CAMBRIDGE, MASS.—If you run an inn, or a hotel for that matter, and are considering greening your operations, you may want to chat with Rachael Solem, owner and general manager of the 44-room Irving House in Cambridge, Mass. Since purchasing the large house in 1990, she has taken almost every step imaginable to reduce the property’s environmental impact. She knows what works, what does not work, and she will level with you about it. Take amenity dispensers, for example, which she still uses. “I have not found a dispenser that is attractive, easy for the guests to use, and...

SHAKOPEE, MINN.—The Best Western Plus Shakopee Inn has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious Energy Star, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. The 65-room property is the first hotel in Minnesota to achieve this milestone, which signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. “We are excited to receive this honor,” said Haren Shroff, owner and general manager of the Best Western Plus Shakopee Inn. “It reflects our commitment to our guests and to our planet—we owe it to both to make our hotel as...

DALLAS—NYLO Hotels LLC announced it has successfully completed a management team restructuring, as well as a financial restructuring of all debt within its portfolio to position it for growth opportunities ahead. The debt restructuring on all NYLO’s properties was completed in December 2010 and provides several years of additional term and other favorable modifications. Michael Mueller, a 20-year veteran of the hospitality industry and the original founder and visionary for the innovative NYLO lifestyle brand, said, “The debt restructuring puts NYLO on very strong financial ground and resolves all financial issues in our portfolio allowing us to focus solely...

OTTAWA, ONT.—On Monday, March 7, the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) celebrated its seventh annual afternoon of industry achievements at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, with its Hall of Fame Awards of Excellence Program. 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.  “The goal of HAC’s awards program is to reward strong standards in the industry that will enable this country to remain competitive,” said Tony Pollard, HAC president. “We are pleased to...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Kendall College and the National Restaurant Association, through its Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability initiative, have joined as co-founding sponsors of the International Foodservice Sustainability Symposium (IFSS), which will be held May 24-25, 2011 in Chicago, immediately following the NRA Show 2011. Developed by Railing & Associates, IFFS is the first conference of its kind to focus exclusively on the more complex sustainability issues such as emerging technologies, green building and perhaps the most highly nuanced subject of all—sustainable food. “The IFSS will provide foodservice professionals with the information and tools they need to make critical decisions about complex sustainability issues,”...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) announced that the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC), after 15 years, will return to Baltimore in 2012. The conference will be June 25 to 28, 2012, at the Baltimore Convention Center. HITEC, produced by HFTP, is the world’s largest hospitality technology exposition and conference. “The HITEC location plays an important role to its overall success, essential to creating the right atmosphere for learning and networking,” said Frank Wolfe, CAE, CEO of HFTP. “Baltimore offers just this right atmosphere with the convention center area in the heart of the city, providing hotels...

MCLEAN, VA.—Home2 Suites by Hilton officially commemorated the opening of the brand’s first hotel today with a ribbon cutting ceremony and an announcement of a charitable community relations initiative. The first Home2 Suites, located in Fayetteville, N.C., welcomed representatives from the local community as well as executives from Hilton Worldwide, including President and CEO Chris Nassetta, to celebrate the opening of the first property for the newly developed extended-stay concept. Nassetta joined executives from the Home2 Suites brand management team, developer LBA Properties, owner Apple REIT and local dignitaries for the ribbon cutting ceremony and reception. As a signature element...

PHILADELPHIA—Hersha Hospitality Management, operator of upper-upscale, upscale, and mid-scale branded and independent hotels in major metropolitan markets, announced that the company will partner with Clean the World, an Orlando, Fla.-based nonprofit organization, to help fight the spread of preventable diseases around the world. Hersha’s partnership with Clean the World will result in more than 1 million bars of recycled soap and 500,000 bottles of recycled shampoo, gels and lotions being distributed to children and families worldwide. Hersha will be the largest hospitality management company to partner with Clean the World since its founding. Through this partnership, Hersha plans to annually...

SEATTLE—One of the Pacific Northwest’s most experienced sustainability leaders is helping to transform the Pan Pacific Seattle hotel into a model of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Molly Phillips, manager of CSR for the 160-room property located near downtown Seattle, has helped establish a program called PanEarth that includes not only a CSR vision for the hotel but also a committee that overseas four community pillars: Caring for Community, Caring for Our Planet, Caring for Challenges, and Caring Globally. Phillips, who has been at the Pan Pacific Seattle for about a year, at one time was manager, sustainable partnerships and senior...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the completion of updates to the Energy Star requirements for televisions and cable and satellite boxes. Effective in September 2011, these products must be 40 percent more efficient than conventional models in order to qualify for the Energy Star label. The updates are the first of more than 20 revisions to product requirements the Energy Star program is expected to complete this year. The new television requirements reflect an acceleration of pending changes made possible by a rapid market response to the current Energy Star requirements. Sustained consumer demand and strong...