WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced that projects seeking certification under the LEED Green Building Rating System can now earn “Innovation in Design” points by using the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) program for certified building products, as well as products certified by other established systems. C2C assesses products on a number of criteria, such as the use of safe and healthy materials; design for material reuse and recycling; efficient use of energy and water throughout production; and instituting strategies for social responsibility. The C2C design paradigm was developed by William McDonough and Dr. Michael Braungart,...

SILVER SPRING, MD.—Choice Hotels International announced that its first Cambria Suites hotel has opened in Boise, Idaho. Like all future Cambria Suites properties, it will be 100 percent nonsmoking. Cambria Suites hotels are designed for guests who want to take their lifestyle with them when traveling, and hotels feature a stylish design that is more intimate than traditional hotel décor, with guest suites that are 25 percent larger than standard hotel rooms. The 119-suite Cambria Suites Boise Airport hotel is owned and operated by The Summit Group Inc., a hotel developer focused on developing, managing, and owning mid-market...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—In celebration of National Arbor Day, Friday, April 27, Doubletree Hotels has launched a month-long “Pledge to Plant Challenge” by encouraging America to help plant 50,000 seedling trees. The initiative is an extension of the brand’s environmental education and preservation efforts. Together with The National Arbor Day Foundation, the hotelier is challenging Americans to “think trees” in an active effort to re-green America and reinforce the importance of trees in our everyday lives. By visiting www.doubletree.com/thinktrees between now and May 31, those making a personal pledge to plant may receive two of their very own seedling...

NEW YORK—Greenhouse 26, the first green boutique hotel in New York City, will open at 132 W. 26th St. in Spring 2008. Blending first-class amenities with progressive environmental initiatives, Greenhouse 26 will apply for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status, establishing that hotels of all sizes can be successfully green. Sustainability has been an integral part of the development and design process for developers Jack Ancona, who has been in the New York City real estate industry for over 50 years, and Flatiron Real Estate Advisors LLC. With the belief that outstanding design is inherently...

OTTAWA, ONTARIO—More than 500 hotels and counting. That is the number of properties that have signed up for the Hotel Association of Canada’s (HAC) Green Key Eco-Rating program. According to Anthony Pollard, president of HAC, another 450 are in the pipeline and a total of 1,200 should be signed up by the end of the year. The program, which rates hotels with from one to five green keys, with five keys being the best, has been blossoming of late for several reasons. “In Canada, the No. 1 issue by far is the environment,” Pollard says. The...

PHOENIX, ARIZ.—Aramark Parks & Resorts, a division of Aramark Harrison Lodging, announced that it has offset 100 percent of its traditional energy consumption with alternative energy solutions at its national and state park managed properties—selecting Earth Day 2007 to commemorate its first year of sustainable energy use. “Aramark Parks has continually developed cutting edge environmental and greening initiatives,” says Bruce Fears, president of Aramark Harrison Lodging. “Since protecting and preserving the environment is a personal passion of mine, it has been extremely rewarding to have participated in developing such innovative Aramark programs including PlanetEVERgreen, Green Suites EcoRooms; Sustainable...

NATIONAL REPORT—Six prominent spas are forming a network dedicated to bringing environmentally sustainable operating practices to the burgeoning spa industry. The Green Spa Network (GSN) seeks to help spas and spa professionals reap the financial and social benefits from implementing environmentally friendly business practices. The intention of the organization is to synergize greening efforts among network members as a way to support spas in reducing their ecological impact, while improving energy efficiencies and reducing operational costs. With nearly 14,000 facilities generating $9.7 billion in annual revenues, spas are a leading leisure industry and naturally suited to be at...

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA.—The Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort, a Stone Mountain hotel surrounded in natural wooded beauty and lush greenery, has received designation as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System (ACSS). As the only hotel in America certified under Audubon International’s Business Program, the Georgia resort joins a renowned, worldwide environmental initiative by eco-aware businesses and Audubon International. “The Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Business and Corporate Properties gives people an opportunity to do something good for the environment where they live, work and recreate,” says Shawn Williams, staff ecologist for Audubon International. “The system...

NEEDHAM, MASS.—TripAdvisor announced the results of its ecotourism survey of more than 1,000 travelers worldwide. Eleven percent of respondents have taken and one-quarter are considering going on an ecotourism trip. Thirty-eight percent of respondents said that environmentally-friendly tourism is a consideration when traveling. Thirty-eight percent of travelers surveyed have stayed at an environmentally-friendly hotel, and 9 percent specifically seek out environmentally-friendly hotels. When asked what qualities are most important to making a hotel eco-friendly, conserving energy ranked number one, followed by conserving water and using recycled paper. Seventy-eight percent of travelers said they decline to have their...

LAS VEGAS, CHICAGO—The HD 2007 Expo & Conference, to be held in Las Vegas at the Sands Convention Center from May 9-12, and the National Restaurant Association Show, to be held in Chicago at McCormick Place from May 19-22, will both feature myriad green events for attendees—everything from a green luncheon at the HD 2007 Expo & Conference to a Green Restaurant Products Pavilion at the NRA Show. In Las Vegas, HD Expo & Conference green activities will kick off on Wednesday, May 9, with the second annual Green Luncheon. Three case studies will be presented, each of which involves...