Greenbuild just released its 2019 Sustainability Report. For those of you not familiar with Greenbuild, it is the world’s largest conference and expo for the green building industry. The report summarizes the environmental impact of the 2019 Greenbuild International Conference & Expo that was held in Atlanta at the Georgia World Congress Center. One of the goals for Greenbuild in 2019 was to move it toward a Zero Waste Event. For the third year in a row Greenbuild achieved TRUE Zero Waste Platinum certification, which is awarded to tradeshows with a TRUE waste diversion rate of 90 percent or...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) announced a new partnership with The George Washington University’s International Institute of Tourism Studies that will give CTO members the opportunity to earn a professional certificate in sustainable tourism destination management at a discounted rate. “The Caribbean is the most tourism-dependent region in the world, and it also faces unique challenges due to these destinations’ vulnerability to climate change,” says Seleni Matus, Executive Director of the International Institute of Tourism Studies. “We are delighted to provide this specialized program to local and regional industry professionals to support sustainable destination management throughout the Caribbean region.” “The...

The tourism industry has one of the highest growth rates out of all industries in the world, accounting for 10.4 percent of global GDP and 319 million jobs (10 percent of total employment in 2018). (This column was written prior to the coronavirus outbreak.) In 2018, 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals were recorded (up 47 percent from the 2010s’ 950.8 million) and the number is expected to rise to 1.8 billion in 2030. Hotels are only one of the many actors that play a big role in the industry. Hotels Play Vital Role in Sustainable Tourism The demand for hotels is...

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS—Hotelschool The Hague and IHIF (Questex) are joining forces, in collaboration with International Tourism Partnership (ITP), to enhance the development of sustainable hospitality. Through the Sustainable Hospitality Challenge, they will be challenging students from top-tier international hotel schools to provide innovative solutions to the environmental and social challenges the hospitality industry is currently facing. During the challenge the most renowned hotel schools will work together with the most respected technical universities around the world. They will share expertise and develop solutions to enable the hospitality industry to positively contribute to our climate, culture and people. The challenge finalists...

NEW YORK—Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, announced that it has renewed its partnership with CDP as an Accredited Provider of global sustainability consulting services and sustainability software. This is the ninth year that the company has collaborated with CDP to improve environmental disclosure and reporting in the commercial and industrial sector. CDP is recognized as the industry gold standard for environmental disclosure, a critical piece of measuring climate action globally. Nearly a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions are disclosed via the CDP annual Climate questionnaire and in 2019, more than 8,000...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—With a commitment to acting with integrity and a mission to making hotel travel possible for all, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts has been recognized as one of the 2020 World’s Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. This distinction marks the second time the company has been by named to the list by Ethisphere, a leader in defining and advancing the standards of ethical business practices. Wyndham Hotels & Resorts is one of only two companies recognized in the lodging and hospitality segment for 2020. “Our ethics and values-driven culture guide how we serve our guests, partners, communities and each...

WICKLOW, IRELAND—Sustainable Travel Ireland has formally adopted the GSTC Industry Criteria to be used in Ireland by accommodations and tour operators. Sustainable Travel Ireland, formerly Ecotourism Ireland, is Ireland’s leading and longest-running body for the promotion of sustainable and responsible tourism, training and certifying businesses for over 10 years. Founded in 2009, Ecotourism Ireland set out to develop ecotourism in Ireland, and to highlight the best of what the country had to offer whilst ensuring its heritage and environment were preserved for this and future generations. Today, Sustainable Travel Ireland has the same mission but broader, aiming to drive the...

CHEVY CHASE, MD.—PM Hotel Group announced that it has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership. As of January 2020, PM Hotel Group is exclusively purchasing green power to meet 100 percent of the electricity needs for their entire hotel portfolio. PM Hotel Group is the first Top-100 hotel management company in the United States to be recognized by the EPA and to take this portfolio-wide pledge. “We are passionate about demonstrating a genuine respect for the environment and are proud to be recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a Green Power Partner,” said Christie Berlin, Director of...

Have you ever wondered what the environmental footprint of your IoT (Internet of Things) solution is? Significant investments are being made by the lodging industry into IoT for the purpose of enhancing the guest experience, improving staff efficiency and for reducing the energy consumption of buildings. But besides the functional objectives of your IoT initiative, how can one understand the environmental footprint of these systems and how can one compare these footprints as part of a competitive IoT evaluation? Are there greener IoT systems than others? This brief article attempts to provide some thought-provoking insights into this topic. Over its entire...

SOLON, OHIO—Tarkett, a worldwide leader in innovative and sustainable flooring, has introduced two new modular carpet designs—Vellum and Bindery. Through crisp pattern detail, color contrast and lustre variation, these complementary patterns draw on the rich tradition of book binding and impart the handcrafted patinas of early papermaking, enabling architects and designers to craft a story through interior spaces. “The passing down of story is an honored tradition in every culture, and the attention given to the craft of book binding has as much to say as the words on the page—adding a memorable richness to the experience,” said Terry Mowers,...