STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN—Scandic Hotels was rewarded by the Nordic Council for its efforts to promote sustainable tourism in the Nordic Region and beyond. A conscious environmental strategy and a series of apparently minor and simple initiatives have proven highly successful. The theme of the Nordic Council Nature and Environment Prize 2011 is sustainable tourism. Businesses, organizations and individuals with a proven track record of lessening the environmental impact of tourism in the region were all eligible to be nominated for the $68,000 prize. The winner is the Norwegian part of Scandic Hotels, a pioneer and trendsetter in sustainable tourism for the...

QUINCY, MASS.—Elevators don’t use a lot of energy compared to air-conditioning, heating—or even compared to computers and lighting. But when you add together all the little ways to cut energy use in a large building, the savings can add up. According to John Powers, president of Century Elevator Co., a family-owned firm based in Quincy, Mass., new elevators use a small percentage—less than 5 percent—of a building’s overall energy consumption. Elevators more than 20 years old use motor generators that must convert AC power into DC power to move the cab. DC used to be the current needed to control...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the release of the comprehensively updated LEED Demand Response Pilot Credit. Originally launched in 2010, the revised and enhanced Demand Response Pilot Credit establishes guidelines that are anticipated to increase participation in automated demand response programs. Leading industry experts from the Demand Response Research Center at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL), Schneider Electric and Skipping Stone contributed to the development of the credit. LEED projects that satisfy the credit by demonstrating their ability to shift energy consumption during peak events by 10 percent of peak load demand will earn a point towards...

MIAMI—Up on the roof of the 16-story Hampton Inn & Suites, a 221-room hotel in the Brickell Financial District of downtown Miami, building developer Hospitality Operations, Inc. originally planned to install solar thermal panels for the purpose of heating hot water. A local hurricane ordinance will prohibit them from adding the system to their property that is scheduled to open September 15. Even without the panels, the hotel is set to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification, according to Howard Wolfson, vice president operations for Nashville-based Hospitality America, Inc., the company that will manage the...

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN—Believing that there is a moral obligation to conserve the natural environment is one thing; taking action towards green lodging practices and addressing eco issues head on is another. Proving it’s serious about the environment, Travelodge Hotel Saskatoon has taken strides forward to minimize its carbon footprint. With the help of local alternative energy company WSE Technologies and guidance from parent company Airline Hotels as well as the NRCAN/SRC, Saskatoon’s longest-standing north end business has installed a series of 57 solar collectors on its roof to capture the sun’s energy as thermal heat, which is then transferred indoors to...

DALTON, GA.—California consumer support is needed to ensure the success of a new, ground-breaking Carpet Product Stewardship Law that will increase the recycling of carpet into valuable new products, preserve landfill space, reduce dependency on fossil fuels and create green jobs in California communities. Signed into law on September 30, 2010, AB 2398 is the first product stewardship law in the country to specifically address carpet. Beginning July 1, a $.05 per square yard stewardship assessment will be added to the sale of all carpet sold or shipped into California. The assessment will appear as a separate, after-tax line item...

NATIONAL REPORT—Bathroom ventilation systems recently introduced by leading suppliers are making it easier than ever to save energy and money while still keeping bathrooms free of odors and moisture. There was a time when fans were noisy and consumed up to 144 watts. Today they are almost as quiet as a mouse and can use as little as 4 watts—a dramatic difference. Motion sensors are now available with some models and turn off fans left running by guests. With some fans, a humidity sensor is included. This ensures that the fan continues to run until the humidity reaches a...

ATLANTA—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 Hyatt Regency, 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 Good Earthkeeping, Guest Relations, Community Service, Special Events, Diversity, and Technology. Winning the Good Earthkeeping, Small Property award is Hotel George in Washington, D.C., for their work implementing Kimpton’s...

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—A new study published in the Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine finds that the use of HEPA (high efficiency particle air) filters can reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel disease. The researchers found that the HEPA filters reduce the amount of airborne particulate matter in the air. Doing so results in improved blood flow and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The tests involved 45 adults and were conducted in 25 Canadian homes over a two-week period. HEPA filtration systems were added to the homes’ heating and HVAC systems. Concentrations of airborne particulates in the...

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—The Convention Industry Council announced that the APEX-led initiative to create standards for environmentally sustainable events has crossed an important milestone. Eight of the nine draft standards have completed review by the ASTM committee where they have been under development. This final vote marks the completion of the consensus process for the development of the standards and clears them for final approval and ratification as official ASTM Standards. “CIC is thrilled to report that the project has reached this stage,” said Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP, chief executive officer of the Convention Industry Council. “This is a major accomplishment for...