The world’s ongoing water crisis is real. One in four of the world’s largest cities are currently in water stress, and the global infrastructure for collecting, cleaning, and distributing water is critically strained. We are locked in an ongoing struggle to maintain sufficient supplies of water in the face of increasing global temperatures and continuing worsening droughts. Water waste is not only a major contributor to the decline of reservoirs, but also a significant source of carbon emissions. Water treatment and delivery in the United States account for 13 percent of the country’s total electricity consumption. In many municipalities, water is...

NATIONAL REPORT—Conserving water has become a major concern with residential and commercial sites alike. From indoor application to landscape and irrigation outdoors, water conservation has been a goal for many builders and homeowners—and a lot of natural turfgrass is being wrongfully accused of excessive water usage. Although synthetic turf is a rising trend for its environmental benefits, it is quite possible to grow natural grass while still conserving plenty of water. Many irrigation techniques have been made available through modern technology for using less water on plants…even during droughts. Discover a few simple tips for saving water on lawns and how...

MAUMEE, OHIO—Underscoring Fiberon’s commitment to sustainability, the company’s Wildwood composite cladding has earned a GREEN GOOD DESIGN Award from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design. GREEN GOOD DESIGN Awards recognize products and projects that “are leading the global way to a design that is fully sustainable and compatible with the highest standards of good environment.” Because the composite cladding is made from 94 percent mixed recycled plastic and wood fiber content, Wildwood is a key component in Fiberon’s ability to save more than 1 million trees and repurpose an average of 100 million pounds of recycled plastic each year. “While the...

As mentioned previously on Green Lodging News, I attended HD Expo in Las Vegas from May 2-4. Thanks to Covid-19, it had been four years since I last attended this event focused on hospitality design. What was clear immediately to me this time was that the show and conference was as strong as ever and the number of sustainability stories was at a record level. In my article this past week I listed many of the companies in attendance that jumped out at me in one way or another as having something new, unique, or showing evidence of the continuation...

LAS VEGAS—More than 600 exhibitors displayed their goods and services at last week’s HD Expo at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. More than 80 of those exhibitors identified themselves as sustainable in one way or another. It would be impossible to mention all those companies in this article but below are many examples of what this author considered especially creative and unique. Elkay Manufacturing Co. introduced its ezH2O Liv Pro Filtered Water Dispenser. Unlike other Elkay dispensers, this one features a low-profile design and a more upscale look with its either black or white frame. It fits within 16” OC...

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—TRSA, the association for linen, uniform and facility services providers, announces the launch of a new website, LaundryServices.org. It connects all types of businesses, especially restaurants, hotels, healthcare institutions and consumer and industrial services, with these commercial laundry providers. The website generates awareness of these and educates end-users and consumers on why commercial laundries are beneficial, including their standards and practices that support environmental and supply chain sustainability. Commercial laundries use one-third of the water used in home laundering, saving over 30 billion gallons of water per year in the United States. LaundryServices.org videos and interactive tools teach consumers and business...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International announced the publication of its 2022 Social Impact and Sustainability Report. The report details the company’s continuing and steadfast commitment to its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles of embracing humanity and protecting the planet. The report also highlights the company’s strategies, programs and performance focused on creating a more sustainable future and making a positive impact on the lives of employees, guests, and communities. “We are a company comprised of tens of thousands of people who, together, know what it is to collaborate and bring about meaningful change,” said Bill Hornbuckle, CEO and President of MGM...

DOMINICA—One of the planet’s most outstanding examples of a modern, off-the-grid eco-luxury resort is Coulibri Ridge. It is in Dominica amid 285 acres. The 14-suite property is powered by sun and wind and is the result of more than 20 years of research, environmental testing, infrastructure building, and community engagement to ensure the highest degree of sustainability, respectful development, and community collaboration. Coulibri Ridge is the brainchild of Quebec-born entrepreneur Daniel Langlois. Langlois traveled the globe throughout his career in software technology, and the contrast between wealthy and poor communities in many places left him pondering why sustainable practices like...

IRVINE, CALIF.—KSL Resorts announced it has launched a new sustainability program—“On Purpose”—to be rolled out amongst its portfolio of 11 world class destination hotels and resorts, among them Camelback Resort (Pocono Mountains, Pa.); Vespera Resort on Pismo Beach, Calif.; Fairmont Grand Del Mar (San Diego; Silverado Resort and Spa (Napa, Calif.); and Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. While the name and framework are new, the program reinforces existing companywide sustainability initiatives. “All of our properties have increasingly adapted green practices in recent years—making dramatic improvements—but we are thrilled to make it official by introducing this forward-thinking new platform,” said...

Evaporative cooling towers play an important role in green buildings by significantly reducing energy consumption when they supplement or replace traditional air conditioning systems, thereby reducing carbon footprint and operating costs. Although evaporative cooling is great at saving energy, it does consume some water but the benefits on energy savings outweigh the water usage, which in some places is a scarce resource. Water conservation is therefore a high priority in designing and operating water-cooled equipment and plays an important role in USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and other sustainability programs. LEED assigns credit points to reduce...