RALEIGH, N.C.—In October, the Raleigh Convention Center joined an elite group of convention centers—those that have earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. In Raleigh’s case, it earned LEED Silver, joining the Phoenix Convention Center, Spokane (Wash.) Convention Center Expansion, and the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Ore., as LEED Silver recipients. The Raleigh facility earned the LEED designation a little more than a year after the center opened in September 2008. The Raleigh Convention Center is owned and managed by the City of Raleigh. According to Laurie Okun, director of...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, Inc. opened the LEED certified 147-suite SpringHill Suites by Marriott in College Park, Ga., on December 18. The SpringHill Suites Atlanta Airport Gateway is owned by Grover Street Partners and managed by Marriott International. Adjacent to the Georgia International Convention Center and one mile from the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the SpringHill Suites Atlanta Airport Gateway offers guests convenient access to ATL SkyTrain, the Atlanta Zoo, Turner Field, the CNN Center, Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Botanical Gardens and Six Flags over Georgia. The ATL SkyTrain is an automated people mover (APM) line which recently opened...

LAS VEGAS—Under a canopy of fireworks illuminating the night sky, ARIA Resort & Casino opened its doors last week and welcomed its first guests. Located at the heart of CityCenter, ARIA is the centerpiece of the urban resort destination. Its debut signifies the official grand opening of this city-within-a-city, following two weeks of celebrations for the reveals of Vdara Hotel & Spa, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas and Crystals retail and entertainment district. Featuring a combination of striking architecture, sustainable design, high-end service and amenities, the ARIA has dramatically altered the skyline of the world’s most famous boulevard. “ARIA and CityCenter...

BETHESDA, MD.—Now that’s a lot of cooking oil. According to Brad Nelson, corporate chef and vice president of culinary for Marriott International, the company’s hotels in North America generate about 5.5 million pounds of used cooking oil each year. Add in the properties outside North America and that number just about doubles. With so much spent cooking oil to deal with, what’s a company the size of Marriott to do? This past summer the company started a test program at just a few properties in the Washington, D.C. area that resulted in the cooking oil being converted to biodiesel....

VISTA, CALIF.—Looking ahead to what 2010 might bring, a new survey conducted the first two weeks of December 2009 asked facility managers and other building professionals about water conservation, water costs, and other related issues in their facilities in the coming year. The survey was conducted by AlturaSolutions Communications for Waterless Co., manufacturers of waterless urinal systems. E-mail invitations to take the survey were sent to about 500 facility managers and building professionals. A total of 154 people answered some of the questions; 84 people completed the entire survey. Virtually all, 89 percent, indicate that, compared to past years,...

MCLEAN, VA.—Home2 Suites by Hilton, the mid-tier, extended-stay hotel chain targeting value-wise business and leisure travelers, announced the groundbreaking of its first hotel, the 119-room Home2 Suites by Hilton Fayetteville, N.C. The hotel is being developed by Alabama-based LBA Properties, a group of companies providing comprehensive hotel development and management services, on behalf of Apple Real Estate Investment Trust Companies (Apple REIT Companies). The hotel is expected to open in the 2010 fourth quarter. “Home2 Suites is a true complement to the current Hilton Worldwide portfolio,” said Paul Brown, president of global brands and commercial services for Hilton Worldwide. “All...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), in accordance with the G.I. Bill, has agreed to reimburse veterans, eligible dependents and reservists for the cost of any of the LEED Professional Exams administered by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). “We are honored to be a part of the VA’s aggressive effort to help veterans gain the skills and credentials required for full participation in the new, green economy,” said Peter Templeton, president, GBCI. “For those veterans who are pursuing a career in green building or a related field, this support for attaining LEED credentials can go a long...

LANSING—The Michigan Department of Energy, Labor, & Economic Growth (DELEG) Bureau of Energy Systems is launching Green Venues Michigan, a statewide green certification program for entertainment venues, convention centers, and similar facilities. It is designed to encourage and assist facilities to adopt cost saving, green practices which conserve natural resources and prevent pollution. The Green Venues Michigan program was modeled after DELEG’s successful Green Lodging Michigan program. Four venues have received the Green Venues Michigan Certification as part of a pilot launch. They are include: Michigan International Speedway, Detroit Institute of Arts, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, and Grand Valley State...

LONDON, U.K.—Jurys Inns recently polled its guests to find out just how green they really are when staying at a hotel. Seven out of 10 guests claim they don’t forget to pack their eco-conscience when staying at a hotel and make an effort to follow the same green practices they would at home when they’re away. One in five people said they check out a hotel’s green credentials before checking in, claiming that in addition to location, service and value for money, it is a high priority when deciding which hotel to book. This supports other recent research from...

LAS VEGAS—Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas, a hotel located at the new CityCenter on The Strip, has achieved LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It is the first hotel in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group to receive a LEED rating, and marks the sixth LEED Gold certification for CityCenter, which is one of the world’s largest sustainable developments. “Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is known for demonstrating its leadership in the hotel industry,” said Rajesh Jhingon, general manager of Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas. “We are honored to have the Group’s first LEED Gold certified hotel.” Mandarin Oriental Highlights • The...