NEW YORK—Nine exhibitors were honored with Editors’ Choice Awards during the opening ceremonies of the 95th annual International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) and the inaugural Boutique Design New York (BDNY), Sunday, November 14, 2010, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The awards program recognizes best new products within the categories of design, equipment & supplies, guest amenities, linens, technology, as well as an eco-friendly equivalent to each of these categories. From the nine winners, the Kenneth F. Hine “Best of Show” Award also was selected. The 2010 Editors’ Choice Award winners are: Green Design—GreenChance for EcoSmart...

ASHEVILLE, N.C.—The Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park announced that it has been awarded LEED Silver certification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. “The Hilton Asheville is a great example of how to combine sustainability with exceptional features and amenities to create a memorable guest experience,” said Ron Storto, vice president of hotel development with Biltmore Farms LLC. “From a destination spa and fine dining to eco-conscious products and operations, this new addition to...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and the Washington Convention and Sports Authority (WCSA) broke ground Wednesday, November 10 on the Washington Marriott Marquis. Joining them for this occasion were Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), city officials, representatives from WCSA’s board of directors, Quadrangle Development, Capstone Development, Marriott International, Inc. and Destination DC. The ceremony took place on the construction site at Ninth Street and Massachusetts Avenue, directly adjacent to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The hotel, which was designed to earn LEED Silver (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, is scheduled to open in spring 2014. “This is...

OKLAHOMA CITY—Encouraging Conservation in Oklahoma (ECO) announces its newest partnership in sustainability with Tulsa’s Inn at Woodward Park, the first bed and breakfast to qualify for a gold ECO certification. The inn, a renovated 1920s property located in the Swan Lake district of Tulsa, achieved a gold rating by documenting their current sustainable practices and committing to several improvements throughout the year. Their goals include eliminating unnecessary waste and reducing energy consumption by removing plastic water bottles from their operations and monitoring thermostat temperatures. The inn also contributes to Clean the World, a nonprofit that collects “gently-used” soaps from hotels...

NEW YORK—On Tuesday, November 9, Hyatt hotel housekeepers in eight cities across the United States filed injury complaints with OSHA, reporting repetitive motion and other kinds of injuries sustained on the job. The multi-city filing at 12 Hyatt properties that employ more than 3,500 workers is the first of its kind in the private sector. A major peer-reviewed study of hotel worker injuries at 50 U.S. hotels operated by the five largest U.S. hotel companies was published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine (AJIM) a year ago. (See study.) By company, housekeepers working at Hyatt hotels in the...

OTTAWA, ONT.—More than 95 percent of consumer products claiming to be green are committing at least one of the “sins” of greenwashing, according to The Sins of Greenwashing: Home and Family Edition, released last month by TerraChoice, a leading North American environmental marketing company and part of Underwriters Laboratories’ global network. The study also finds big box retailers stock more “green” products and more products that provide legitimate environmental certifications than smaller “green” boutique-style stores. Greenwashing is defined as the act of misleading consumers about the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or...

PASADENA, CALIF.—Because of its commitment to sustainability, the expanded Pasadena Convention Center has been awarded LEED Gold certification, making it one of only three U.S. convention centers to earn the prestigious Gold designation. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute, is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance buildings.  “We are proud to be one of the greenest convention centers in North America,” said Pasadena Center Operating Company CEO Michael Ross. “It is enticing to our clients,...

TALLAHASSEE, FLA.—Florida volunteer organizations and beach lovers across the state participated in the Great VISIT FLORIDA Beach Walk this past Saturday, November 6. More than 2,000 individuals and teams participated across Florida’s 34 beach counties and 825 miles of beaches. The beach walkers photographed, video recorded and Tweeted virtually every mile of Florida’s coastline, six months after the oil spill. The statewide Beach Walk and photo fest was done to show the world that Florida’s 825 miles of beaches are as clean as ever, in photos uploaded in real time to the Internet by volunteers who walked or paddled and...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) opened up the proposed update to the LEED green building rating system for its first public comment. The public comment period, which will close on December 31, 2010, is the next step in the continuous improvement process and the ongoing development cycle of the LEED program.  “Continuous improvement of LEED is in the DNA of USGBC and its regular evolution is necessary to continue to move market transformation forward.” said Scot Horst, senior vice president of LEED, USGBC. “As green building expertise advances and practice evolves, so does LEED, providing innovative solutions...

VICTORIA, B.C.—When the Parkside Victoria Resort & Spa is awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification—its application is in the final stages—it will be one of just three lodging facilities in North America to earn the Platinum honor. The other ones include the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C., and the Bardessono in Yountville, Calif. The 126-suite, two-tower property in Victoria, British Columbia was built to be approximately 50 to 60 percent more energy efficient than the Model National Energy Code for Buildings. According to Jim Pearson, CEO of Aviawest Resort Group, the developer and manager of...