LAS VEGAS—About 400 people, including hotel developers, designers, architects and others were in attendance on the first day of the UNLV & JMBM Hotel Developers Conference here in Las Vegas. The event at the Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa was packed full of educational sessions and networking opportunities—all geared toward helping attendees understand the true cost of green hotel development, as well as the ins and outs of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. The conference began with a keynote speech by Dan Esty, Director, Center for Environmental Law...

DENVER—The historic Zion Lodge in Zion National Park was named the Sustainable Hotel of the Year at the recent HotelWorld Global Hospitality and Design Award Ceremony and Expo in Las Vegas. The award was presented in recognition of the many environmental programs implemented by Denver-based operator Xanterra Parks & Resorts. “With its setting in one of the country’s most breathtaking national parks and because of its remarkable history, it is especially critical to do everything we can to minimize the environmental impact of Zion Lodge,” said Chris Lane, vice president of environmental affairs for Xanterra. “We have been successful...

TUCSON, ARIZ.—Local and state governments offer a slew of green building incentives for developers but the incentives are not always taken advantage of because of time constraints, according to a new study. “Green Building Incentives That Work: A Look at How Local Governments Are Incentivizing Green Development,” recommends that developers research existing incentives and also proactively lobby governments with preferred incentives. “We found that nearly a hundred local and state governments are offering green building incentives to private developers,” said Jerry Yudelson, a principal at Yudelson Associates, the firm hired to conduct the study by the National Association of...

RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO—Nestled in the heart of the Riviera Maya, Tres Ríos, a 326-acre luxury eco-friendly resort, announced that Hacienda Tres Ríos will begin welcoming guests for the first time on July 2. Hacienda Tres Ríos has 273 suites ranging from 645 up to 2,063 square feet with views of the sea, fresh water canals, or lush tropical gardens. Each suite makes extensive use of local materials including furniture constructed from local cedar and Mexican marble floors. The suites feature 300-count Egyptian cotton linens, living areas with sofa beds, a pillow menu, terrace or private balcony, flat-screen satellite TVs, air-conditioning,...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, Inc. announced that it has been recognized for the fourth consecutive year as a recipient of the 2008 Energy Star “Partner of the Year” award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), earning Marriott the distinction of being named a partner of “Sustained Excellence” for the second consecutive year. Marriott will be recognized for its continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency in an awards ceremony April 1, 2008, in Washington, D.C. “We are proud to recognize Marriott’s continued efforts with the 2008 Energy Star Sustained Excellence award,” said Robert J. Meyers, principal deputy assistant...

NATIONAL REPORT—When the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced revisions to its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings Rating System late last year, it was good news for hotel owners and operators. Now called LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (O&M), the system is a better fit for hotels and is attracting the interest of many of the leading hotel companies. There are now approximately 200 hotel projects registered with USGBC. Most are seeking LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC) certification but the number of U.S. building owners pursuing LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M is...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—We are used to the orange glow of sodium-based parking lights; you know the ones that take forever to illuminate after a power failure. This is the most common form of exterior lighting, although many areas of your facility will use different lighting depending on the situation. For large area illumination, High Pressure (HP) Sodium and Metal Halide are most commonly used because that has been the standard for many years. These technologies do have drawbacks: low quality of light spectrum, poor low temperature operation and a short life span of about 15,000 hours. Induction Lighting is the...

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS—Benchmark Hospitality International has announced the greening of its three Virginia resorts: The Founders Inn and Spa of Virginia Beach; Virginia Crossings Resort of Richmond; and Lansdowne Resort located near Leesburg. Each property has been presented with the Virginia Green Lodging Certificate of Environmental Commitment by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. This acknowledgement underscores the commitment of each resort to minimizing its environmental impact by conserving resources wherever feasible in its operations. At a minimum, the property has committed to core activities, such as optional linen service, recycling opportunities, water conservation, energy conservation and green conferences. “One...

TORONTO—The Metro Toronto Convention Center (MTCC) announced that it is the first convention center in Canada to offer green electricity to clients and event planners to help them reduce the environmental footprint of their events. In addition, the MTCC will use green electricity to power its administrative offices and electronic signage. To achieve this, the MTCC is partnering with Bullfrog Power, a leading Canadian provider of 100 percent green electricity. The MTCC has a long tradition of providing leadership in the area of environmental stewardship, and has won numerous awards for its efforts in recent years. The MTCC has...

NATIONAL REPORT—In meeting rooms, back of house and other areas of your hotel, chances are great that you are using T-12 fluorescent lamps or the more efficient T-8s to illuminate large spaces. At least two companies—ilumisys, Inc. in Troy, Mich., and LEDdynamics, Inc. in Randolph, Vt.—are trying to replace these linear fluorescents with LED alternatives that are more energy efficient and safer for the environment. Fluorescent tubes include mercury and despite recycling efforts, 500 million to 600 million lamps end up in landfills each year. LED alternatives do not include mercury. “LED lamps also last longer, which means you throw...