YARDLEY, PA.—Lodging Magazine is accepting submissions for its first Lodging Sustainability Award. There are five categories in the competition: Individual Person; Individual Hotel Property; Hotel Brand; Hotel Supplier; and Other Corporate Entity (Hotel Group, Property Management Company, Design/Architecture/Engineering/GC Firm, Consulting Organization, Finance Organization, Association, or Other entity).According to Lodging Magazine, the Lodging Sustainability Award recognizes the contribution of individuals, groups and corporate entities who exemplify the meaning of sustainability in the hotel industry. The winners stand as role models whose work embodies the industry’s efforts to be strong advocates for corporate social responsibility in doing what’s best for both...

CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced a global initiative to increase procurement of responsibly sourced seafood at Hyatt hotels, starting with an initial goal of responsibly sourcing more than 50 percent of their inventory by 2018. As a part of this effort, Hyatt will also work toward purchasing more than 15 percent of its seafood supply from fisheries or farms that have been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) or the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). This is the first phase of a long-term seafood sustainability strategy in partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a leading global conservation organization, to build...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A webinar on carbon monoxide safety will be held for AH&LA members on Thursday, August 21, 2014, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (EST). The moderator will be Tony Mendez, corporate safety/security services, resort management, Bluegreen Corp. Speakers will include: Byron Briese, Rolf Jenson Associates; Tom Daly, The Hospitality Security Consulting Group; and Stacy Welch, PE, Senior Director, Fire Protection and Life Safety, Marriott International, Inc.Although incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning are rare, regular maintenance and equipment checks can help hoteliers protect both guests and employees. As with smoke alarms, there are no federal mandates or regulations governing...

NEW YORK—The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has announced a new partnership that will expand innovative clean-energy project financing to all of New York State for commercial, industrial and multifamily buildings to help them become more competitive and cost-effective by decreasing their energy costs.Through the partnership, NYSERDA is providing approximately $1 million to the Energy Improvement Corporation (EIC) to jumpstart its Energize NY Finance program in the State over the next two years. The Energize NY Finance program uses Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Finance (PACE) and property tax laws to provide long-term, market-rate financing...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International has released its 2013 Corporate Social Responsibility Executive Summary, highlighting the company’s continued commitment to diversity, engagement with its communities, and stewardship of environmental resources. Themed “Inspiring Our World,” the summary is available for download on the company's CSR website.“We are proud of the strides we have made over the last year in our continued efforts to fully integrate social responsibility throughout all levels of our company’s operations,” said Jim Murren, Chairman & CEO of MGM Resorts International. “We strongly believe our CSR efforts make us not only a better company; they also make us...

LONDON—TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website, announced the launch of the TripAdvisor GreenLeaders program in Europe to help travelers around the world plan greener trips by highlighting hotels and B&Bs engaging in environmentally-friendly practices. More than 6,000 properties around the world have so far been awarded TripAdvisor GreenLeader status. Developed in consultation with the Carbon Trust, the UK Green Building Council, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the International Tourism Partnership, qualifying hotels and B&Bs are awarded TripAdvisor GreenLeaders status based on the green practices the property has in place. A TripAdvisor survey has revealed that there is a...

LAKE PLACID, N.Y.—Guests at the new Lake House at High Peaks Resort in Lake Placid can opt out of daily housekeeping services. In addition to significant reduction in the use of chemicals and their disposal, guests will earn a $5 daily credit which can be applied at the Bar at Lake House, or in Dancing Bears Restaurant at High Peaks Resort. Alternatively, the guest credit may be donated to the Mirror Lake Watershed Assn., which works to preserve the pristine beauty of Mirror Lake.“It is important for all of us who live and work in Lake Placid to help...

SAN FRANCISCO—Airbnb, a leading community-driven hospitality company, released a new study quantifying the environmental benefits of home sharing for travelers. Conducted by Cleantech Group (CTG), this study finds that Airbnb promotes a more efficient use of existing resources and is an environmentally sustainable way to travel. Traveling on Airbnb results in significant reduction in energy and water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste, and encourages more sustainable practices among both hosts and guests.“Resource sharing is rapidly growing across a number of sectors including hospitality, consumer goods, and transportation,” said Michael Ellis, EVP Advisory for CTG. “Cleantech Group’s initial analysis...

HARTFORD, CONN.—The Connecticut Convention Center has recently taken steps in the green direction with the completion of two major projects that will improve the facility’s energy efficiency. Beginning last summer, the Center entrusted the help of Strategic Building Solutions (SBS) to review the energy usage for chilled water, hot water, and steam throughout the facility. For four months, SBS made adjustments to the Center’s computers, pump controls, motor controls, and Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs). Within a month of SBS completing these adjustments, the Convention Center saw a savings in chilled water and hot water usage. To this day, those...

ITHACA, N.Y.—A new study from Cornell University has found that hotels gain a revenue benefit when they are certified under the LEED sustainable building program. By comparing LEED certified hotels with a competitive set of non-certified hotels, the study found substantial increases in average daily rates and revenue per available room for the LEED hotels. The study, “The Impact of LEED Certification on Hotel Performance,” by Matthew Walsman, Rohit Verma, and Suresh Muthulingam, is available at no charge from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at the School of Hotel Administration.“The hotel industry has embraced environmental sustainability and...