Name: Claire Cutting Title: Director, Sustainability Company: Marriott International, Inc. Years in Position: One Primary Responsibilities: “My whole focus is on integrating Marriott’s and Starwood’s sustainability programs. We are trying to make one and one equal three. For example, we both had housekeeping and seafood programs but putting them together can be a real challenge. We are combining the best of both worlds. Each company had its own set of goals. It is like matching apples to oranges.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related accomplishment: “Launching Serve 360: Doing Good in Every Direction, Marriott’s new Sustainability and Social Impact Platform. Our goals are huge. It was...

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF.—Mission Linen Supply, a leading provider of linens, uniforms, laundry services and select supplies, received a silver 2017 Best in Biz Award in the Most Environmentally Responsible Company of the Year category. Judged by an objective panel of prominent editors and reporters from some of North America’s most respected media outlets, this year’s Best in Biz Awards drew more than 650 entries across various categories. Mission was recognized for its efforts to put environmental sustainability at the forefront of its daily operations and long-term business initiatives. As early as 1973, Mission installed one of the industry’s first wastewater...

MIAMI—New ownership led by Gencom, a leading Miami-based international luxury hospitality and residential real estate investment and development firm, announced that Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the world’s leading luxury hospitality company, will assume management of a new collection of environmentally designed private villas and estate homes set to commence construction in February 2018. Construction completion is targeted for mid-Q4 2019. The exclusive enclave of 20 wholly owned properties will be known as Four Seasons Private Residences Prieta Bay at Peninsula Papagayo, situated on 17 acres of prime oceanfront real estate adjacent to the famed Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica. A...

MANCHESTER, N.H.—Xeros, the innovator of polymer cleaning technologies, announced that 33 hotels and commercial laundries have now joined the Xeros Million Gallon Club, each saving more than one million gallons of water using Xeros’ award-winning polymer cleaning laundry system. The patented, award-winning system uses up to 80 percent less water, up to 50 percent less energy, and approximately 50 percent less detergent than traditional systems while delivering superior cleaning performance. Environmentally conscious hotels and commercial laundries across the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and United Kingdom are among the latest Xeros customers to reach the million-gallon savings mark. Additionally, the...

FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS—Niagara Conservation’s state-of-the-art Nano toilet is the latest in the company’s portfolio of products that seek to save the world’s water through everyday ingenuity. Featuring Niagara’s patented and highly innovative Stealth Technology, the Nano toilet has a compact design while maintaining the comfort of an elongated bowl, making it perfect for smaller spaces. Patented vacuum-assist flush technology means the Nano only utilizes an average of only .6 gallons-per-flush, making it the most water-efficient toilet on the planet. Along with being showcased at the Niagara booth at KBIS, the Nano will be featured in the conference’s tiny home...

TUSCALOOSA, ALA.—Hotel Indigo Tuscaloosa Downtown announced it recently received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. This is the second hotel in Alabama to receive this certification. “We are honored to receive the LEED Silver certification for Hotel Indigo Tuscaloosa, and thankful that the U.S. Green Building Council recognizes our efforts in environmental protection, energy saving and the improvement of overall environmental quality,” said Judd Bobilin, of Chance Partners, LLC, the developer. “One of the key tenets of our company is to ‘Partner with the Community’ and we are excited to...

MANCHESTER, N.H.—Xeros, the innovator of polymer cleaning technologies, announced a partnership with Consolidated International Corporation (CIC) Middle East to distribute and service its award-winning commercial laundry system in the UAE. The UAE has an exceptionally arid climate which receives less than four inches (100 mm) of rainfall a year. It is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world so the Xeros system with its dramatic reduction in water consumption is the perfect solution for hotels and commercial laundries in the region. Xeros recently showcased this system at popular exhibitions in the region—The Hotel Show Dubai and Gulf Laundrex. “CIC...

ITHACA, N.Y.—For the fourth year in a row, Cornell’s Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) has released the latest benchmarks from an ongoing international sustainability data index for the global hotel industry. The report, “Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index 2017: Energy, Water, and Carbon,” in collaboration with a dozen global hotel firms, analyzes data provided for nearly 13,000 properties. Increasing the data set by 80 percent and adding further segmentation from the previous index, the report is available from the CHR at no charge. The results are presented in the CHSB2017 Index with a range of benchmarks for energy consumption, water consumption,...

LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.—It was not long ago that beer and wine bottles at the 97-room Ranch at Laguna Beach left the property in the same shape in which they came—only empty and bound for an off-site recycling center. Today those same types of bottles stay at the property but are pulverized by a GL Sand Machine that turns the glass into sand that can be used to replenish the sand in bunkers on the resort’s golf course or the sand at the nearby beach. Signage on the golf course explains the story behind the new sand. According to General...

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF.—California Faucets, manufacturer of artisan-crafted bath and kitchen fixtures, introduces the StyleTherm TH52D2, a two-outlet valve that allows for installation of multiple showering devices while still meeting stringent conservation requirements. With the new valve, one can create a myriad of shower configurations, such as a showerhead, handshower, and tub spout or two showerheads combined with a handshower. The innovative new valve enables users to create a custom spa-like experience while saving water at the same time. And because StyleTherm comes in a wide range of faceplates, from modern to traditional, users have the flexibility to create a look...