AVON, COLO.—A passionate group of spa professionals representing a broad range of the wellness and sustainability industries gathered during the first week in October for the 2010 Green Spa Network Fall Congress at the LEED certified Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at Beaver Creek Mountain. The event explored new means to support green initiatives, nurture stronger community ties, and recalibrate spa models, i.e., the value proposition of spas and why people visit them, to adapt to a changing economy. Reflecting these themes, the Green Spa Network established a new vision for the role spas can play with their clientele and...

TORONTO—A three-floor, 114-bed hostel in Toronto that will open within the next couple of weeks could very well be the most energy efficient lodging establishment in North America. Incorporating solar thermal, solar photovoltaic, geothermal and heat capture technologies, the “low carbon” hostel will produce 75 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a comparable building its size. The hostel’s name is the Planet Traveler and co-developer Tom Rand says the property is by far the best in class for hostels and was built to the standards of a boutique hotel. The cost for the energy-saving systems was $200,000, just 5 percent...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton Worldwide announced that it is a recipient of a 2010 Global Vision Award from Travel + Leisure. Recognizing the outstanding efforts of individuals and organizations that are working to preserve the world’s natural and man-made treasures, Travel + Leisure honored Hilton Worldwide with the award in the Corporate Greening category for the company’s new LightStay sustainability tracking system. “We are honored to receive a Travel + Leisure 2010 Global Vision Award,” said Paul Brown, president of global brands and commercial services, Hilton Worldwide. “LightStay was developed to improve individual hotel performance while decreasing the company’s overall impact...

NEW YORK—The number of exhibitors intending to feature green products at this year’s 2010 International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) now stands at 76 out of a total of 734 (10.3 percent) according to the IHMRS website. The annual event will run Saturday, November 13 through Tuesday, November 16, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. To access the list of green suppliers, go to the IHMRS site, click on the “Exhibitor Search” link, under “Product Category” choose “Hotel/Motel – Green Products” and then click “Go.” Suppliers will offer the following types of products at the trade...

PARIS—Concorde Hotels & Resorts has launched a new corporate social responsibility (CSR) program at its 27 four and five-star hotels around the world. The program is centered around three key pillars: environmental commitment, social commitment, and societal commitment. Environmental commitment starts with the development of carbon footprints of the hotels, in turn allowing the group to reduce energy consumption, fight pollution, better sort its waste, and develop an offering of in-season products on the menus of its restaurants. This commitment spans all areas: • Kitchens—The adaptation of pans to the size of the burners in order to limit the loss...

ACTON, MASS.—The parking lot adjacent to your building may soon be good for more than just parking cars. If Acton, Mass.-based Novotech, Inc. is successful in the development of its new technology, the heat energy in the pavement in your lot could soon be used to heat hot water or be used in absorption chillers to provide cooling (see illustration below). According to Tracy Snelling III, vice president of business development for Novotech, the company is currently testing its technology that incorporates plastic PEX tubing that is located about an inch below the pavement. The tubing, arranged in a serpentine pattern, carries...

SEATTLE—The Living Building Challenge, widely regarded as the world’s most rigorous green building performance standard, has redefined the design and construction process for more than 70 projects since its launch in 2006. The International Living Building Institute announced the results of its first third-party certification audits earlier this month, declaring that the world’s first ‘Living Buildings’ are finally a reality. The Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, N.Y., and the Tyson Living Learning Center in Eureka, Mo., each earned full certification, or “Living” status. Additionally, Eco-Sense, a private residence in Victoria, B.C., earned partial program certification, “Petal Recognition,” for...

PALMETTO BAY, FLA.—The Everglades Foundation released the results of a comprehensive analysis of the financial return on investment generated by restoration of America’s Everglades ecosystem. The study, conducted by Mather Economics, projects that restoration will produce an increase in economic benefits of approximately $46.5 billion that could range up to $123.9 billion based on an investment of $11.5 billion. “It is clear that Everglades restoration not only produces ecological benefits, but also generates a robust economic boost to our economy,” said Kirk Fordham, CEO, Everglades Foundation. “For every dollar spent on Everglades restoration, we are getting four dollars back in...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hampton Hotels recently announced that the Hampton Inn and Suites in Folsom, Calif., has achieved LEED certification, as recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This is the second Hampton hotel property to earn LEED recognition for sustainable building design, construction and operations. “We are proud to add the Hampton Inn & Suites Folsom to the property list of LEED certified Hampton hotels,” said Phil Cordell, global head, Focused Service and Hampton Brand. “Sustainability is a driving force for the brand and for Hilton Worldwide.  Partnering with franchisees like Folsom Lodging keeps us at the forefront of our...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed revisions to the guidance that it gives marketers to help them avoid making misleading environmental claims. The proposed changes are designed to update the FTC’s Green Guides and make them easier for companies to understand and use. The changes to the Green Guides include new guidance on marketers’ use of product certifications and seals of approval, “renewable energy” claims, “renewable materials” claims, and “carbon offset” claims. The FTC is seeking public comments on the proposed changes until December 10, 2010, after which it will decide which changes to make final. “In recent...