MIAMI—OBM International (OBMI), a leading international architectural and planning firm with nine global offices, has named K. Denaye Hinds as Director of Sustainability, announced Doug Kulig, CEO of OBMI. In her new role, Hinds will lead and expand OBMI’s international design and planning sustainability practice. She will focus on building relationships and engaging the development community, as well as federal and local governments, to promote sustainability objectives for OBMI’s clients and the places where their projects reside. Hinds will also implement company-wide education programs, which include conducting and managing OBMI’s Green Globe Certified Projects. In early 2011, OBMI developed a...

SANTA MONICA, CALIF.—A group of leaders in the hotel industry representing brands, hotel suppliers, architecture firms, purchasing companies, and sustainability experts has launched the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium. The Consortium, led by MindClick SGM, will work collaboratively to facilitate greening the furniture, fixture and equipment (FF&E) supply chain for hotels by: leading the industry in development of an industrywide Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Index (HSPI) to comprehensively measure the sustainability of FF&E suppliers and the products they sell; collaborating to establish consistent measures of sustainable purchasing performance for brands, owners and FF&E manufacturers; and establishing key performance indicators that enhance...

PHUKET, THAILAND—Guests at the exclusive Aleenta Phuket–Phang Nga resort were given the chance of a lifetime recently to help save indigenous turtles when they released 20 endangered baby leatherback turtles into the Andaman Sea. The event was part of the Aleenta Resorts & Spas Mai Khao Marine Turtle Initiative, managed by corporate social responsibility group, Pure Blue Foundation, which also pioneered the groundbreaking reef restoration project off the coast of the resort. The Pure Blue Foundation was created by Aleenta Resorts founder Anchalika Kijkanakorn. The resort has raised these particular baby turtles over the last few years and has...

DENVER—The Westin Denver Downtown was recently honored by Host Hotels & Resorts with a sustainability award recognizing the hotel for a tradition of commitment to environmental responsibility. The hotel’s associates have made numerous commitments to reducing impact to the environment such as partnering with a company on a compost program; establishing an online in-room dining menu and guest directory; moving from Styrofoam and plastics to soy or corn-based packaging for to-go/box meals; and recycling in all 430 guestrooms, public and back-of-the-house space. The latest sustainability initiative is providing biodegradable wooden key cards to all hotel guests. “As climate change has...

HEALDSBURG, CALIF.—h2hotel, a progressively-designed hotel located just off the historic town plaza in Healdsburg, announced that it has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification and is the first LEED Gold certified hotel in Sonoma County. “Green design was a necessity and a natural progression for us,” said managing partner Paolo Petrone, who also co-owns Hotel Healdsburg. “Designed to use 27.8 percent less energy than the standard hotel in California, we have created an environmentally-conscious hotel without sacrificing comfort and style. h2hotel is a hotel that Healdsburg can be proud of. We continuously strive to be...

NEW YORK—Mexico was recognized by the Rainforest Alliance recently at a gala dinner and awards ceremony in New York on May 11. Mexico was recognized for its achievements in sustainable tourism in the Mayakoba region and for the forestry practices of the Mexican government. “We would like to congratulate Mayakoba Tourism Development and its three hotels for the recognition they have received from the Rainforest Alliance,” said Gloria Guevara Manzo, the Secretary of Tourism for Mexico. “Mayakoba is the first tourist area to be recognized by the Rainforest Alliance for achievements in sustainable tourism. Mexico is very proud to have...

SAN DIEGO—Graham Downes Architecture, a Southern Californian design firm, announces completion of preliminary design for The Royal Beach Resort, a 25-acre seaside resort in the Eguafo District, on the Cape Coast Central Region of Ghana. The Royal Beach Resort is Central Africa’s very first luxury eco-resort and will offer the latest leisure standards based on the most current principles of sustainable development. The boutique property provides unique entertainment and relaxation programs—it is a health-oriented, recreational retreat that will attract both continental and overseas visitors; appealing to business, recreation and also family guests. Lodging accommodations comprise 120 suites where the accent is...

TORONTO—Delta Hotels and Resorts, Canada’s largest independent hotel chain, today announced the launch of Delta Greens, an environmental sustainability program. Delta’s commitment is chain-wide—every one of its more than 8,000 employees at its 46 properties is tasked with changing the way they work in order to reach the targets set out in the program. What’s more, Delta will track the chain’s progress against targets online, so that Canadians can follow Delta’s progress in achieving its goals.  Delta Greens touches on every aspect of the hotel business—from guest services to construction to how Delta operates and maintains its properties to...

SALEM, ORE.—Travel Oregon has launched two new programs that will develop tourism while preserving and protecting Oregon. Under the umbrella brand, “Travel Oregon Forever,” the new Sustainable Business Challenge will incentivize businesses to implement sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. The Oregon Travel Philanthropy Fund will give businesses and travelers opportunity to contribute to projects that enhance Oregon’s destinations. Travel Oregon, in partnership with Sustainable Travel International, recently introduced “Travel Oregon Forever” to tourism businesses at an event hosted by Travel Portland. Sustainable tourism is a growing market that Oregon is well positioned to capture. In 2009, nearly 85 percent of...

ATLANTA—Interface, Inc., a worldwide leader in design, production and sales of environmentally responsible modular carpet, recently revealed highlights made over the past year in reducing its negative impacts on the earth to demonstrate ways other companies can achieve progress toward sustainability. Among the top accomplishments heralded by Interface president and CEO Dan Hendrix: advancements in recycling and diverting used products from landfills; cumulative reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; committing to greater transparency in the form of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs); and educating employees and other stakeholders about the benefits of sustainability.  “Sustainability as a destination is an infectious goal...