WAILEA, HAWAII—The AAA Four Diamond award-winning Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa located in the luxurious Wailea Resort destination has recently been recognized with the ‘Aipono “Excellence in Sustainability Award”. The reader’s choice award, presented by Maui Magazine, acknowledges the resort’s accomplishment as a top sustainability performer and recognizes its role in environmental leadership. “We are deeply honored with the ‘Aipono Award and applaud our associates for their exemplary environmental and resource conservation efforts,” said cluster General Manager John C. Tolbert of Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Maui and Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa on Hawaii...

ATLANTA—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced that IHG’s patented Green Engage program, the online sustainability program used by more than 2,700 IHG-branded hotels worldwide, is helping hotels address the drought conditions in California. IHG is targeting a reduction in water usage in water-stressed areas by 12 percent globally by 2017. To support this global effort on a local scale, IHG Green Engage Water Conservation Kits were sent to 230 IHG hotels in California, including Crowne Plaza, Hotel Indigo and Holiday Inn hotels.The resources in the Water Conservation Kits include details on how hotels can actively participate in conserving water, with...

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J.—More than two years after going “live” with their 756-kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) system—a structure based on 10 carports in the hotel’s parking area—the owners of the Wyndham Philadelphia-Mount Laurel are investing in additional systems to further reduce energy and water consumption and costs significantly. Investments involve a switch from heating oil to natural gas for air and water heating, an LED retrofit project, and an upgrade to ultra high efficiency toilets.Rishi Shah, Asset Manager of the hotel, says the current transition to natural gas for heating involves a significant mechanical system upgrade. “We are upgrading boilers...

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—The Fairmont San Jose, in partnership with the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD), has initiated an extensive exchange program that will upgrade more than 600 toilets and urinals to high-efficiency (1.28 gallons per flush for the toilets and .5 gallons per flush for the urinals) models over the next several weeks.By partnering with the SCVWD, the toilet installation supports Fairmont’s focus on improvements in waste management, sustainability and energy and water conservation. By upgrading to the approved high-efficiency toilets, the hotel anticipates an annual water savings of 2,368,669 gallons beginning with the first flush.“Supporting the governor’s...

SAN DIEGO—Hilton San Diego Bayfront has been named the number one most sustainable Hilton hotel in the United States of America by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton San Diego Bayfront has recently received a number of green sustainability awards for the property’s multitude of recycling and energy conservation efforts. These notable recognitions come from a national and local level. In addition to being named the most sustainable Hilton property in the United States, City of San Diego has awarded the hotel with the 2014 Director’s Recycling Award, and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) recently recognized the hotel as the Energy...

HONG KONG—A prominent research consortium supported by the EarthCheck Research Institute (ERI), together with Ecolab (ECL) and Griffith University, recently released its second white paper on water, calling on the tourism industry—a heavy user of water—to act fast. The paper titled, “From Challenges to Solutions: Providing the Business Case,” shows that water and its combined effect with energy use could become the most contested resource of the future.Addressing more than 50 tourism industry professionals at a lecture at Eaton Hong Kong, Dr. Susanne Becken, a Professor of Sustainability from Australia’s Griffith University, said the tourism industry is at risk.“Tourism...

MANCHESTER, N.H.—Xeros, the innovator of an ultra low water cleaning system, announced that Choice Hotels International has selected it as a qualified vendor for its more than 5,000 U.S. franchises. Xeros’ nearly waterless laundry system helps hotels significantly reduce laundry costs, increase the life of linens, and helps hotels advance their commitment to green operations.“We were one of a select group of qualified laundry vendors that showcased the Xeros system at the recent 60th Annual Choice International Convention and the franchisees showed great interest,” said Jonathan Benjamin, President, Xeros North America. “We were selected by Choice because of our...

RIPON, WIS.—IPSO introduces the Cygnus Ultra Pro control system on washer-extractors for on-premises laundry managers. Cygnus Ultra Pro builds on the features of Cygnus Ultra.  “The Cygnus Ultra Pro control system allows on-premises laundry managers to have complete control of their equipment,” said Kathryn Rowen, North American Sales Manager for IPSO. “With increased usability and flexibility, Ultra Pro gives laundry managers the tools they need to easily achieve peak efficiency.” The new Cygnus Ultra Pro control includes 10 optimized wash program options, allowing for 60 customizable wash cycles to meet the needs of any on-premises laundry room. Extra wash...

INDIANAPOLIS—Buckingham Companies and The Alexander, a Dolce Hotel, announced that they’ve been awarded LEED Silver certification in LEED’s New Construction & Major Renovations category. The Alexander is the only hotel in Indianapolis with LEED certification and is part of the 10-acre CityWay neighborhood, located at South and Delaware streets, developed by Buckingham Companies.“Sustainability was central to the vision for The Alexander and CityWay,” said Scott Travis, Senior Vice President of Development at Buckingham Companies. “From construction through completion, environmentally-friendly practices were a priority.”LEED is the primary program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. More than 44,000...

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—GRAFF, a manufacturer of precision-engineered contemporary products for the bath and kitchen, recently introduced the TERRA Collection. This latest bath collection features 25 new products.TERRA, meaning “Earth” in Italian, brings the essence of nature into its organic design. Inspired by the beauty and simplicity of the world around us, TERRA appeals to the interests of top industry designers, functional needs of interior projects, and fits within budgetary constraints. Bringing a dynamic combination of bold lines and simple shapes, the TERRA Collection delivers a superior style to the bathroom. The round edges of the spout and sleek lines of...