HEALDSBURG, CALIF.—h2hotel, a progressively-designed hotel located just off the historic town plaza in Healdsburg, announced that it has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification and is the first LEED Gold certified hotel in Sonoma County. “Green design was a necessity and a natural progression for us,” said managing partner Paolo Petrone, who also co-owns Hotel Healdsburg. “Designed to use 27.8 percent less energy than the standard hotel in California, we have created an environmentally-conscious hotel without sacrificing comfort and style. h2hotel is a hotel that Healdsburg can be proud of. We continuously strive to be...

NEW YORK—Mexico was recognized by the Rainforest Alliance recently at a gala dinner and awards ceremony in New York on May 11. Mexico was recognized for its achievements in sustainable tourism in the Mayakoba region and for the forestry practices of the Mexican government. “We would like to congratulate Mayakoba Tourism Development and its three hotels for the recognition they have received from the Rainforest Alliance,” said Gloria Guevara Manzo, the Secretary of Tourism for Mexico. “Mayakoba is the first tourist area to be recognized by the Rainforest Alliance for achievements in sustainable tourism. Mexico is very proud to have...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Clean the World Global LLC, an Orlando-based social enterprise and the largest global recycler of hotel amenities, is planning a celebration in November to draw attention to the power of soap as an aid to promoting hygiene health. Some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry, the private sector and philanthropic endeavors are attending, including executives from The Walt Disney World Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Starwood Worldwide, and many more. The First Annual Clean the World Gala will take place Saturday, November 5 at The Peabody Orlando. The luxury hotel was one of Clean the World’s first of more...

NEW YORK—Carlson and Marriott International have been named to Working Mother’s second annual list of Best Companies for Hourly Workers. The only initiative of its kind, Best Companies for Hourly Workers celebrates businesses working steadfastly to provide family-friendly benefits that promote health and wellness, education, flexibility and work-life balance. “For the second year, Working Mother’s Best Companies for Hourly Workers honors corporations that develop talent and support a historically marginalized portion of the U.S. workforce,” said Carol Evans, president, Working Mother Media. “Promoting employees from hourly workers to management to executive is a hallmark of these winning companies. In an...

PORTLAND, ORE.—The Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of a chapter in Canada. “We are committed to becoming an established GMIC Chapter by Canada Day, July 1, 2011,” said Mariela McIlwraith, president of GMIC’s Canada Chapter in Formation. “Our vision is to promote education and innovation in sustainable meetings in Canada, and support business connections for our members.” The Chapter in Formation is actively recruiting board and committee members, and plans to offer its first live and virtual events in the coming months, said Chapter officer Judy Kucharuk. “As a meeting planner...

BOULDER, COLO.—Commercial and residential buildings are the largest consumers of electricity in the United States, representing nearly two-thirds of all electricity used. As property owners and managers look for ways to reduce their energy expenditures and environmental impact through efficiency measures, they are increasingly adopting “smart building” technologies including automation and controls, high-efficiency systems and equipment, and a broadening array of energy management services. These enhancements are being unified in Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS), which are information technology (IT)-based hardware and software systems being employed in a holistic approach to optimize the efficiency of buildings’ energy consumption. According...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Westin Lombard Yorktown Center in Lombard, Ill., was named the winner of the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AH&LA) year-long Energy Slasher Challenge. The Challenge, launched on Earth Day 2010, helped participating hotels obtain a 5 percent overall energy reduction. The hotel receives a full day with the AH&LA Green Guru for a personal eco-strategy session, as well as other prizes courtesy of HD Supply. Participants could use several tools to help with tracking their costs, including GreenQuest, EPA Energy Star Portfolio Manager, or their brand/corporate benchmarking program. Costs were compared and analyzed to determine who slashed their...

NATIONAL REPORT—“Green leather.” An oxymoron? Or, a viable option for designers interested in specifying environmentally friendly materials? The more one digs into the history of leather and its processing, the more one can be alarmed by its environmental impact—from the growing of grain, to the slaughter of animals, to the processing of hides. Yet, in recent years many leather suppliers have done a better job offering lines of leather that have less environmental impact than ones traditionally sold. That is good news for designers interested in using leather for furniture, walls, floors and other design aspects of a hotel...

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL.—“Zero and Net-zero Energy Buildings + Homes,” a 64-page white paper that proclaims “the next frontier in the green building movement,” is now available online from Building Design+Construction. The 40,000-word report provides a road map for the U.S./Canadian design, construction, and real estate industry to develop “net-zero” buildings and homes—energy-efficient, affordable structures that generate as much energy as they use. “Ready or not, the U.S. design and construction industry is about to embark on an exciting journey: the development of net-zero energy buildings and homes,” says Robert Cassidy, the publication’s editorial director. Commercial buildings consume 19 percent of the...

TORONTO—Delta Hotels and Resorts, Canada’s largest independent hotel chain, today announced the launch of Delta Greens, an environmental sustainability program. Delta’s commitment is chain-wide—every one of its more than 8,000 employees at its 46 properties is tasked with changing the way they work in order to reach the targets set out in the program. What’s more, Delta will track the chain’s progress against targets online, so that Canadians can follow Delta’s progress in achieving its goals.  Delta Greens touches on every aspect of the hotel business—from guest services to construction to how Delta operates and maintains its properties to...