MEMPHIS, TENN.—Home2 Suites by Hilton, Hilton’s new mid-tier extended-stay hotel concept, is utilizing state-of-the-art post-consumer recycled content carpeting by InterfaceFLOR, the largest modular carpet tile manufacturer in the world, to outfit its model prototype at the Memphis, Tenn. headquarters. The “Hip and Humble” brand intends to outfit each new location with a variety of eco-friendly design elements and flooring is one spotlighted area. “Home2 Suites is a brand that focuses on marrying style and value while remaining conscious of our environmental impact,” said Bill Duncan, global head, Brand Management. “InterfaceFLOR shares our commitment and has an excellent reputation for providing...

MIAMI BEACH, FLA.—Cambean Hospitality, a Miami Beach-based hospitality group that owns and manages four boutique hotel properties in the historic South Beach area, announced that it plans to install solar panels and a wind turbine on the roof of the Clifton South Beach Hotel. Cambean also announced that it will purchase carbon offsets and renewable energy credits (RECs) from Boulder, Colo.-based Renewable Choice Energy to offset its fuel and electricity consumption. “While many hospitality companies have embraced being ‘green,’ their involvement, and the involvement of their guests, is purely a voluntary or opportunistic approach and is not mandated by corporate...

RAMONA INDIAN RESERVATION, CALIF.—Catalyx, Inc. has been contracted to be the technology provider and will team with the Ramona Band of the Cahuilla Indian Tribe to develop the Tribe’s Ecotourism resort near Anza, Calif. The first of its kind, the Ramona Band of Cahuilla Mission Native Americans’ resort is designed as a 100 percent off-grid renewable energy project that will employ multiple alternative energy technologies to meet 100 percent of its energy needs. The resort will also recycle much of its own waste by-products, such as sewage, biogas, and restaurant food waste. The resort, funded jointly by the Ramona...

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WYO.—Purchasing wind power credits equal to 100 percent of overall energy consumption and maintaining a 50 percent waste-diversion rate by recycling or reusing everything from food waste to horse manure are just a few of Grand Teton Lodge Company’s (GTLC) environmental achievements outlined in the second edition of the company’s Envision Sustainability Report. GTLC celebrated Earth Day by releasing the report in an effort to encourage continuing dialogue within the tourism industry on best practices for reducing environmental impacts. With a mission to preserve, protect and inspire, GTLC runs the equivalent of a small...

MEMPHIS, TENN.—Home2 Suites by Hilton, a new mid-tier, extended-stay hotel concept targeting the savvy, value-wise, extended-stay guest, has a new website with features including a sustainability page and e-tour of the future space. These expanded features were added to help consumers and developers understand the brand identity of Home2 Suites and its “Hip and Humble” approach to hospitality. “The new website features will increase the momentum for our already successful launch of Home2 Suites,” said Bill Duncan, global head, brand management. “Since launching the brand with 10 franchise applications, we have received an additional 20, with the first hotel to...

TORONTO—The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has welcomed Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a worldwide hotel brand known for its industry-leading environmental efforts, as the newest member of its innovative Climate Savers Program. In recognition of this new partnership, Fairmont has agreed to a brand-wide carbon emissions reduction plan and has pledged to reduce operational CO2 emissions from its existing portfolio of hotels by 20 percent below 2006 levels by 2013, while also ensuring that new Fairmont properties strive to reduce their CO2 emissions through the implementation of the brand’s new Energy and Carbon Management program. In addition, Fairmont will: • Finalize a...

GUANGZHOU, CHINA—Mayland Seaside Hotel, a five-star hotel project to be situated along the Zhujiang River, will feature an architecture style focused on sensibility to social responsiveness, energy use, urbanism and ecological awareness. The hotel is currently in the design phase and is due to be completed in 2012-2013, according to Narendra Patel, Patel Architecture, Rancho Mirage, Calif. The design provides for wind turbines on the upper portion of the tower and a massive array of photovoltaic panels covering the entire south façade. In the basement is a provision to incorporate a fuel cell power generator that would run on clean...

EUGENE, ORE.—Sustainable Foodservice Consulting has launched, www.sustainablefoodservice.com, a resource for food service owners and operators interested in adopting sustainable business practices. The website is a free resource promoting environmentally sound food service operations by providing practical information on energy-efficient kitchen equipment, green cleaning products, food waste management, links to private and public sector websites providing technical help, rebates and tax incentives, product information, and energy efficiency information. The “Tools” section offers energy efficiency calculators, energy tracking spreadsheets and a variety of forms and checklists to help implement sustainable business practices. Paul Kuck, the owner and founder of Sustainable Foodservice Consulting,...

LONDON—Mega-resorts are destroying communities and are environmentally unsustainable and lead to widespread alienation and displacement of people from their land, according to a new report from lobby group Tourism Concern. Poor communities in developing countries, which depend heavily upon their natural resources for their livelihoods, are the hardest hit. Huge tracts of public and privately owned land are being “grabbed” and sold off to real estate developers by governments keen to expand tourism in pursuit of economic growth. In reality, little of the profit from internationally managed resorts stays in the local economy, Tourism Concern says. The trickle down of...

LAS VEGAS—Hospitality Design magazine’s 2009 Exposition & Conference will include a Green Day once again. It will be held on May 13, a day before the May 14 to 16 Exposition & Conference, at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas. Green Day is one of the hospitality industry’s leading events focused on education, idea exchange, and marketplace trends related to sustainable design and operations. New this year, Green Day will exceed the annual AIA sustainable design mandatory continuing education requirement. Green Day will include sessions focusing on sustainability strategies, third-party product certification and what some of...