MONTREAL, QUEBEC—At the second annual National Green Building Summit earlier this month, the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) announced details of the LEED Canada for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance 2009 (LEED Canada EB:O&M) program. Available later this summer, this new rating system provides ongoing certification on the performance, operations and maintenance of commercial, government and institutional buildings that have either never been LEED certified or that have been certified under other LEED programs such as LEED Canada for New Construction and Major Renovations. “Examining actual performance and not design expectations, LEED Canada EB:O&M 2009 recognizes the ongoing efforts of...

CHICAGO—The American Hotel & Lodging Assn. (AH&LA) announced the winners of the AH&LA Achievement Awards, part of the annual Stars of the Industry Awards, which honor stand-out initiatives at hotel properties. In a ceremony held during the AH&LA Summer Summit at the Hilton Chicago, these awards, which have been awarded annually since 1966, distinguish individual hotels that have developed outstanding programs, events, and campaigns. Winners were chosen for awards in the categories of Good Earthkeeping, Guest Relations, Outstanding Community Service, Special Events (one-time event and ongoing), as well as exceptional diversity initiatives. The environment and community service award winners...

NATIONAL REPORT—USGBC, The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and The Hospitality Industry Network (NEWH) are sponsoring the Sustainable Suite Design Competition to help drive green design practices within the hotel industry. This competition provides a platform for student and professional teams from around the world to present their approach to green hotel room interior design. The winning design will be built as a model guestroom to be presented as an educational display for the design industry, hotel owners and brands, and corporate travel executives. Additionally the winning team and design will be profiled in Hospitality Design, ASID ICON, and...

PHOENIX—With a focused eye towards being more environmentally conscious, the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel has planted a 120-square-foot seasonal garden on the fourth-floor deck of the 31-floor hotel. In addition, the hotel is working with a vendor to determine possible CFL or LED technology for custom lighting fixtures that currently only work with traditional incandescent bulbs. These two initiatives are amongst many eco-friendly practices of the new hotel, others of which include a comprehensive banquet recycling program, installment of a water filtration system to purify water and reduce waste, and an internal green team that regularly meets to proactively...

ATLANTA—Most of us know the fuel efficiency of our cars, but what about our buildings? ASHRAE is working to change that, moving one step closer to introducing its building energy labeling program with release of a prototype label at its 2009 Annual Conference in Louisville, Ky. A prototype label for the ASHRAE headquarters in Atlanta was unveiled. The Building Energy Quotient program, which will be known as Building EQ, will include both asset and operational ratings for all building types, except residential. ASHRAE is working with major real estate developers to implement the label prototype this fall with a...

HOLLYWOOD, FLA.—The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., has been awarded the Florida Green Lodging Program One Palm designation from The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The voluntary state initiative provides the lodging industry with free technical assistance, encouraging hotels and motels to adopt cost-saving green practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is the first hotel/casino in the State of Florida to earn this distinction. This designation directly supports Hard Rock International’s “Save the Planet” global philanthropic initiative to make the Earth a safer, healthier and...

CORAL GABLES, FLA.—Building on the momentum achieved in recent years with a growing interest in Caribbean tourism development, the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), in conjunction with the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), have announced the dates for the 14th Annual Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Investment Conference (CHTIC). It will be held May 4 to 6, 2010 at the Puerto Rico Convention Center. “This will be the fourteenth year of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association and the Caribbean Tourism Organization co-managing the region’s most successful and longest-standing tourism investment event and we anticipate a very well attended and supported...

ISLA VERDE, PUERTO RICO—The InterContinental San Juan Resort & Casino unveiled its environmental education program geared towards children ages four to 12 on World Sea Turtle Day. The new program was introduced for the resort’s newly opened Planet Trekkers Kids Club. As part of its environmental education efforts, the InterContinental San Juan adopted a leatherback sea turtle in conjunction with the nonprofit Caribbean Conservation Corporation (CCC). The leatherback sea turtle is listed by the U.S. federal government as endangered worldwide and within the United States is known to nest in southeastern Florida, Puerto Rico and St. Croix. Each child enrolled...

ATLANTA—Recommendations on achieving 30 percent energy savings over minimum code requirements are contained in the newly published “Advanced Energy Design Guide for Highway Lodging.” The energy savings guidance for design of new hotels provides a first step toward achieving a net-zero-energy building. “The recommendations allow the building industry to create more energy-efficient hotels while maintaining the quality and functionality of the space to provide a pleasant guest experience,” said Ron Jarnagin, chair of the committee that wrote the book. The book, published by ASHRAE, gives guidance to architects, engineers, contractors and other building team members on how to easily achieve...

TALLAHASSEE, FLA.—Earlier this year, the State of Florida suggested a major reduction in the size of its Florida Green Lodging Program as part of state-wide budget cuts. Those cuts have been made and as of July 1, the program will still exist but on a much smaller scale. According to an article appearing in the Orlando Business Journal, four people have been dedicated to the program at a cost of $337,000. Beginning July 1, however, just one person will manage it at a cost of $63,000. To become a designated Green Lodging property in the past, the property had...