for the SH Group who will discuss the Baccarat Hotels’ record-breaking $2 million per key transaction and the new 1 Hotels venture created by Barry Sternlicht. Also featured will be a keynote...

SAN FRANCISCO—Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants announced that all 65 of its hotels are now a part of the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders program, making it the first major hotel brand to have 100 percent portfolio-wide participation in the program. Developed in partnership with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the United Nations Environment Programme, TripAdvisor GreenLeaders recognizes hotels’ leadership in environmental practices and helps travelers find and plan stays with eco-friendly hotels.Since the 1980s when Kimpton began implementing environmentally responsible practices, Kimpton has implemented more than 100 programs and amenities to make its hotels...