The USGBC, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), and The Network of the Hospitality Industry (NEWH) together announced the winner of the first ever Sustainable Suite Design Competition. The purpose of the competition was to showcase the best hospitality design strategies that boast environmental responsibility while enhancing the guest experience. Out of 65 professional design entries, WATG and IDEO took the top prize for their suite, Haptik.
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I may be going out on a limb, but of all the real property types – whether multifamily, commercial, retail, etc – hotels probably have the most consistent focus on green operations. They’re always trying to find ways to save energy or water, and they know their footprint. When you add LEED certification, which in this case means (anticipated) LEED Gold certification for the new Hotel Indigo in Athens, there’s an interesting combination of the already existing concern for operations and the LEED emphasis on design and construction.
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A little over a year ago, we took a look at the green roof planned for Olive 8. It's massive — one of the largest in the city of Seattle. Now, the hotel/condo tower in downtown Seattle has been open for several months and officially received LEED Silver certification. It's one of only twenty other green hotels in the country to receive certification from the USGBC.
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We all know there's money in energy efficiency, but sometimes, it's hard to justify the upfront costs to receive the benefits over time. When crunching the numbers, it helps to recall the Energy Pie Chart that Steven Chu posted to his Facebook recently — lighting accounts for 26% of energy use in commercial buildings! Which is why Holiday Inn will save ~$4.4 million annually as they swap out their neon and fluorescent signage for super efficient LED signage.
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Chicago's Hotel Felix, formerly known as Wacker Hotel, re-opened its doors in April 2009. Felix is a 225-room, boutique hotel that's been designed (not yet certified) to receive LEED Silver certification. The lodging also received four out of five Green Eco-Leafs, which indicates that the hotel has been audited and complies with 38 (of 70) unique eco-initiatives. Some of these green features and initiatives include the following:
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I just love this grain silo home — it's a fantastic example of adaptive reuse. In 2007, Gruene Homestead Inn purchased the 1940s grain silo and remodeled the interior and exterior. The result is authentic and incredible. Can you imagine chilling on that front porch, enjoying a little Texas summer? The Silo includes one bedroom and one bathroom in a loft-type setup for the rental price of $175/$210 a night.
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