CHICAGO—When Virgin Group opened its first hotel last month—the 250-room Virgin Hotels Chicago—what was not talked about much in the media was the green story behind the renovated historic Old Dearborn Bank Building at 203 N. Wabash Ave. Richard Branson, Virgin Group founder, and member of the B Team leaders who recently called for a global commitment to net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050, established a hotel brand with the goal of LEED Silver for each hotel. Virgin Hotels Chicago’s green story begins with its site selection. Rather than building new, Virgin Hotels chose a historic bank building and kept...

SAN FRANCISCO—In a landmark decision, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved the “Green Tariff Shared Renewables Program,” a measure that will give millions of California residents and businesses the chance to participate in a utility clean energy program for the first time. The decision, which benefits the majority of the state’s businesses and over 38 million residents, directs the three largest investor-owned utilities—Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Southern California Edison Co., and San Diego Gas and Electric Co., which together cover nearly 80 percent of the state—to offer a Green-e Energy certified 100 percent renewable energy option...

OAKLAND, CALIF.—The world’s biggest companies are addressing their environmental impacts, but it isn’t making much of a difference, according to State of Green Business 2015, a report from GreenBiz Group and Trucost. The eighth annual edition of the report, which measures the global progress of large, publicly traded companies around the world in addressing a myriad of environmental challenges, echoes the previous year’s report, which showed corporate progress leveling off or declining.“This year’s report offers a sobering reality,” said Joel Makower, GreenBiz Group Executive Editor and the report’s principal author. “For all the impressive work that companies are doing...

NATIONAL REPORT—Green walls, also known as vertical gardens or living walls, increasingly are being used in interior and exterior areas of hotels to make a green design statement. Aside from being aesthetic symbols of a property’s commitment to sustainability—perhaps even a means to earn LEED credits—green walls offer many other benefits. They can help deaden sound in large spaces, absorb and clean toxins from the air, reduce carbon dioxide levels, keep air temperatures down, improve employee alertness and energy levels, increase humidity, reduce airborne dust levels, and even help increase the property values of commercial buildings. According to Ambius,...

ATLANTA—The Green Meeting Industry Council has announced the dates for its annual Sustainable Meetings Conference. This year’s event, with the theme, “Power to Change,” will be held June 17 to 19 in Atlanta at The Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel. Registration is currently open, with special early-bird registration pricing until March 23.A featured speaker this year will include Laura Turner Seydel, Chair, Captain Planet Foundation. The Atlanta-based Foundation was founded by Ted Turner in 1991 and is now chaired by his daughter, Laura Turner Seydel. The Foundation supports high-quality, hands-on environmental stewardship projects that have enabled more than 1.1 million...

STAMFORD, CONN.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.’s aggressive environmental goals and design-led approach earned the company’s global headquarters the highest LEED accolades available. Home to approximately 1,200 Starwood associates representing nearly every global function, One StarPoint is the only building in Stamford to achieve the highest level of LEED certification. “We made a long-term investment in Stamford when we moved our global headquarters here and our extensive work for LEED certification is one way we continue to create a healthy and environmentally conscious work environment, which helps with retention, reduces energy consumption, and creates a more pleasant working experience,”...

ATLANTA—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced its 600th IHG Academy program, having doubled the number operating globally in the past year. IHG opened more than 300 programs during 2014 alone, giving almost 6,700 new IHG Academy participants the opportunity to develop the skills needed to work in the hospitality industry.Originally launched in China in 2006, IHG Academy is a pioneering global collaboration in the hospitality industry, between IHG hotels and local education providers and community organizations. It gives participants real-world experience working in the hospitality industry and allows IHG the opportunity to develop talented people to work in its hotels....

CONCORD, CALIF.—Hilton Concord has been honored with two prestigious and coveted designations for its ongoing dedication and commitment to sustainability. Contra Costa County awarded the Hilton Concord hotel with a Certified Green Business designation, the first hotel to receive this honor. In addition, the hotel received the 2014 Contra Costa Green Building Award by Sustainable Contra Costa. The Hilton Concord hotel is owned by VWI Concord LLC and operated by Interstate Hotels & Resorts.“We are proud to have achieved and exceeded the benchmarks in sustainability required for Green Business Certification and thrilled to be the recipient of the 2014...

CONCORD, N.H.—IRN-The Reuse+Recycling Network released the results of its surplus asset reuse program for 2014. IRN provided 6 million pounds of furnishings and equipment to 29 different charities active in 23 countries overseas and 20 U.S. states, where the furnishings are used to support disaster relief and economic development.IRN has a simple mission: to keep usable furnishings out of landfills and get them to communities where they are needed. When an organization comes to IRN with an inventory of surplus furnishings, IRN makes a match with its network of dozens of charitable partners. IRN then manages the project to...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton Worldwide has reached an agreement with modular building provider CIMC to develop the first hotel at Bristol Airport (U.K.) under its economy Hampton by Hilton brand. Financed and owned by CIMC, the hotel will be managed by Hilton Worldwide.The announcement marks a strategic partnership between Hilton Worldwide and CIMC. CIMC’s innovative modular technique significantly reduces the time taken for construction by manufacturing and assembling portions of the hotel, including guestrooms and hallways, in China, before transporting them to the final site for assembly. The model helps ensure consistent quality and accelerates the build schedule on site, a...