"Seamlessly Integrated Sustainability:" Pune Marriott Hotel

Proud to present this week's green property of the week: The Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Pune, India. The first and only LEED certified property in Pune as well as the first Marriott International Property in India to receive a LEED certification! Here are a few pictures of the Hotel, makes me want to visit now... to experience the seamless integration of sustainability!

“The Pune Marriott Hotel and Convention Centre is truly honoured to have received LEED Gold. We have always taken extra steps to ensure that we are responsible citizens. We look forward to continuing our efforts and contributing towards a greener world,” - Balan Paravantavida, GM

"Since its opening in November 2010, the property has worked towards saving and preserving natural resources and the environment. The Pune Marriott has incorporated and adapted: low VOC emitting materials, reduced landscape water usage by using indigenous plants, use of rapidly renewable materials, 42% energy savings for the building operations, hybrid vehicles, alternative refuelling stations for electric cars, vegetated green roofs, omission of ozone depletion refrigeration mechanical systems and many other environmentally-friendly features.  Further, 100% waste from ongoing operations and 95% of all construction waste are segregated for recycling and diverted from landfills.  Fifty percent of all building materials were manufactured within a 500 mile radius saving on transportation cost and lowering emissions. Since the inception of this project, Marriott International’s architecture and construction (A&C) team, has encouraged the hotel’s design team to incorporate green and sustainable elements into the planning, architecture and systems to help the hotel achieve Gold LEED" (quoted from Marriott News Center)

True ecotourism with a big heart

Here's a sneak peak at this week's property of the week -- sustainable at its heart, Guludo Beach Lodge is an impressive example of how much positive impact a hospitality establishment can have on a local community. Images courtesy of the lodge.

Leading by example - Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality

Another great "property" I've come across in research - Winner of Travel and Leisure's Global Vision Awards in Environmental Leadership for 2010...

"Costa Rica’s status as a forerunner in green travel is built on pioneering hotels such as Lapa Rios Ecolodge and Latitude 10 Beach Resort. What these properties have in common is Cayuga Sustainable Hospitality, a small management company that works with them (plus three more in Costa Rica and one in Nicaragua) to help combine luxury with sustainability. Rooms are carefully set within forests, infinity pools are maintained with salt and ionization, and refillable water bottles are provided at check-in." -T&L

It is refreshing to see a hotel management company taking the initiative to make impressive changes (especially since reading Cornell Hospitality Research reports that found that management company operated hotels have lower sustainability scores).

This proves that sustainability isn't rocket science, it's simply good management practices. So go lead by example!

Stylishly Sustainable: Proximity Hotel, NC

The great thing about researching for this project is coming across all these great sustainable properties -- one of the most famous, The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina.
A LEED Platinum certified property, this 147-room luxury hotel is the epitome of luxuriously stylish sustainability. In their own words: "Built to use 40% less energy and 30% less water than a comparable hotel, the AAA Four Diamond, locally-owned Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina, offers a glimpse of the future while celebrating the past. Sustainable practices, custom-designed furnishings, commissioned art and innovative design await guests in every corner."

Often heralded as "The Greenest Hotel in America," the property utilizes an impressive array of the best that sustainable design and construction have to offer. The property's restaurant, Print Works Bistro, also shares the glory of its LEED certification and efficient technologies. Boasting over 70+ sustainable practices, the hotel utilizes ultra efficient technologies such as solar, geothermal, a regenerative drive elevator by Otis, a green roof and other initiatives. For more detailed information on the Proximity's green style, click here.