NEW YORK—The second annual Futuregreen Hospitality Forum brought together hotel brands, hospitality designers and furnishings suppliers for a one-day brainstorming session to tackle the possibility of hotel design as a catalyst for positive change for the future, and to discuss how technology can affect the future of hospitality. Sixty-five high-level delegates gathered in New York’s Crosby Street Hotel on May 31.“Our goal was to elevate social and environmental sustainability to the top of the hotel industry’s agenda,” said Michael Suomi, principal and vice president of interior design at hospitality design firm Stonehill & Taylor and founder of Futuregreen. “Through...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Portfolio Manager, used by more than 9,000 hotels across the United States to benchmark their energy and water performance, is about to undergo some significant changes. On July 10, the EPA will release a complete upgrade of the online tool. According to EPA, users of the new Energy Star Portfolio Manager tool will enjoy an easier-to-use interface, more streamlined sharing tools, and enhanced reporting features. For example, data entry will be easier with enhanced graphics, wizards and prompts. Collaboration will be improved with advanced sharing and reporting functions.In preparation for the new release,...

CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced its long-term commitment to education and workforce readiness with Ready To Thrive, a new global philanthropy program focused on literacy and career development. Ready to Thrive will lend critical support to the company’s corporate responsibility platform, Hyatt Thrive, which strives to make local communities places where Hyatt associates are proud to work, where guests want to visit, where neighbors want to live and where hotel owners want to invest.Through Ready to Thrive, Hyatt will invest its corporate dollars in education, a key issue that not only impacts many local communities around the world but is...

NEW YORK—Local lawmakers in New York City have introduced legislation that would effectively ban the use of polystyrene packaging at restaurants and other foodservice outlets in the area.The legislation, introduced June 12 into the City Council by members Lewis A. Fidler, Vincent J. Gentile and Letitia James in conjunction with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, would prevent operators from using the plastic foam packaging at full-service and quick-service restaurants, cafes, delicatessens, coffee shops, grocery stores, vending trucks or carts and cafeterias.Mayor Bloomberg initially proposed the ban during his State of the City address in February.If passed, the regulation, which would be...

LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA—A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) has been signed which details two exclusive and innovative green developments in Langkawi, Malaysia. The MOA was signed between the Langkawi Development Agency and Pekan Artisan, a tourism resort and high-impact attraction developer based in Malaysia that specializes in eco-tourism and projects that demand a high level of cultural and historical integrity. Pekan Artisan is the sister company to U.S.-based Artisan Design, a tourism and attraction design and development company founded by Robert Wyatt.The high profile launch event was witnessed by senior Malaysian government officials and covered extensively by Malaysian media.Langkawi, an archipelago...

DENVER—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) announced the winners of the AH&LA Achievement Awards, part of the annual Stars of the Industry Awards, which honor stand-out initiatives at hotel properties. In a ceremony held during the AH&LA Summer Summit at The Brown Palace Hotel & Spa, these awards, which have been awarded annually since 1966, distinguish individual hotels that have developed outstanding programs, events, and campaigns. Winners were chosen in the categories of Community Service, Special Events, Guest Relations, Good Earthkeeping, Diversity, and Technology Innovation.Winning the Good Earthkeeping, Small Property is the Onyx Hotel, Boston. The hotel has...

ITHACA, N.Y.—The international hotel and restaurant industry has been working toward sustainability in operations, and industry executives are making every effort to report their sustainability results. At the 2012 Cornell Hospitality Research Summit (CHRS), several presenters offered their analysis of both sustainability strategies and related reporting approaches. The sustainability presentations are summarized in a new conference proceedings, “Toward Sustainable Hotel and Restaurant Operations,” by Glenn Withiam. The proceedings document is available at no charge from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, where Withiam is director of publications.Much of the research presented at the CHRS addressed the conflicting messages that...

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte has unveiled plans for its first-ever Summer Honey Festival—three months of special events and dining festivities celebrating the 100,000 honeybees which live on the hotel’s green, vegetated roof. The Summer Honey Festival began this June 1, as the hotel’s Bar Cocoa all-dessert dining experience and The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Charlotte introduced a roster of seasonal honey-based offerings available until September.On June 20, the first honey harvest of the summer will take place, reaping more than 30 pounds of natural honey to be used in Bar Cocoa’s breakfasts, all-day desserts and freshly-made gelato. The honey may also...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In an effort to accelerate sustainable development around the world, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), creators of the LEED green building program, announced a new campaign offering free LEED certification to the first projects to certify in the 112 countries where LEED has yet to take root.Coined “LEED Earth,” this campaign aims to bring LEED certification and thereby better-performing buildings into new markets. LEED is a global approach to more efficient, environmentally-sound buildings and is universally adaptable to address issues such as energy and potable water use, environmental toxins and human health concerns related to indoor environments....

BANGKOK—Six Senses Laamu has become the first resort in the Maldives to establish and implement a Code of Conduct for dolphin watching in order to protect the local spinner and bottlenose dolphins, and to ensure the future sustainability of their populations.Fully committed to developing a sustainable business and eco-tourism, the resort has developed policies and procedures in line with the Green Globe 21 standards: Energy Conservation, Waste Reduction, Nature, Island & Reef Protection, and Social Responsibility. These policies and procedures are renewed at least annually.Now, expanding on this commitment, the Code of Conduct for dolphin watching rounds out the...