BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS—The Caribbean tourism sector has taken a major step towards energy efficiency within the hotel industry. The region’s public and private sector tourism groupings, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA)—through its environmental arm, the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST)—have launched a 24-month project to help the Caribbean hotel sector move towards energy efficiency. The $2 million Caribbean Hotel Energy Efficiency Action Program (CHENACT) is meant to drive the Caribbean hotels to implement energy efficient practices and to generate their own renewable energy. This, in turn, is expected to improve their competitiveness...

SAN FRANCISCO—Joie de Vivre’s Hotel Carlton in San Francisco won the 2009 Innovation award for its environmental efforts at the Sixth Annual Hotel Hero Awards in San Francisco. The award is given to the hotel or hotel company that uses the most innovative approaches to improve the customer experience in a San Francisco-based hotel. Located in the urban heart of San Francisco, the 161-room Hotel Carlton is the first solar powered hotel in the city. In addition to installing solar panels last year, the property introduced new green practices and policies to further reduce its carbon footprint. The Green...

MEMPHIS, TENN.—Home2 Suites by Hilton, a new mid-tier, extended-stay hotel concept targeting the savvy, value-wise, extended-stay guest, has a new website with features including a sustainability page and e-tour of the future space. These expanded features were added to help consumers and developers understand the brand identity of Home2 Suites and its “Hip and Humble” approach to hospitality. “The new website features will increase the momentum for our already successful launch of Home2 Suites,” said Bill Duncan, global head, brand management. “Since launching the brand with 10 franchise applications, we have received an additional 20, with the first hotel to...

LOS ANGELES—On the heels of a successful Earth Hour event on Saturday, March 28, Sofitel Los Angeles has announced plans to extend the practice of turning the lights off each night for the rest of the year. This “lights out” ritual will be done as a continuation of the effort to raise awareness of the importance of energy conservation and environmental protection. Each night at dusk, guests at Sofitel Los Angeles will have the opportunity to experience the “lights out” ritual as hotel staff illuminate candles in public areas for the duration of one hour. Guests are encouraged to...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) and the GUESTROOM 20X Task Force, a group of hospitality technology leaders and experts, have announced a schedule change for the GUESTROOM 20X project. The special exhibit, which displays the hospitality industry’s most innovative technologies for the guestroom, is transforming from an annual project to releasing a new version of the model guestroom on alternating years. The next version of GUESTROOM 20X will be unveiled at the 2010 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The change in the schedule allows the GUESTROOM...

With all the “green” talk going around about reducing electrical consumption, one major energy user is rarely discussed—hotel PTAC/VTAC units. A dirty PTAC must often work twice as hard and consume twice the electricity to reach the desired room temperatures of demanding guests. Simply cleaning the filter on a regular basis is not enough. PTACs should be removed and thoroughly cleaned a minimum of once per year. Removing the dirt will increase efficiency significantly, and improve air quality immediately. Hoteliers that put an HVAC deep-cleaning plan into action for the first time can realize huge savings on their electric...

SAN FRANCISCO—The InterContinental San Francisco announced its plan to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification by early 2010. Working in conjunction with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the organization that sets the standards and categories for LEED certification, the InterContinental San Francisco is applying for certification in the “Existing Buildings: Operations & maintenance” category (EBOM) and will be evaluated on every facet of the property from construction and design elements to the types of amenities used in hotel guestrooms. The InterContinental San Francisco opened in February 2008. The 550-room hotel is set in the heart of...

TORONTO—The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has welcomed Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a worldwide hotel brand known for its industry-leading environmental efforts, as the newest member of its innovative Climate Savers Program. In recognition of this new partnership, Fairmont has agreed to a brand-wide carbon emissions reduction plan and has pledged to reduce operational CO2 emissions from its existing portfolio of hotels by 20 percent below 2006 levels by 2013, while also ensuring that new Fairmont properties strive to reduce their CO2 emissions through the implementation of the brand’s new Energy and Carbon Management program. In addition, Fairmont will: • Finalize a...

NATIONAL REPORT—Are your cleaning practices killing you? How about your guests and employees? If you are using toxic chemicals then the answer is yes. If you are using nontoxic products and supplies in a green cleaning program, the answer is no. Green cleaning, which isn’t at all the same as green washing, is one easy way to decrease costs and employee illnesses. It also increases the comfort of people coming into your hotel. Have a clean hotel, healthy employees, increase guest comfort, and save money by using natural or green and environmentally friendly cleaning products. With increased cleaning frequency, the quality...

GREENVILLE, N.C.—Eastern Carolina University’s (ECU) Center for Sustainable Tourism may be small but it may soon do something that no other U.S. university has done: create a Master of Science Degree in Sustainable Tourism. Late last month, the request to establish a new program was approved by the Faculty Senate. It is currently being reviewed by the University of North Carolina-General Administration office. The target date to offer the degree program is this fall. According to Alex Naar, sustainable tourism outreach coordinator at East Carolina University’s Office of Innovation, Engagement and Economic Development in partnership with the Center for...