LOS ANGELES—The Americas Lodging Investment Summit, to be held here in Los Angeles from January 22 to 24, will include a green hotels session entitled, "Is it Finally Time? How to Address Environmental & Sustainable Issues and Still Satisfy the Customer and the Financial Stakeholders." The January event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza hotel. Session leaders will include Lyndall De Marco, executive director, The Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum Tourism Partnership; Phil Hayward, editor, Lodging Magazine; and Jeff Senior, senior vice president, marketing & sales, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. For more...

CARROLLTON, TEXAS—Accor North America, one of the largest hotel chain owners and operators in North America, was recently recognized as an Energy Star Leader by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for improving energy efficiency across its Red Roof Inn, Studio 6 and Motel 6 properties. Energy Star Leaders are recognized as part of the EPA’s Energy Star Building Challenge, a program encouraging building owners and managers to reduce energy use by 10 percent or more. As part of the Energy Star Building Challenge, Accor North America joined 20 others as Energy Star Leaders recognized for improving the...

LEAVENWORTH, WASH.—Sleeping Lady Mountain Retreat was recently presented with the 2006 Governor’s Award for Pollution Prevention and Sustainable Practices. Governor Christine Gregoire recently presented the award to Sleeping Lady, along with four other businesses and a not-for-profit group, in Olympia. The 2006 award marks the second Governor’s Award for Sleeping Lady, with their first win in 2001. This year’s honor was the Continuing Excellence award, which recognizes the retreat’s continued commitment to the high standards that garnered it the award five years ago. “We are obviously honored, and are grateful that this award exists, to help get the word out about...

PRESIDIO, TEXAS—Recycling is becoming a way of life in the border communities near Big Bend National Park thanks to the generosity of Forever Resorts. Extending their environmental ethic and friendship across the border of Texas to Mexico, Forever Resorts’ Big Bend Resorts, the concessioner in Big Bend National Park, in partnership with J.V. Manufacturing of Arkansas, recently presented a recycling baler to the community of Ojinaga, Mexico. C. Ing. Jorge Jesus Montoya, Presidente Municipal of the city of Ojinaga along with Ing. Ma. Isisdro Olivas, Eduardo Castillo and students from the Cetis 98 School accepted the generous gesture...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Greenbuild conference, the largest green building conference and expo in the world, has selected Los Angeles as the location of the 2007 show. Greenbuild will be held at the L.A. Convention Center from October 17-19, 2007. The theme of next year’s conference is “Accelerating Green Communities,” which also coincides with USGBC’s 2007 educational agenda. “We’re expecting next year to be the Greenbuild conference’s biggest year yet and L.A. is the perfect place for it,” says Peter Templeton, vice president of education & research, USGBC. “Not only is L.A. renowned for...

NATIONAL REPORT—In recent years, ozone air cleaning equipment increasingly has been used in hotels to eliminate odors caused by smoking, mold and mildew, food, garbage, renovations and much more. Used properly, these types of devices can be effective at removing odors without leaving the harmful residue that chemical cleaners can leave. “Used properly” is key. If you are going to use ozone air cleaning equipment, there are some important things to remember. There are several types of ozone generators on the market today. This article will address only those generators brought in temporarily by housekeeping or janitorial staff to quickly...

DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, CALIF.—The Furnace Creek Golf Course in Death Valley National Park has received certification in Environmental Planning from the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System (ACSS), a program administered by Audubon International. The ACSS helps landowners preserve and enhance the environmental quality of their properties. “The Furnace Creek Golf Course is home to a variety of wildlife, and we believe it is our responsibility to maximize our ability to coexist with the wildlife and help preserve the natural environment,” says Chris Bessette, superintendent of the Furnace Creek Golf Course for Xanterra Parks & Resorts, operator of the Furnace Creek...

TORONTO—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced that it has partnered with the World Heritage Alliance, a joint initiative of the United Nations Foundation and Expedia Inc., to promote conservation, sustainable tourism, and economic development for communities located in and around World Heritage sites. This endeavor marks the latest in a series of high profile efforts by the company to strengthen its Green Partnership program, the company’s comprehensive commitment to environmental stewardship. “We are excited to welcome Fairmont Hotels & Resorts to the World Heritage Alliance,” says Kathy Bushkin, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the U.N. Foundation....

NATIONAL REPORT—Even though energy prices have dropped recently, there is no good reason to put off investing in a guestroom energy management system. It just makes too much sense to have one. With heating and cooling accounting for 40 to 80 percent of a property’s monthly expenses, many systems can cut those costs by 25 to 45 percent. What is hot in guestroom energy management technology? There really are only a handful of major players in the lodging market. Several of those companies have added wireless options to their wired systems. Others have introduced Web-based interfaces to give users the...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.— As part of a promotion between Doubletree Hotels and the World Wildlife Fund, the hotel brand has developed an online travel promotion that benefits the protection and survival of threatened and endangered animals. For every reservation made on www.doubletree.com at any of more than 180 hotels and resorts between the dates of November 15 and December 15, 2006, Doubletree will donate $1.00 to the World Wildlife Fund to help protect threatened and endangered animals and support the organization’s conservation efforts around the globe. “At Doubletree, our communities and the world we live in are...