BOSTON—Upon receiving its recent LEED Silver Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Hostelling International Boston (HI-Boston) became the City of Boston’s first accommodation provider to achieve LEED certification. Since its opening in June 2012, this repurposed historic building at the cross section of Chinatown, Downtown Crossing, and the Theater District has since welcomed more than 200,000 travelers from more than 85 countries.“HI-Boston is raising the bar for the hospitality industry in Boston,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “The city is attracting more and more young people, and I’m thrilled that HI-USA is providing green accommodations for our...

NATIONAL REPORT—Businesses and consumers alike are feeling the heat from rising utility costs, but commercial buildings in particular, such as hospitals, shopping centers and offices, have been taking a significant hit considering they account for about one-fifth of domestic energy consumption. While the utilities price index, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, has increased in line with the improving economy, commercial building energy consumption has also been on a steady upward trend. Even before the recession, energy consumption of commercial buildings grew a whopping 69 percent from 1980 to 2009. Based on projections from the Energy Information Administration,...

ORLANDO—Orlando has become the first destination to produce a comprehensive sustainability report focused on the visitor experience. The goal of the report is to tell the sustainability journey of Orlando, allowing it to chronicle progress toward the goal of becoming one of the world’s leading sustainable destinations. The Orlando Destination Sustainability Report is a pillar program of Green Destination Orlando (GDO), and a co-production between GDO, Greenview and the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, along with community volunteers.The report shares Orlando’s vision where visitors have a total sustainable experience, beginning the moment they plan their...

LONDON—Stakeholders of the paper cup supply chain announced the formalization of the Paper Cup Recovery and Recycling Group (PCRRG), which will be managed and coordinated by LRS Consultancy. Originally set up as a special interest group, the PCRRG has during its time worked hard to increase recognition that used paper cups can provide high quality material to the marketplace and that there is a need to ensure that it is captured effectively for use in the supply chain.  The Group’s primary objectives are to continue to drive action around the development of the collection and recycling opportunities for paper...

DUBAI—UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, launched the world’s first temperature-controlled city, Mall of the World, located along Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Occupying a total area of 48 million square feet, the project will comprise the largest indoor theme park in the world, which will be covered by a glass dome that will be open during the winter months. The project will also house the largest shopping mall in the world with an area of 8 million square feet, which will take the form of an...

DUMFRIESSHIRE, SCOTLAND—The owners of Three Glens House in Dumfriesshire, Scotland have achieved something rare. They built a stunning carbon-negative property in the middle of a farm and transformed it into a luxurious guest house with a unique style and approach to hospitality.Within less than one year, the property became a Scottish Design Awards 2014 finalist, it was awarded five stars by Visit Scotland and the Rising Star Rural Escape award at the Scottish Hotel Awards 2014.The property is a sustainable, energy efficient, ultra-modern eco farmhouse, guests have access to 360 degree views of breathtaking scenery, fresh produce from the...

LAS VEGAS—ARIA Resort & Casino, LEED Gold and Green Key certified, as well as a TripAdvisor GreenLeader at the Platinum level, will be the site of this fall’s second annual Lodging Green & Sustainability Conference & Expo in Las Vegas. The LODGING Magazine event, with the support of EcoGreen Energy Solutions, will take place October 28 to 30.“This year we anticipate doubling the size of our event in both attendance and exhibit area,” says LODGING magazine Publisher Bill Corsini, who will once again host this annual event. “While still relatively small in only our second year, the conference will...

LAS VEGAS—The MGM Resorts Foundation announces Soledad O’Brien as a keynote speaker at the 2014 Women’s Leadership Conference. The nonprofit event will be held at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, August 6 and 7. The theme of the 2014 conference is “Women Inspiring Women.”“Soledad is not only an award-winning journalist; she’s also well known for her philanthropic endeavors,” said Phyllis James, Chief Diversity Officer for MGM Resorts International. “She brings with her a rich and varied background that will inspire conference attendees.”The two-day conference will offer a wide range of learning opportunities, career guidance and personal...

NATIONAL REPORT—When the NoMad Hotel opened in New York City in 2012, it did so with reclaimed wood flooring in its guestrooms. When the Grain Tasting Bar opened late that same year at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver in British Columbia, it featured doors made from reclaimed wood. When the Heritage Cabins at Pine Bungalows in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada were completed this year, the knotty pine tongue-in-groove wood installed in the original Pine Bungalows cabins in the 1960s and 1970s was utilized. Reclaimed wood is increasingly being specified and used in lodgings of all types, whether in...

NEW YORK—On May 31, the third annual Futuregreen Hospitality Forum that brings together hotel brands, designers and manufacturers for a day-long think tank, was held at the Crosby Street Hotel in New York. More than 50 industry leaders attended to collectively discuss environmental challenges and discover new solutions for a more sustainable hotel industry.Two keynote speakers addressed the theme: Smaller, Faster, Cheaper. Mitchell Joachim, a TED Fellow and founder of Terreform ONE shared his work on foldable cars and bioengineered homes made from living materials. Los Angeles-based filmmaker Nirvan Mullick—director/producer of the short documentary “Caine’s Arcade”—used his film about...