TUCSON, ARIZ.—What are the major trends likely to affect the green building industry and markets in the United States in 2014? As one of the world’s leading green building consultants, keynote speakers and authors, Jerry Yudelson thinks he knows the answers. In fact, his Top 10 list of green building megatrends has become an annual event.At the top of Yudelson’s 2014 list is the prediction that green building in North America will continue its strong growth in 2014, with the ongoing expansion of commercial real estate construction together with government, university, nonprofit and school construction. “Green building is the...

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.—Tourism Cares announced its Global Impact Portfolio, a multifaceted, multi-country effort to preserve, enrich, and empower World Heritage destinations and local communities emerging from crisis and reopening to tourism. Tourism Cares will marshal the resources and insights available to the global travel industry to make timely financial grants, organize skilled and professional volunteers, enhance the visibility and awareness of iconic destinations, and facilitate exchanges of ideas to positively impact sites and communities. Based on the belief that, when taken together, travel and philanthropy are a powerful force for change, the fund will prioritize Egypt and Myanmar in 2014....

ORLANDO, FLA.—The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) has partnered with ECPAT-USA to develop a new online training program for hotel employees, “The Role of Hospitality in Preventing and Reacting to Child Trafficking.” The 30-minute course provides hotel staff and managers with the information they need to identify and respond to crimes of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). It explains the risks trafficking can pose to properties, provides a list of signs and behaviors that may indicate child trafficking, and offers steps to respond to the situation in ways that minimize risk. The training...

OTTAWA—The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) recently announced the 2013 Hall of Fame Awards of Excellence winners. The Hall of Fame Awards Program was developed by the HAC to recognize those of its members (individuals, companies or properties) that have demonstrated significant accomplishments, exemplary leadership and tireless commitment to Canada’s lodging industry.Winners are recognized in three categories. The winners of the 2013 Awards of Excellence in each category include:• Humanitarian: Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort & Conference Centre;• Human Resources: The Gold Eagle Lodge; and• Green Key Environment: Delta Hotels & Resorts.“The goal of HAC’s awards program is to reward...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), developers of the global LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building certification program, and Underwriter Laboratories (UL), a leading safety and certification group, have announced an exclusive strategic partnership centered on building product transparency and occupant health and safety.The partnership, the first of its kind in the building and certification industry, will roll out several targeted initiatives focused on increasing disclosure, awareness and transparency of building product composition and the manufacturing processes. The goal of the program is to accelerate market transformation and the overall quality and performance of buildings.The...

INWOOD, N.Y.—Your laundry staff is a busy bunch. Sorting loads, transferring them from washer to dryer and finally, finishing, folding and getting them shelved. Still, most days they find time to unknowingly dump a bucket of money in the trash. True, the bucket reference may be a bit dramatic, but chances are there is an activity going on in your laundry that is costing the operation money—human error. Managers employ a variety of tactics to help prevent human error. They focus on bringing in quality employees and spend ample time training them. But short of constant supervision, which, let’s face it,...

HONG KONG—In recognition of Shangri-La Asia Limited’s corporate sustainability leadership, the company has been listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI). It is the only hotel group to be included in the index component within Asia Pacific and it is the first time Shangri-La has been made a constituent.Launched in 1999, the DJSI track the financial performance of leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. The annual DJSI, compiled by Dow Jones and RobecoSAM Group, assess a company’s corporate sustainability performance from the economic, environmental and social development aspects. This year, DJSI reviewed 2,500 companies around the world and 333 companies...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As asthma rates continue to rise, the Healthy Building Network (HBN) warns that new preventive strategies are needed to address this epidemic at its source. This includes avoiding the many building materials introducing asthma-causing chemicals into the indoor environment. The materials include flooring, carpets, insulation and paints with chemicals that can cause the development of asthma.This information has been released in the new HBN report, Full Disclosure Required: A Strategy to Prevent Asthma Through Building Product Selection, which reveals that many building materials can cause the development of asthma. HBN says that building occupants can be exposed to...

MANKATO, MINN.—All that’s left is the waiting for the official plaque from the U.S. Green Building Council. When it arrives the Courtyard Mankato Minnesota will become the first hotel in the Gopher State to receive LEED certification. Considering all of the property’s green features, the honor will be well deserved. The 93-room property, about a year old, is owned by Mercury Investments L.P. Preston Lougheed is the general manager.“As far as we know we are the first Marriott in the United States to have solar panels,” Lougheed says. “It was a big investment.” The 40 kW, 192 panel system...

FARGO, N.D.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced plans to introduce its eco-wise Element brand to Fargo, N.D. Element Fargo is scheduled to open in November 2015 in the Veterans Boulevard Corridor. The hotel is owned by StaySharpe Hotels and will feature 130 rooms.Element Fargo will be located across the street from the site of the new $500 million Sanford Fargo Medical Center now under development, and just ten minutes from Microsoft Corporation’s second largest campus in North America. The hotel will also be convenient to Fargodome, home of the two-time defending FCS championship team, the North Dakota State...