CONCORD, N.H.—The New Hampshire Sustainable Lodging & Restaurant Program will hold its annual Sustainable Hospitality Conference on Tuesday, November 16 at the Attitash Grand Summit Conference Center in Bartlett. The morning’s sessions will focus on savings through energy efficiency and renewables. Stacy Doll, formerly the head of the Mount Washington Resort’s Green Team and now the coordinator of the New Hampshire Energy Collaborative will open the conference with a talk about what the New Hampshire Climate Action Plan means to hospitality businesses. A panel of leaders from the industry will talk about their efforts to improve energy efficiency and use...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released its list of the top 50 organizations using the most renewable electricity. The Green Power Partnership’s top purchasers use more than 12 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power annually, equivalent to avoiding the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the electricity use of more than 1 million average American homes. Green power is generated from renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, and low-impact hydropower. Hilton Worldwide is the only lodging-related company in the top 50 at No. 37. Twenty-nine percent of Hilton’s power purchases are for green power. The Intel...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton Worldwide announced that it is a recipient of a 2010 Global Vision Award from Travel + Leisure. Recognizing the outstanding efforts of individuals and organizations that are working to preserve the world’s natural and man-made treasures, Travel + Leisure honored Hilton Worldwide with the award in the Corporate Greening category for the company’s new LightStay sustainability tracking system. “We are honored to receive a Travel + Leisure 2010 Global Vision Award,” said Paul Brown, president of global brands and commercial services, Hilton Worldwide. “LightStay was developed to improve individual hotel performance while decreasing the company’s overall impact...

SEATTLE—The Living Building Challenge, widely regarded as the world’s most rigorous green building performance standard, has redefined the design and construction process for more than 70 projects since its launch in 2006. The International Living Building Institute announced the results of its first third-party certification audits earlier this month, declaring that the world’s first ‘Living Buildings’ are finally a reality. The Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, N.Y., and the Tyson Living Learning Center in Eureka, Mo., each earned full certification, or “Living” status. Additionally, Eco-Sense, a private residence in Victoria, B.C., earned partial program certification, “Petal Recognition,” for...

ABU DHABI, U.A.E.—A world leading expert on responsible tourism is urging key industry stakeholders to accept responsibility for advancing a sustainable agenda and is joining a growing lobby which will press the case at next month’s World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi. Professor Harold Goodwin, director of the U.K.’s International Centre for Responsible Tourism says the Abu Dhabi conference, which will run at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from November 22 to 24, could be a platform for change. “For too long the major stakeholders have failed to take responsibility for their impacts and for making their businesses more economically,...

NATIONAL REPORT—Carpeting is certainly one of the most significant considerations when designing a hotel’s interior—from an aesthetic, cost, maintenance, and durability perspective. Fortunately for the lodging industry, and for those who specify or purchase carpet, manufacturers of the floor covering material are making it easier to minimize one’s environmental impact without compromising any aspect of the product. Increasingly, manufacturers are taking a Cradle to Cradle approach to manufacturing—making sure that as few resources as necessary are used during manufacturing, that as much recycled content as possible is included in the carpeting and its backing, and that at the end...

BETHESDA, MD.—Since 2007, Marriott International has reduced its energy consumption by 11 percent, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 10.7 percent, and is on track to meet its aggressive goal of a 25 percent decrease in energy and water consumption per available room by 2017. These results are among those reported to shareholders, customers, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), associates and other stakeholders in the company’s first official Sustainability Report using the guidelines set forth by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). “We are committed to being a corporate social responsibility leader, benchmarking with like-minded companies, and providing the information and transparency that our...

TETIAROA, FRENCH POLYNESIA—Located on the French Polynesian island of Tetiaroa and a product of the late Marlon Brando’s vision, construction on The Brando is progressing steadily with completion slated for late 2012. Pacific Beachcomber S.C. is developer of the resort. The president of French Polynesia, Gaston Tong Sang, recently made an official visit to Tetiaroa for a tour of The Brando construction site. Organized by Richard Bailey, CEO of Pacific Beachcomber S.C., and friend of the late actor, the trip was designed to share progress of the project’s construction with the president and his Minister of Environment, Jules Ienfa,...

CINCINNATI—The Procter & Gamble Company has unveiled its long-term environmental sustainability vision. As part of P&G’s strategy to grow responsibly, the company will work towards a long-term environmental sustainability vision that includes: powering its plants with 100 percent renewable energy; using 100 percent renewable or recycled materials for all products and packaging; having zero consumer and manufacturing waste go to landfills; and designing products that delight consumers while maximizing the conservation of resources. The new vision provides P&G with a long-term framework to guide all sustainability decisions and goal-setting within the organization. “Accelerating P&G’s commitment to environmental sustainability is a critical...

NEW YORK—Green Mountain Energy Company announced that Trump SoHo New York has committed to purchasing renewable energy from Green Mountain for 100 percent of the hotel’s electricity usage. Green Mountain is a leading competitive retail provider of cleaner energy and carbon offset solutions.Trump SoHo is expected to purchase more than 5.5 million kilowatt hours (kWh) of wind energy annually from Green Mountain over the two-year term of its agreement. By purchasing the clean energy, Trump SoHo will offset 100 percent of the hotel condominium’s annual electricity usage, which generates an estimated 4.6 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually....