LOS ANGELES—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) awarded its highest level of recognition, LEED Platinum certification, to the Conference Center at the newly re-opened TreePeople Center for Community Forestry. TreePeople, an environmental nonprofit, has served the Los Angeles region for 35 years with the goal of “helping nature heal our cities.” The state-of-the-art Conference Center provides a gathering place for local, national, and international leaders to create healthy, sustainable cities. The Conference Center is the focal point for the Center for Community Forestry, a four-acre environmental educational campus located in L.A.’s Coldwater Canyon Park. Furthering TreePeople’s mission to provide...

SAN FRANCISCO—Joie de Vivre’s eco-friendly efforts continue to receive statewide accolades—the most recent from the California Hotel & Lodging Association (CH&LA) and the City of Berkeley. CH&LA awarded the Hotel Carlton the 2008 Lodging Property Achievement Award for “Good Earthkeeping” and the City of Berkeley gave Hotel Durant the “Expanding Sustainability Award.” The Hotel Carlton, the first Joie de Vivre property to be green certified, was recognized by the CH&LA for “Good Earthkeeping” in a large-sized property. The award is given to a property that has been successful in areas such as energy conservation, waste reduction, water conservation, effluents and...

NAPERVILLE, ILL.—Hotel Arista has opened in Naperville, located 45 minutes from downtown Chicago. It is the city’s first luxury boutique hotel and is slated to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The property features 144 modern designed residential-style accommodations, as well as a signature restaurant, SugarToad. The restaurant is led by executive chef Jimmy Sneed. In Greece, a land known for its epic hospitality, Arista means “the best.” Hotel Arista, a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts, delivers a luxury hotel experience with its customer centric and environmentally friendly practices. Hotel Arista’s 144 guestrooms are expansive, thoughtfully...

ATLANTA—As part of its mission to “transform the global meetings industry through sustainability,” the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) announced its partnership with meeting industry leaders in Atlanta to form a chapter. “We recognized that the meeting leaders in Atlanta were not only aligned with our mission and values but also wanted to make an ethical commitment to a global movement,” says GMIC Executive Director Tamara Kennedy-Hill. “Convention and meeting planners and suppliers in Atlanta have worked together informally for years to share information about how to incorporate sustainability into their events,” said Audrey Davies, Home Depot, Atlanta chapter-in-formation...

NEW YORK—More than 10 New York state organizations are currently working together as part of the New York State Governor’s Initiative: Green Hospitality Partnership to put together a program that would encourage benchmarking and certification for hospitality industry businesses in the Empire State. The effort is being led by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Other organizations participating include: Governor’s Office; Hospitality and Tourism Association; Restaurant Association; Department of Economic Development; Department of Agriculture and Markets; Department of Labor; Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Energy Research & Development Authority; and Pollution Prevention Institute. The objectives of...

BAY CITY, MICH.—Doubletree Hotels announced that the Doubletree Hotel Bay City-Riverfront has earned Green Lodging Michigan (GLM) Steward certification from the State of Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG). Green Lodging Michigan encourages hotels, resorts, motels, and bed & breakfast facilities to implement environmental initiatives and cost-saving “green” practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality, reduce waste, and participate in environmentally preferred purchasing. “This accreditation is the mark of environmental responsibility of hoteliers who are committed to “green” business practices that make environmental and economic goals their top priority,” said DLEG director Keith W. Cooley....

BONITA SPRINGS, FLA.—The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Green Lodging Program noted a milestone this fall, designating its first “Three Palm” property. The Three Palm designation is the highest achievement under the DEP program that recognizes continuing and increased energy conservation and pollution prevention measures. The hotel property earning the Three Palm designation is the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs. The Green Lodging Program is a voluntary state initiative that provides the lodging industry with free technical assistance, encouraging hotels and motels to adopt cost-saving green practices that reduce waste, conserve natural resources, and improve the bottom...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) reaffirmed its commitment to the development of Standard 189.1 P, which will be America’s first National Standard developed to be used as a green building code when completed. Created specifically for adoption by states, localities, and other building code jurisdictions that are ready to require a minimum level of green building performance for all commercial buildings, Standard 189.1 P is being developed as an ANSI standard under ASHRAE’s leadership, in partnership with USGBC and IESNA. “As green building goes mainstream, government leaders are asking for tools that set minimum standards for green building,”...

BOSTON—The Green Restaurant Association (GRA) announced that it has updated its Certification System to the points-based Green Restaurant 4.0. For the past two decades, the GRA has been certifying restaurants across North America with its environmental standards. Every few years, the GRA upgrades its certification standards to help the restaurant industry move toward environmental sustainability. Green Restaurant 4.0 will provide a comprehensive and user-friendly method of rewarding restaurants with points in each of the Environmental Guideline categories: Energy, Water, Waste, Disposables, Chemical and Pollution Reduction, Sustainable Food, and Sustainable Building Materials. Under the Green Restaurant 4.0 standards, restaurants will have...

NEW YORK—NEWH Inc., the hospitality industry network, providing scholarships, education, and leadership opportunities for individuals in the hospitality industry, will host a “Green Day” at the 2009 semi-annual NEWH Leadership Conference in San Diego on January 10, 2009. The NEWH Leadership Conference, designed to focus on leadership and education, takes place January 9 to January 11. The Leadership Conference Green Day, under the auspices of NEWH Sustainable Hospitality, will consist of a sustainability panel and an introduction to LEED presented by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), along with a vendor spotlight on sustainable products and a personal...