DALLAS—In January, when Pineapple Hospitality and Lodging Hospitality revved up their planning for their first Green Hospitality Conference, they expected about 75 people to register. On Wednesday, March 14, however, about 175 people attended—many signing up the day of the event. That surprise surge in attendees proved that owners and operators are hungry to learn about environmental trends and how to operate more profitably while conserving natural resources. “We were extremely pleased with the attendance,” says Ray Burger, President of Pineapple Hospitality, Saint Charles, Mo. “The number of hotel companies represented was impressive and we appreciated the support...

SAN FRANCISCO—The Serrano Hotel in San Francisco’s theater district has partnered with two unique Bay Area green businesses—3 Phases Energy and DriveNeutral—to offset its output of carbon dioxide and support renewable energy efforts. “We are totally committed to making effective changes in our environmental and socially responsible practices, without compromising the quality, service or integrity of the experience we provide our guests,” says Michael Pace, general manager at the Serrano Hotel, one of 41 Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants throughout the country. “Renewable energy and offsetting our CO2 output are two effective ways for our hotel to make a...

ST. PETE BEACH, FLA.—Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection welcomed the TradeWinds Sandpiper Hotel and Suites to the Florida Green Lodging program. The voluntary state initiative provides the lodging industry with technical assistance, encouraging hotels and motels to adopt cost-saving practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. “The TradeWinds Sandpiper joins its sister property, the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort, as two premiere St. Pete Beach hotels committed to the state’s environment,” said DEP Southwest District Assistant Director Michael Farley. “These facilities serve as great examples to hotels across the state to adopt innovative green practices that conserve natural resources for...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) is conducting a comprehensive global search for the industry’s most innovative technologies to be exhibited in GUESTROOM 2010, a model guestroom featuring some of the latest and near-future technologies for the modern hotel room. The 2007 model of GUESTROOM 2010 will be featured in the exhibit hall at the 2007 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC). HITEC 2007 will be held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., June 25-28. In order to design the 2007 version, HFTP is seeking new and upcoming technologies for the hotel guestroom....

BERLIN, GERMANY—The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) says that the world must respond in a holistic way to the twin challenges of climate change and poverty and that the tourism sector can effectively contribute to the solutions. UNWTO issued a statement at the opening of the ITB international tourism fair in Berlin. “In recent years world leaders have identified a range of challenges of truly global impact with extreme poverty and climate change as the most trenchant issues,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli in his keynote speech at ITB. “They require innovative and changed behavior to effectively...

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF.—The California Hotel & Lodging Assn. (CH&LA) recently announced its Stars of the Industry award winners at the Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort Hotel in Santa Barbara. Among the Stars of the Industry awards, presented by USA Today, were two in the environmental category for Good Earthkeeping. These awards were presented to the Chancellor Hotel on Union Square, San Francisco, and the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, San Diego. Good Earthkeeping awards recognize lodging properties that have developed a culture toward integrating environmental management practices that improve everyday operations and the bottom line, while maintaining quality service and...

GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST, B.C.—King Pacific Lodge, A Rosewood Resort has announced a plan to reduce its carbon footprint by half and offset the carbon emissions of all lodge operations and employee travel. The resort also plans to offset guests’ air travel to and from the lodge—creating a truly carbon-neutral vacation. “We are the first hotel in Canada, and perhaps anywhere, to offset the carbon emissions of guests’ round-trip air travel,” says Michael Uehara, president of King Pacific Lodge. “We believe this is a very important step, but it is only the first step in a multifaceted plan to...

SONOMA VALLEY, CALIF.—The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is forging the path in creating green, environmentally friendly weddings. Celebrated romanticist Kelly McLeskey has recently added unparalleled “green wedding” options to her repertoire of distinctly unique nuptial packages. With a reputation for designing inimitable personalized affairs for her discerning clientele, she unveiled this week an “a la carte” menu of environmentally responsible options. Any (or all) of the following green alternatives can be incorporated into her distinct galas: • Recycled paper invitations complete with soy ink printing; • Personalized menus highlighting local organic produce, wines, coffees, and house-made...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Vail Resorts Inc. announced one of the most ambitious green development projects in the North American resort industry to date, to be called Ever Vail. The $1 billion project will transform the 9.5-acre site, currently known as West Lionshead, into a truly green multi-use resort village consisting of residences, a hotel, offices, retail shops and restaurants, mountain operations facilities, a public parking garage, a new gondola and related skier portal, and a public park. The name, Ever Vail, was thoughtfully chosen to reflect the project’s guiding principle of sustainability—that is, pairing Vail Mountain’s enduring preeminent position in the resort...

Commercial buildings across the United States have a common problem: They seldom perform at design level. Optimum level provides the most comfortable and safe indoor environment for the occupants while balancing operation and maintenance costs for the owners. Retro-commissioning (Rcx) is a systematic process that helps solve this problem by allowing a building’s HVAC system and integrated building controls to operate at peak performance. Retro-commissioning building systems can provide significant benefits such as improving occupant comfort, reducing energy cost, improving indoor air quality, enhancing building operations and extending equipment life. The National Environmental Balancing Bureau defines Rcx as “the systematic process...