Green Lodging News has added Puerto Rico, a Commonwealth of the United States, to its list of state, city and region types of green lodging certification programs. In addition to Puerto Rico, that list now includes 27 states, five cities and two regions. The Puerto Rico Tourism Co. actually launched its Green Lodging Program a year ago but it is just now beginning to make headway in getting properties on board. After quite a stretch of not adding a new program, it is good to see our certifications list grow again.Puerto Rico Tourism Co. (PRTC) now has three properties...

Because I will be attending the upcoming International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) in New York City, November 10 to 13, I have already begun to receive invitations from vendors to stop by their exhibit booths. It is exciting to hear from so many new and returning “green” exhibitors. Will you be attending this year’s event? I highly recommend it as a way to learn about the latest eco-friendly products and services that can help you reduce energy and water consumption, clean green, and more responsibly handle “waste.”I have been attending the IHMRS since 1989 and have missed...

When chatting with someone for an article on PTAC (packaged terminal air conditioner) cleaning and maintenance this past week, I was a bit taken aback by a comment he made. “When staying in a hotel, stay above the third floor,” he said. Was he serious? What he meant is that the closer PTACs and other types of heating and cooling systems are to the ground, the dirtier they will get—from lawn mowing, wind-blown debris, and even small critters looking for a home. If those PTACs are not cleaned as often as recommended, your guests on the lower floors are...

Architects, designers and anyone else interested in the construction, renovation and design of interior lodging spaces should read “Sustainability in Interior Design,” a book recently released by Siân Moxon. Moxon is an Associate at the architecture and interior design practice Jestico + Whiles in London. She teaches sustainable design at London’s South Bank University and the Royal College of Art. The book is published by Laurence King Publishing Ltd., London.Sustainability in Interior Design is separated into four chapters that guide interior designers through the sustainable design process. The first chapter, “Context,” introduces the principal environmental issues, and explores how...

As reported on Green Lodging News late last month, Hilton World announced the 2011 results of its LightStay sustainability measurement system. LightStay was officially launched in 2009. All Hilton hotels—now more than 3,900—are participating in LightStay, reporting data back to Hilton headquarters regarding waste generation, and energy and water consumption. Since the introduction of LightStay, the company has reduced its carbon output by 10.9 percent, waste output by 23.3 percent, energy use by 9.7 percent, and water use by 7.5 percent.Using 2008 as the baseline year, Hilton’s goal is to reduce energy consumption, CO2 emissions and waste output by...

For those of you counting the number of LEED Platinum certified lodging establishments in the United States, the current number stands at four thanks to the recent certification of The Crash Pad, a hostel in downtown Chattanooga, Tenn. The other three U.S. properties include The Skyler Hotel in Syracuse, N.Y., the Bardessono Hotel, Restaurant and Spa in Yountville, Calif., and the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C. LEED Platinum is the highest of the four LEED certification levels offered by the U.S. Green Building Council.The Crash Pad is the second hostel Green Lodging News has reported on in the past...

For the second week in a row I attended a hotel opening ceremony—this time the TownePlace Suites Denver Airport at Gateway Park in Colorado. The hotel is the first TownePlace Suites property to open as part of Marriott International’s LEED Volume Program. Be sure to check out the press release and blog report to learn more about the hotel. It is an interesting project and in a great location.While attending the ceremony I had an opportunity to sit down with some folks from Marriott to catch up on their green progress. The first bit of news, as referenced in...

If you are a golf fan and interested in green building, be sure to stop by the SpringHill Suites Pittsburgh Latrobe hotel the next time you are in the Pittsburgh area. The 109-room hotel is highly unique in that its majority owner’s likeness and memorabilia are evident throughout the hotel. The majority owner is none other than Arnold Palmer, the golfing great whose career includes 92 national and international championships. I attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony this past week at the hotel where both Palmer and Marriott International executive chairman Bill Marriott were in attendance. (Click here for related article.)The...

Few books on green travel or green hotel operations cross my desk. When I do receive a copy of this type of book I like to highlight it. One such book that I recently received is “Green Growth and Travelism: Letters from Leaders.” I highly recommend reading this book that was published by Goodfellow Publishers Limited and edited by five green travel experts: Geoffrey Lipman, director of Greenearth.travel; Terry DeLacy, a professor in sustainable tourism and environmental policy at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia; Shaun Vorster, special advisor to the South African Minister of Tourism; Rebecca Hawkins, director of the...

Every now and then I chat with who I consider to be a green lodging all star. I have featured many of them on Green Lodging News in the past six years. That person is not always the owner or general manager of a property but it is often the case. This past week I spoke with Susan Cawley, general manager of the Concord Suites in Avalon, N.J. Susan definitely makes my all star list.What makes Susan so special is what she has been able to accomplish at the 90-suite Concord Suites. It was her idea five years ago...