ORLANDO, FLA.—Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI), the vacation ownership division of Marriott International, Inc., announced that its Grande Vista, Cypress Harbour and Crystal Shores on Marco Island properties are the first resorts within the Marriott Vacation Club portfolio to achieve the Florida Green Lodging Program designation from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Having met all of the requirements to officially become part of the association, the brand’s two largest vacation resorts in Orlando and latest resort offering in Southwest Florida see their “One Palm” designation as a winning combination for everyone. “Now, more than ever, environmental stewardship is...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—The International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show (IH/M&RS) has forged a new partnership with Pamela Lanier’s Bed and Breakfasts, Inns and Guesthouses International (BBIGI) to further enhance the attendee profile of the industry’s premier event, taking place November 7 to 10, 2009, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The marketing partnership is one of several established between the IH/M&RS and key hospitality associations representing culinary, lodging and military professionals, that foster networking and business opportunities among the 1,000 exhibitors and 35,000 attendees. Founded in 1982 by Lanier, BBIGI is one of the largest bed and...

FREEPORT, MAINE—Travelers took advantage of greatly reduced room rates to support Habitat for Humanity in record numbers this spring according to Greg Dugal, executive director of the Maine Innkeepers Assn. (MEIA) The Sixth Annual Hospitality for Habitat, a program designed by MEIA to raise funds for Maine chapters of Habitat for Humanity, logged its most successful year ever despite a challenging economy. This year 37 MEIA member properties, with support from their guests, raised $16, 275 to help fund housing for Maine families. The annual Hospitality for Habitat program offers visitors to Maine a 50 percent discount...

PORTLAND, ORE.—The Doubletree Hotel Portland announced that it has been selected as the third place recipient in the “100 Best Green Companies to Work For in Oregon,” as well as one of the “Oregon’s 100 Best Companies to Work For” in separate rankings by Oregon Business Magazine. Both awards were determined by an anonymous employee survey, coupled with an independent assessment of the employers’ sustainability practices and employee benefits program. The survey then ranks companies by their relative scores, and shares the results with the participants to help inform future workplace practices. According to Oregon Business, the 100 Best Green...

GATLINBURG, TENN.—The Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg, adjacent to The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, is on its way to becoming the first LEED certified hotel in Tennessee. The 118-unit property opened on May 28. According to Logan Coykendall, part owner of the hotel and owner of Hospitality Management Solutions, the Sevierville, Tenn.-based management company that operates it, the Hilton Garden Inn should achieve a “solid Silver” LEED rating later this year. LEED, a certification program for new and existing buildings run by the U.S. Green Building Council, offers four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The decision to...

SAN DIEGO—Demonstrating its commitment to San Diego, Hotel Indigo San Diego Gaslamp Quarter is investing more than $300,000 in the local arts community and is taking hotel art to a new level—12 stories up, in fact. Following more than a year of design work and two weeks of installation, Hotel Indigo San Diego unveiled its first piece of public art in advance of the hotel opening on July 13, 2009. Aptly named “Indigo Waters,” the 40-foot exterior wall sculpture made up of 33 hand-painted, laminated and tempered blue-colored glass panels is positioned on the western facade of the hotel...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is commending the House of Representatives for passing landmark energy and climate legislation that includes several significant provisions to incentivize and accelerate the benefits of green building across the country. “From programs that would generate billions of dollars to spur and scale green retrofitting of our existing building stock to inclusion of the GREEN Act, which would create new opportunities for green affordable housing, this bill recognizes that green building is a major part of the solution to our economic and energy challenges,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair, USGBC. “With...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) has launched an initiative to reduce carbon emissions (CO2) in the region’s hospitality industry by 20 percent by the year 2011. The launch is together with the Dubai Green Tourism Award which will be in line with World Environment Day. The initiatives are all part of the department’s sustainable tourism agenda for the emirate. The Dubai Green Tourism Award, to be presented in December 2009, is expected to attract 200 hotels from three, four and five stars and deluxe hotel apartments that are eligible to compete for the annual honors. ...

CHICAGO—Sears Tower announced plans for a renovation that will result in unparalleled energy savings and reduced CO2 emissions. The tallest building in the Western Hemisphere will reduce its base building electricity use by up to 80 percent, which includes a combination of energy savings and cogeneration. The energy savings equal 68 million kilowatt hours annually or 150,000 barrels of oil every year. The sustainability plans will also drive economic development in the West Loop, creating more than 3,600 jobs, and are part of a broader initiative to transform the global icon. Another aspect of the transformation is a proposed new,...

TORONTO—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced a comprehensive sustainability plan to address its technology infrastructure and information technology (IT) operations. Green IT becomes the latest component of the Fairmont Green Partnership program, the company’s award-winning environmental platform. Aimed at limiting waste, purchasing responsibly, conserving energy and reducing the company’s overall carbon footprint, Fairmont’s Green IT plan includes the introduction of a workstation power down schedule, electronic waste diversion in markets where programs exist and the development of donation standards aligning with qualified and respected recycling companies and charities. In addition, Fairmont will optimize purchasing efficiencies, including crafting a green procurement policy...