ATLANTA—ASHRAE proposed a building energy labeling program and high-performance building standard at its 2009 Winter Conference. More than 2,800 people attended the conference, held in late January in Chicago. Also taking place in conjunction with the meeting was the Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Exposition, which attracted 54,000 registered visitors and exhibitor personnel. The show ranks as the second largest AHR Expo, just behind the 2006 Show in Chicago, in terms of number of exhibiting companies (1,911). Centered on the theme “Sustainable Urban Design: Engineering Tomorrow…Today,” the ASHRAE conference offered a technical program with more than 100 sessions, 15 educational courses and...

TORONTO—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has announced an extension of its brandwide Green Cuisine program to include sustainable seafood choices in support of a global effort to conserve precious marine species. As the latest environmental initiative undertaken by the brand, Fairmont’s hotels and resorts worldwide will remove threatened fish species like Chilean Sea Bass and Bluefin Tuna from their restaurant menus and will also align themselves locally with reputable seafood watch organizations, ensuring guests continue to be provided with a comprehensive selection of sustainable seafood choices. By spring 2009, Fairmont’s seafood purchases will be made with the guidance and consultation...

MILL VALLEY, CALIF.—Auberge Resorts announced its company-wide membership in the Green Spa Network, the premiere spa industry association dedicated to bringing greening and sustainability to the health, wellness and beauty community. All of the spas at Auberge Resorts properties in Napa Valley, Southern California, Mexico and South Carolina, along with the first property under its new Solage brand, have joined the network. With this move, Auberge Resorts becomes the first company in the hotel industry to make a corporate-level commitment to sustainable spa operations. Auberge Resorts has been a supporter of the green spas movement since Tracy Lee, vice president...

GIRDWOOD, ALASKA—Alaskan-owned tour company Alaska Wildland Adventures (AWA) will unveil its newest ecotourism venture this summer, Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge. It will be the first and only lodge located inside Kenai Fjords National Park. The lodge and guest cabins reside within the Native-owned, 1,700-acre Pedersen Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary. Alaska Wildland Adventures worked in collaboration with Port Graham Native Corp. to develop the area. Built with careful consideration of the environment, guest capacity is limited to 16 cabins and is accessible by boat from nearby Seward. “The lodge was built near traditional Alutiiq homeland,” said Heather Dudick, AWA’s director of marketing....

MONTEREY, CALIF.—Security National Guaranty (SNG) announced plans to develop the greenest ecoresort in the world on the Monterey Peninsula. To be located on a degraded former sand mining site, Monterey Bay Shores Ecoresort will be an environmentally friendly development that will provide visitors, tourists and residents with an ideal green living environment as well as educational facilities for instruction on sustainability and environmental principles. The ecoresort will aim to achieve LEED Platinum certification upon completion and will yield more than 500 construction and permanent green jobs for Monterey’s local economy. In the first-of-its kind development, every single detail of Monterey...

AUBURN, Calif.—As more people focus on creating ‘green’ buildings, a new guidebook makes the case for the only truly renewable building product: wood. The booklet, “The Wood User’s Guide to Green Building,” details the important role wood plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, underscores the energy efficiency of wood and shows how well wood rates when compared to other primary building materials. In a time when sustainable practices are becoming more desirable, the booklet outlines the benefits of building with wood, including scientific data that shows how wood outperforms steel and concrete across a range of environmental performance criteria. “Wood is...

ANAHEIM, CALIF.—As part of its ongoing commitment to the environment, Disneyland Resort announced two innovative environmental initiatives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The resort has begun using compressed natural gas to fuel its guest trams and recycled cooking oil to power its Disneyland Railroad steam trains and Mark Twain riverboat. “These initiatives demonstrate Disneyland Resort’s ongoing commitment to balancing environmental stewardship throughout our operations,” said Michael O’Grattan, senior vice president of resort operations. “These are just a few steps in our ongoing journey to reduce Disneyland Resort’s environmental footprint.” The Disneyland Railroad is being fueled by a special biodiesel made from...

DOVER, DEL.—Three grants have been awarded to the Delaware hospitality industry for projects that will prevent pollution by conserving energy and water resources, recycling and other sustainable practices. The grant funds, which total $13,290, were provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Delaware Pollution Prevention Program grant. According to Crystal Nagyiski, manager of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s (DNREC) Pollution Prevention Program, the proposals were accepted based on the project’s plans to implement sustainable practices that reduce pollution and conserve energy and natural resources. The grants include: • $4950 to the Delaware Hotel and Lodging...

SEATTLE—The Hyatt at Olive 8 has opened its doors in the heart of Seattle’s thriving entertainment and dining district. Located at the corner of Olive and 8th, the new hotel—on track to be Seattle’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified hotel—is a striking addition to the city’s skyline and adds a new, more eco-friendly experience to the Pacific Northwest hospitality market. One of the first in a new generation of environmentally conscious hotels across the country, Hyatt at Olive 8 offers its guests a uxurious “green” stay, from energy-efficient rooms to the locally sourced food and...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND—With climate change a growing concern and the economic crisis affecting their bottom line, European hoteliers are about to take part in a United Nations backed program designed to reduce energy consumption and generate significant savings in operating costs. The specific goal is to achieve a 20 percent increase in energy efficiency and a 10 percent increase in the use of renewable energy technologies. The Energy Efficiency Excellence for the Tourism Industry (EEETI) project aims to research and develop future energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions for hotels in the 27 member countries of the European Union. According to...