WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that its flagship Element hotel—Element Lexington—is the first Starwood hotel to earn Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and the first hotel in Massachusetts to achieve this prestigious rating. Element Lexington earned LEED Gold certification in recognition of its superior performance in areas including water and energy conservation and improved indoor environmental quality measures. The hotel, which opened its doors in July 2008, expects to recoup its investment in green building in less than five years, due to associated operational savings....

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual Greenbuild conference welcomed nearly 30,000 attendees in November at its show in Boston, the most robust crowd in the show’s seven year history. Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building, and convenes the building industry for three days of educational sessions, renowned speakers, green building tours, seminars and networking events. This year’s show offered a slate of educational offerings, covering a diverse array of current topics, from green jobs, green building technologies, to biodiversity and social equity. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate and revered advocate against...

ALBANY, N.Y.—The Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort in Lake Placid, N.Y., recently received a New York State Environmental Excellence Award. The awards were announced by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and were presented in Albany by DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis at a reception to acknowledge the winners. Now in their fifth year, the NYS Environmental Excellence Awards honor businesses, non-governmental organizations, educational facilities, government/municipalities and individuals that have made great strides in improving and protecting New York’s environment through innovative and environmentally sustainable practices or creative partnerships. The Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort was the first hotel to...

SAN FRANCISCO—Toward the end of the movie “E.T.: The Extraterrestial,” E.T. tells the young boy Elliott to “be good.” Guests waking up at the Good Hotel in San Francisco’s SoMa (South of Market) district are getting the same message just about everywhere they turn at the recently opened 117-room boutique property. On one of the walls in each guestroom, the words “begood” are painted in white and yellow. On the ceiling, in glowing letters, the words “good night” are visible. The Good Hotel is one of the latest unique innovations of Joie de Vivre, which operates California’s largest collection...

COLLIER COUNTY, FLA.—Twelve hotels to date in Collier County, Fla., have received the official Green Lodging certification from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). To further Collier County’s green lodging initiative, the Collier County Hotel & Lodging Assn. has formed a Green Committee to grow and enhance the benefits of sustainable lodging practices in the region and assist other hotels that wish to gain certification. In Collier County, Florida DEP has so far recognized the following hotels as certified Green Lodgings: The Ivey House; Hilton Naples; DoubleTree Guest Suites, Naples; Hilton Marco Island Beach Resort; Bellasera Hotel; Inn at...

ST MARTIN, CARIBBEAN—Carlson Hotels Worldwide has opened the 1,000th hotel in its worldwide portfolio, the Radisson St Martin Resort, Marina & Spa, dedicating the achievement of this growth landmark to a global initiative of environmental sustainability and responsible business. At opening ceremonies, top company officials joined with representatives of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign and The Carbon Neutral Company to officially dedicate this $80 million resort. The company is planting 1,000 trees worldwide and making a financial donation to the UNEP program plus partnering with The CarbonNeutral Company to offset the...

MIAMI—Cambean Hospitality, a Miami Beach-based hospitality group that owns and manages four boutique hotel properties in the historic South Beach area, announced the relaunching of the historic Clifton South Beach. The 35-room hotel is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation and is scheduled to open in early 2009. When complete, the hotel will seek to become the first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified hotel in Florida and the first LEED-certified historic hotel in the nation. The building has been designed to achieve LEED Gold level certification. Built in 1948, the post-war architecture of the Clifton also incorporates distinct...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new National Restaurant Association survey of more than 1,600 professional chefs—members of the American Culinary Federation (ACF)—reveals that nutrition and philosophy-driven food choices will be the hottest trends on restaurant menus in 2009. Local produce, bite-size desserts, organics, healthful kids’ meals, and new cuts of meat top the list of nearly 210 culinary items in the third annual “What’s Hot” chef survey. Rounding out the top 10 trends are kids’ vegetable/fruit side dishes, super fruits (including acai and mangosteen), small plates/tapas/mezze/dim sum, artisan liquor and sustainable seafood. “Creativity has always been a hallmark of professional chefs,” said...

GAITHERSBURG, MD.—The Holiday Inn Gaithersburg last week celebrated the completion of its extensive, environment-based renovation with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the hotel’s new main entrance. In doing so, the hotel became one of the first Holiday Inns in the D.C.-Metro area to be renovated with an emphasis on environmental sustainability. Renewable, environmentally responsible and recycled materials were all utilized during the construction; drought-resistant landscaping will be installed in the spring. The featured speaker at the event was Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz. Members of the U.S. Marine Corps also attended the ceremony and received the toys donated by hotel...

YOUNTVILLE, CALIF.—The Napa Valley community of Yountville, Calif., with a population of a little more than 3,000 people, is now home to one of the greenest lodging establishments in the United States—the 62-room luxury Bardessono hotel, restaurant and spa. Set to open the first week of February, the development should earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification later in 2009. If it does reach that goal, it will be only the second hotel in the United States to do so. The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C., is the other. The owner and developer of the property is...