ATLANTA—With 12 confirmed dead and more than 120 cases of infection due to legionellosis, New York City Council last week adopted legislation that requires adherence to part of ASHRAE’s newly published Legionella standard.The legislation addresses registration and inspection of cooling towers. It requires owners to create and file a plan to maintain equipment to comply with Section 7.2 of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems.The standard provides minimum Legionellosis risk management requirements for the design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, repair, replacement and expansion of new and existing buildings and their associated water systems and components.“Standard...

OAK BROOK, ILL.—The Monarch butterfly population has been in decline, but the Illinois state insect is getting some unlikely help with their migration in the western suburbs of Chicago. At the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center, which features a Horticultural Gallery on its 150 acres of Audubon-certified grounds, waystations are attracting Monarchs on their annual trek south. Due to the spirited efforts of hotel staff and horticulturalist Karen Paquin, who has created an official on-site Monarch habitat, the beloved pollinator is dropping by in significant numbers. “It’s encouraging to see so many Monarchs enjoy our beautiful...

GREENVILLE, S.C.—Discarded soap and bottled amenities left behind by guests at JHM Hotels’ properties now have a second life thanks to a recycling program from Clean the World that helps fight the spread of preventable diseases.Used soap and plastic amenity bottles from all JHM Hotels’ properties are shipped to a Clean the World Recycling Operations Center, where they are sanitized and repurposed. Clean the World’s simple mission is to recycle hotel soap and save lives. The organization has partnered with more than 4,000 hotels and resorts to put life-saving hygiene products in the hands of those who need them...

CINCINNATI—Attendee registration is underway for Boutique Design New York (BDNY), the award-winning trade fair and conference tailored exclusively to hospitality design professionals. The event will be held November 8 to 9 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.Now in its sixth year, BDNY has seen double-digit growth each year since its 2010 debut. This year the trade fair will expand to 600+ manufacturers and marketers in 80,000 square feet of exhibit space, and welcome more than 5,000 attendees.BDNY’s dramatic growth has been recognized by Trade Show Executive magazine’s annual Fastest 50 Awards & Summit for the past three years....

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Twenty-five years after its founding, The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) is still going strong with more than 14,700 members. Earlier this year its annual Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference (ESTC) in Ecuador drew more than 500 attendees from 46 countries. An ESTC is already being planned for April 25 to 28 in Botswana and for the first time ever there will be an ESTC America—at the University of South Florida in Tampa from January 25 to 27. The Tampa event will be limited to 220 participants.As strong as TIES has been over the years, 2015 is turning into...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Board of Trustees of the Destination & Travel Foundation have selected the U.S. National Park Service as the upcoming recipient of its highest honor, the Spirit of Hospitality Award, presented annually to the individual or organization that has shown exceptional dedication and commitment to the travel and tourism industry.The National Park Service turns 100 on August 25, 2016. The centennial kicks off a second century of stewardship of America’s national parks and engaging communities through recreation, conservation, and historic preservation programs.“From the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore to the Florida Everglades and Statue of Liberty, the National...

PARIS—In celebration of its 10 year commitment to the ISO 14001 certification, the internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems, AccorHotels has led two studies that assess the benefits of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on guest satisfaction and hotel performance. The surveys were conducted by Accenture and Ernst & Young (EY) in 2015 and revealed three key findings on the positive impact of CSR: increased guest satisfaction; improved hotel profitability; and increased loyalty of key BtoB customers.“We have been committed to sustainable development for over 20 years and always believed that, as well as being essential to preserve our...

COLLEGE PARK, MD.—College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center announces that it has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council—LEED’s highest level of certification. The designation makes College Park Marriott one of just four LEED Platinum U.S. hotels.The hotel’s Platinum certification follows the completion of an extensive multi-year renovation of meeting and event space, guestrooms and public areas that emphasized green building techniques and enhanced eco-friendly practices in daily operations. This new designation highlights College Park Marriott’s longstanding commitment to preserving the environment. In 2004, the hotel was North America’s...

SPRINGFIELD, MO.—John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) and Convoy of Hope announced their new national philanthropic partnership at an event at JQH’s University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center in Springfield, Mo. Called JQH’s Legacy of Giving, the joint cause initiative will focus on feeding the world’s hungry children and tackling systemic poverty in the United States and globally, which are at the heart of Convoy of Hope’s mission since it was established more than 20 years ago. JQH CEO Jacquie Dowdy and Convoy of Hope Co-Founder Dave Donaldson made the announcement at the launch event.JQH’s Legacy of Giving...

NEW YORK—SH Group, the hotel brand management arm of Starwood Capital Group, announced the opening of 1 Hotel Central Park. This is the second property for the recently launched 1 Hotels, and the first in New York City. Known for his innovations, Sternlicht developed the brand with goals of truly upending the world of hospitality through a socially and environmentally conscious platform in celebration of the beauty and preservation of nature.A natural haven in the middle of Manhattan, 1 Hotel Central Park stands one block south from New York City’s largest green space, at the corner of 58th Street...