SAINT CHARLES, MO.—Ray Burger, president of Pineapple Hospitality, a company that markets and sells numerous green products and programs, has launched EcoRooms & EcoSuites. The online directory is a one part certification/one part marketing initiative for green hotels, resorts, inns, motels and B&Bs. The website is up and running with five properties: the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa, American Canyon, Calif.; Orchard Garden Hotel, San Francisco; The Ambrose Hotel, Santa Monica, Calif.; the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, Lake Placid, N.Y.; and the Habitat Suites Hotel, Austin, Texas. Burger and his board of advisors have set the bar high to...

BOSTON—The Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston has just received official Energy Star status in recognition of its energy conservation and efficiency efforts. The hotel, built in 1963, has just completed a year-long effort to achieve this status. To that end, building automation systems were used to efficiently control the building’s energy consumption, coordinating HVAC, boilers, chillers and common area lighting. The guestroom energy management system manages heating and cooling when guests are not in their rooms and guestrooms are now lit by compact fluorescent lighting. “The overall guiding principle in decision making for all projects over the last year has...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Starwood Capital Group and Perseus Realty, L.L.C. (Perseus Realty) announced that they have signed an agreement to build an eco-friendly luxury hotel at 22nd and M Streets, N.W. in the heart of the Washington, D.C.’s West End neighborhood. The hotel will be one of the world’s first 1 Hotels, Starwood Capital’s recently launched five-star, eco-friendly international hotel brand that will combine the best of environmentally sustainable architecture and design properties with first-class service and luxurious comfort. The 180-key hotel, which will be developed by Starwood Development and Perseus Realty, is expected to break ground in mid-2008 and deliver...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—The East Avenue Investment Group LP and Global Hyatt Corp. announced plans to develop a hotel under Hyatt’s new luxury brand, Andaz, as part of a mixed-use development in Austin’s central core. The 210-room hotel will open in 2010. The announcement comes on the heels of Hyatt’s unveiling of its new brand in April 2007, and announcements for Andaz hotels in London and Manhattan. The landmark Great Eastern Hotel in the City of London will convert to Andaz in mid-October, followed by properties at 75 Wall Street and 485 Fifth Avenue, New York, in 2009. In addition to operating...

TORONTO—Fairmont Hotels’ commitment to protecting the environment is nothing new. For more than 15 years, Fairmont’s participation in comprehensive recycling and environmental protection programs has demonstrated its goal to minimize its impact on the planet. And the results have been tangible. But the effort goes beyond the expected. Each of the hotels within the Fairmont collection is making a difference in often unique and unheard of ways. If there’s one thing a luxury hotel offers its guests, it’s fine wine and delectable cuisine. But what to do with all those pesky wine corks and leftover food looms large. Individual...

ATLANTA—Natural ventilation has been promoted as a cure-all to reduce cost and energy consumption and to improve indoor air quality and occupant comfort. The reality of natural ventilation, however, is more complicated. A workshop discussing the design and performance of natural systems will be featured at ASHRAE’s IAQ 2007: Healthy and Sustainable Buildings conference. The event will be held in Baltimore October 14-17. In the workshop, entitled “What’s So Great About Natural Ventilation,” Steve Emmerich and Andy Persily, both with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, will discuss how natural ventilation systems relate to existing ventilation, thermal comfort and...

COLUMBUS, OHIO—The Ohio Hotel & Lodging Association’s Annual Conference & Gala will have a green focus this year. The event, to be held November 19 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton, will feature sessions including “The Business Case for Environmental Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry,” “The Path to Solid Waste Reduction,” “Movement to Ban Trans Fats: How Concerned Should the Hospitality Industry Be?” and “Is Your Laundry Green?” In addition, an executive panel and B&B roundtable will focus on environmental issues. Chris Lane, v.p. of environmental affairs for Xanterra Parks & Resorts, will lead “The Business Case for Environmental Sustainability...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Vail Resorts, Inc. has announced more detailed plans for making the $1 billion Ever Vail the largest LEED-certified, multi-use resort development project in the nation. “The mission of Vail Resorts is to provide exceptional experiences at our extraordinary resorts,” says Rob Katz, CEO of Vail Resorts. “What we are announcing with the Ever Vail development is completely aligned with two of our most important stakeholders—the spectacular natural environment that serves as the backdrop of Vail Mountain and the local community in which we operate.” Vail Resorts is now several steps closer to making the 9.5-acre Ever Vail project at the...

MIAMI BEACH—While May’s HD 2007 Expo & Conference featured a Green Room for exhibitors selling environmentally friendly products, and booth signs designating vendors as green, last week’s HD Boutique 2007 Expo & Conference did not. Even though this made finding green products more difficult, an eagle-eyed attendee who asked enough questions could do so. In fact, as it turns out, there were many vendors in attendance eager to talk about their green offerings. The following is just a sample. Valley Forge Fabrics Inc. was on hand to introduce two new FRESH (Fabrics Redefining Environmental Standards (for) Hospitality) lines: The Celerie...

ROCKLAND, ME.—Quietly, yet tenaciously, the Historic Inns of Rockland, Maine are working hard to reduce their environmental impact. All three have been certified by the State of Maine as Hospitality Environmental Leaders, making them the first known B&B association in New England totally dedicated to sustainable eco-tourism. Beginning on October 3, in recognition of National Change a Lightbulb Day, the inns will offer an Energy Star compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) to each guest. With each bulb, more than 400 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions will be saved from entering the atmosphere. “If just 100 guests change their lightbulbs with...