Green Options » hospitality

Green Lodging & Key Card Progress

Delia Montgomery — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:16:58 +0000

True confession here. When I first read about eco tourism, it was frankly, – a bunch of bull. Travel agents thought that a green hotel meant that it was located around trees! We’ve come a long way, friends.

My optimism for truly environmental lodging shifted when I read about BIO-hotels. Their admirable slogan is taste the natural life. This is an association of independent hotels that base their offerings around natural products. Choose between a wide selection of lodges in many different regions, primarily Austria, Germany and Italy.

Sustainability Becomes a Priority in New Hospital Construction

Kristin Dispenza — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:29:22 +0000

According to the Washington Post, the United States is currently seeing a dramatic increase in hospital construction. American Hospital Association senior vice president Rick Wade is quoted in the article as saying that we are experiencing the most significant hospital building boom since after World War II. (For discussion of the various social and financial trends that are influencing this boom, as well as its economic ramifications, see the Washington Post article referenced above and Health Beat by Maggie Mahar.)

The Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield, Oregon, which opened in August 2008, features many of the amenities that newer hospitals are becoming known for. The building is over 1,000,000 sq. ft in size, is set amidst 181 riverfront acres, and blends hospitality design with health care design. In fact, the design architect for the building was WATG, a firm that specializes in destination design and hospitality. Anshen+Allen was the architect of record, and focused on health care design.

Historic Portland Hotel Gets New Green Look

Dawn Killough — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:31:32 +0000

The Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon, a member of the Carino Collection and Historic Hotels of America, recently remodeled all 155 of the hotel’s bathrooms, maintaining the standard of luxury that the hotel is famous for, while lowering its environmental footprint. Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects designed the remodel with the goals of being locally responsible, sustainable, and efficient.

Some of the features of the remodel include:

Preserving existing teak trim, mirrors, stone vanities and tubs.
Using Forest Stewardship Council certified wood that adheres to all the practices of the Smartwood Rainforest Alliance.
40% recycled content tile on the walls and floors.
Use of LED lighting custom designed by Eleek Lighting and Design.
Shower heads that reduce water usage by 10 to 20 percent.
Toilets that will reduce water usage by 50 percent.
Approximately 95%, by volume, of the debris from the bathroom demolition was donated to Portland’s ReBuilding Center, the largest non-profit building materials resource in North America.

The Heathman is not new to sustainability and conservation. It was one of Portland’s first hotels to receive incentives from the Energy Trust of Oregon for energy efficiency upgrades. It also participates in Pacific Power’s Blue Sky program, purchasing 30 percent of its electricity from Blue Sky renewable sources. Chris Erickson, the Heathman’s general manager, said, “We are thrilled to team with AMAA (Ankrom Moisan Associated Architects), a company that shares our sustainable values and commitment to community. They’ve helped to take our existing sustainability efforts to the next level.”

The Heathman’s guests are invited to see, and experience, how luxury and sustainability can coexist.