FRAMINGHAM, MASS.—Ameresco, Inc., a leading cleantech integrator specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy, announced the progression of two groundbreaking solar projects on former landfill sites in North Ayrshire, Scotland. The Nethermains and Shewalton solar farms, developed in partnership with Detra Solar, represent a significant milestone in North Ayrshire Council’s Sustainable North Ayrshire Strategy to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The two sites, with a combined DC capacity of 12.91 MW, will house 20,650 solar panels, generating approximately 13,177 MWh of clean energy annually—enough to power over 2,000 homes. These projects transform previously unusable land into a source of...

Hotel sustainability certifications are no longer a specialized distinction but an essential means of meeting market demand. With 73 percent of global tourists preferring to stay in hotels that apply sustainable practices, green certificates increasingly play a key role in influencing consumer choices. Research shows that hotels with sustainability certifications typically receive higher guest satisfaction ratings, as these certifications enhance the perceived quality of the hotel. For this reason, the number of hotels earning certifications like Bioscore, Green Key, EarthCheck and LEED is rapidly expanding, with a 20 percent increase between 2022 and 2023 alone. In this context, hotel operators...

NASHVILLE, TENN.—Caption by Hyatt Downtown Nashville – The Gulch is now open in the bustling Gulch neighborhood of downtown Nashville, nestled between downtown Nashville and the West End and steps from famed Broadway Street, offering easy access to the city’s best retail shops, restaurants, bars and live entertainment. Developed through a partnership between New Orleans-based real estate firm HRI Hospitality and Nashville-based C. B. Ragland Company, the hotel features 210 rooms with 2,200 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, a spacious fitness center and flexible common spaces for working, socializing and hosting small events. It also boasts Café...

MADRID, SPAIN—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) unveiled its latest report, exploring the critical gap between travelers’ desire for sustainable options and their actual behavior. Launched at FITUR 2025, Madrid, the report Bridging the Say-Do Gap: How to Create an Effective Sustainability Strategy by Knowing Your Customers was developed in collaboration with WTTC knowledge partner YouGov. The report explores the disconnect between what travelers say about sustainability and the choices they ultimately make. It provides actionable guidance to Travel & Tourism businesses on how they can address this gap by offering solutions that make sustainable travel both more accessible and more...

CINCINNATI—Cintas Corporation published its latest Sustainability Report, detailing the company’s sustainability ambitions in the Fiscal Year 2024, which ended May 31, 2024. “The future is bright at Cintas, where the core values of sustainability have been central since our inception,” said Todd Schneider, President and CEO of Cintas. “We continue to embrace our vision of ‘A Shared Drive for Better’ through operational improvements and efficiencies that positively impact our employee-partners, customers and shareholders for years to come.” Fiscal Year 2024 sustainability highlights include: Achieved the lowest safety incident rate (TRIR) in the company’s history of 1.35. Employee-partners in the U.S. with...

BALI, INDONESIA—The Apurva Kempinski Bali has elevated its global standing as a leader in sustainable luxury by being awarded “Best Sustainable Hotel” at the 18th edition of the Ultimate Luxury Travel Related Awards (ULTRAs), held in London in early November. This accolade highlights the resort’s dedication to delivering responsible luxury experiences while underpinning its commitment to environmental, social, and governance principles into its operations. Voted by 28 million members of the GHA DISCOVERY loyalty program, The Apurva Kempinski Bali was recognized among world-leading hotels, destinations, airlines, and airports at the elegant awards ceremony, the ULTRAs (Ultimate Luxury Travel Related Awards) which took place at The...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data recently released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) confirms that during the first three-quarters of 2024, solar remained the nation’s fastest growing source of electricity as the mix of all renewables increased their output by nearly 9 percent. In its latest monthly “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through September 30, 2024), EIA says the combination of utility-scale and “estimated” small-scale (e.g., rooftop) solar increased by 25.9 percent in the first nine months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Utility-scale solar thermal and photovoltaic expanded by 30.1...

Did you notice the heat last year? Earth’s average surface temperature in 2024 was the warmest on record, according to an analysis led by NASA scientists. Global temperatures in 2024 were 2.30 degrees Fahrenheit (1.28 degrees Celsius) above the agency’s 20th-century baseline (1951-1980), which tops the record set in 2023. The new record comes after 15 consecutive months (June 2023 through August 2024) of monthly temperature records—an unprecedented heat streak. “Once again, the temperature record has been shattered—2024 was the hottest year since record keeping began in 1880,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Between record breaking temperatures and wildfires currently threatening our centers and...

PARIS—UNESCO and the Relais & Châteaux Association announce having signed a partnership agreement to develop and implement joint projects supporting the sustainable conservation and use of biological diversity through the world’s hospitality and culinary traditions and savoir-faire. “The partnership with UNESCO is a natural step for our Association to take: Our objective is to support and encourage change, to continue to rethink our properties’ operational models so as to dovetail travel—a source of personal enrichment—with environmental, social, and economic objectives,” explains Laurent Gardinier, President of Relais & Châteaux. “Never in history has nature experienced such dramatic decline. One million species—of the eight million...

BAKU, AZERBAIJAN—Addressing world leaders during Ocean Action Day at COP29 in Baku, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) called for urgent climate investment in coastal and marine tourism to protect it from escalating climate risks. To achieve necessary mitigation, WTTC says that coastal and marine tourism will require annual investments of $30 billion for direct emissions reduction, with total needs reaching as high as $65 billion when including climate adaptation efforts. Developed in collaboration with Iberostar Group and Oxford Economics, the soon to be released report, “Climate and Ocean: Quantifying Coastal and Marine Tourism and Protecting Destinations,” underscores the dual...