MIAMI—Virgin Hotels is now offering guests car service seven days a week to select areas in Chicago in a top-of-the-line red Tesla Model S, a premium electric vehicle. The new all-wheel-drive Model S P85D is not only electric; it’s also the quickest-accelerating four door vehicle ever built. For guests wishing to arrive in style, they simply need to ring the concierge and a Virgin Hotels representative will drive them to their destination.Doug Carrillo, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Virgin Hotels, said, “Tesla is the hottest electric car on the road right now, and we’re elated to provide our...

OAK BROOK, ILL.—Nine months after taking over as General Manager of the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center, Stefan Mühle is just part of the way toward reaching his goal of transforming the property into a uniquely green destination with a “boutique heart and soul.” Mühle, who co-founded the Sustainability Committee for the Hotel Council of San Francisco, knows a thing or two about greening a boutique hotel. During his time as General Manager, the 104-room Orchard Hotel in San Francisco earned Green Seal and LEED certification. Transforming the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center...

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI—The new Marriott Port-au-Prince Hotel has checked in its first guests. Among the 200 new Haitian hotel workers who welcomed them were young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and Haitian-Americans who want to share their hospitality skills to help boost Haiti’s tourism economy. The stories of these new associates include Luccardo, who was recruited to work at the hotel’s front desk from the Nos Petits Frères et Soeurs orphanage, and Hermine, who was part of the hotel’s intern program and will be an entry-level supervisor. In addition to members of a Haitian-American executive team, the Haiti Marriott is led...

CHICAGO—More energy-efficient elevators can significantly reduce the costs of operating a building, but the information needed to help building owners identify the appropriate elevator system—and the savings associated with it—aren’t readily available, according to a new study published by a leading policy group. The study, by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, was published with the support of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, the parent organization of Otis, the world’s largest manufacturer and maintainer of people-moving products.Elevators and escalators make up 2 to 5 percent of the energy used in most buildings, but can reach as high as...

NATIONAL REPORT—The Association of Green Property Owners and Managers (AGPOM), along with the International Tourism Partnership (ITP), are planning several educational webinars. The first one, “How to measure and report your carbon footprint using the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) methodology,” will take place on Tuesday, March 17.More than 21,000 hotels around the world have adopted the HCMI methodology that allows them to calculate and communicate the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings in a consistent and transparent way.During the webinar one can learn to:•    Provide the carbon footprint information your customers are requesting;•    Understand your environmental impacts...

STAMFORD, CONN.—Accelerating growth in markets worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced the opening of Element Vancouver Metrotown—the second Element hotel to open in Canada. Owned by Bosa Properties and managed by Atlific Hotels, Element Vancouver Metrotown is part of Bosa’s new Sovereign building, the tallest tower in Burnaby, B.C.. Offering picturesque views of the North Shore Mountains and downtown Vancouver, the new Element features 169 light-filled rooms and suites. Element Vancouver Metrotown joins Element Vaughan Southwest in the greater Toronto region and will be followed by the opening of two more Element hotels in Canada next year.“Element...

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—The majority (57 percent) of European-based companies have sustainability initiatives written into their company’s travel policy, according to a recent study on sustainability in travel programs by the GBTA Foundation, the education and research arm of the Global Business Travel Assn. (GBTA).This marks a significant increase from 39 percent in 2012, and is largely attributable to the financial benefits, and safety and security enhancements delivered by the programs. The study also found that more U.S. companies are incorporating sustainability programs into contracts (from 11 percent in 2011 to 19 percent), but they continue to lag behind European counterparts.“Overall,...

TORONTO—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced that it has achieved World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Climate Savers Program targets, reducing its operational CO2 emissions by 20 percent below 2006 levels. In doing so, the luxury hotel brand known for its industry leading sustainability programming becomes the first hotel brand to meet this ambitious environmental goal.WWF’s Climate Savers Program was designed to inspire companies to change their thinking about climate solutions, while also encouraging them to transform themselves into low-carbon leaders. This leaves member companies better placed to avoid carbon-related risks while realizing opportunities within their long-term business strategies. Fairmont joined Fortune...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Sustainable Travel International (STI) recently announced changes to its leadership team, adapting to a changing landscape for the tourism industry and cause-based organizations. These changes come as the nonprofit organization takes the next step in its own evolution, driven by a goal to positively impact the lives of at least 10 million residents and their families in destinations around the world with and through its partners over the next 10 years.Effective April 1, 2015, Founder Brian T. Mullis will be Sustainable Travel International’s new Chairman of the Board, and Dr. Louise Twining-Ward will take Mullis’ place as CEO....

LAS VEGAS—Possibly by August of this year, 26 percent of the electricity needs of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino will be met by a more than 8 megawatt (MW dc) photovoltaic array sitting atop the property’s convention center roof. “Juice” is already flowing from the first phase of the installation—a 6.4 MW dc array. The remaining 2 MW dc amount will be operational once solar panels are installed atop an expansion of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center. The array is already the world’s largest rooftop solar array on a convention center.According to Chris Brophy, Vice President of Corporate...