KAPALUA, MAUI, HAWAII—The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua has opened following an extensive $160 million transformation, providing a dramatic new appearance and amenities to further enhance the guest experience. The new design incorporates an authentic Hawaiian sense of place, which is evident from the moment guests arrive at the lobby with native Hawaiian artwork, Koa wood panels and the lava stone bar. The resort reinvents itself with an interior design concept that incorporates the area’s vibrant colors of the lush mountains, natural rainforests and ocean. The 463 guestrooms and suites now feature dark wood floors, all new furnishings, travertine bathrooms, area rug designs...

RIDGWAY, COLO.—TheBestGreenHotels.com, a leading ratings service focused on environmentally friendly hotel operations worldwide, has announced its first-ever award of seven trees—the website’s highest possible rating—to the Old Chapel Forge Bed & Breakfast in Sussex, United Kingdom. The Old Chapel Forge B&B is an AAA four-star hotel built in and around a 1611 chapel building. The hotel also won a 2006 Gold award from the UK’s Green Tourism Business Scheme. “To us, green tourism is not a product to be tagged on to a holiday; it is integral to the way we run the Old Chapel Forge,” says proprietress Sandra Barnes-Keywood. “Through...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced Archbishop Desmond Tutu as the opening keynote speaker for USGBC’s annual Greenbuild Conference & Expo. Greenbuild will be held November 17-19, 2008, in Boston. Bishop Tutu, a Nobel Peace Laureate, lead a crusade for social justice and racial conciliation in South Africa as then-General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches. Today, he is revered worldwide as a “moral voice” seeking to end poverty and human rights abuses. “Bishop Tutu’s life, work, and message demonstrate the power of transformational change,” commented Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chairman of USGBC....

PALO ALTO, CALIF.—Energy recovery ventilation (ERV) systems are becoming increasingly important in North America in light of the current drive to conserve energy, make buildings “green,” and enhance indoor air quality (IAQ). New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, “North American Energy Recovery Ventilation Market,” found that this market earned revenues of $324.6 million in 2006 and it is expected to reach $778.7 million in 2012. “ERV is a growing segment within the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) market, particularly in northern tier winter heating zones and areas with warmer and high humidity climatic conditions,” says Frost & Sullivan research...

KINGSTON, JAMAICA—In a special communication to member hotels, the Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association (JHTA) last month announced its decision to support an occupancy surcharge intended to help its members combat the rising costs of energy. Effective December 15, when Jamaica’s winter season officially began, hotels have the option of adding a surcharge to their nightly room rates, with the amount to be individually determined by each property. Hotels were advised to base the amount on market assessment and cost structure; a maximum of $10 per room, per night, was recommended. JHTA president Wayne Cummings spoke in a recent...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Leaders in sustainable tourism from across North America and beyond will meet in Vancouver, British Columbia, October 27-29, 2008 at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2008 (ESTC 2008), The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) announced. Hosted by the British Columbia Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, the BC Sustainable Tourism Collective and the Council of Tourism Associations of British Columbia, the conference will provide opportunities to gain knowledge of the latest trends in ecotourism and sustainable tourism, learn practical skills, and participate in invaluable networking and knowledge sharing. The ESTC 2008 will be held at the Fairmont Hotel...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announces the launch of the Education Provider Program (EPP). The program will result in an extensive “course catalog” of top-tier green building educational programs, peer-reviewed and approved by USGBC, which will be available on www.greenbuild365.org. “The Education Provider Program is an extension of the Council’s mission and our ongoing efforts to broaden and deepen educational offerings for green building professionals,” said Peter Templeton, Senior Vice President of Education and Research for USGBC. “The program will review and promote top-quality, innovative courses that will expand green building knowledge and capacity across all...

PHILADELPHIA—Buyers beware. That so-called “green” product is likely stretching the eco-truth according to the “Six Sins of Greenwashing,” a study released recently by TerraChoice Environmental Marketing. The study found that of 1,018 common consumer products ranging from toothpaste to caulking to shampoo to printers, randomly surveyed for the study, 99 percent were guilty of “greenwashing.” “The products we surveyed made a total of 1,753 claims, and 99 percent committed at least one of the Six Sins of Greenwashing,” says TerraChoice President Scott McDougall. “The ‘Six Sins of Greenwashing’ will equip consumers with tools to help figure out the truth about...

VANUA LEVU, FIJI ISLANDS—Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Islands Resort announced that it is a recipient of Islands magazine’s 2007 Global Sustainable Tourism Award. The December issue features its Blue List, the 100 “best of the best” people and places compiled from readers’ and editors’ recommendations of leaders in responsible tourism, who show commitment to preserving the beauty of island life worldwide. Of the 100 “best of the best,” five were selected to receive the Global Sustainable Tourism Award. This award adds to a number of honors for the resort, which include “Leading Boutique Resort in Fiji” from the 2007 World...

NEW YORK—One of this city’s first hotel projects in pursuit of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification is under construction on Crosby Street in SoHo. The 11-story 9 Crosby Street Hotel will have 75 rooms and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2009. The hotel is being developed by London-based Firmdale Hotels, a company known for high-end properties including the Haymarket Hotel, The Soho Hotel, and Number Sixteen—all in the London area. The company supplying the architects for the project is New York-based Stonehill & Taylor Architects, P.C. The firm is involved in the project...