The USGBC has released its LEED in Motion: Hospitality report, which showcases tremendous industry growth in green building and defines the scale-up opportunities for the hospitality sector. Nearly 134 million square feet of hotel space is currently LEED-certified, and the report highlights some of the most impressive LEED-certified hotels throughout the world.
“Across industries we are seeing an increase in consumer demand toward sustainability practices, and no industry is better poised to meet these demands than hospitality. This growing sector is rapidly adopting green buildings because owners and developers want to enhance their triple bottom line—people, planet and profit,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “LEED is a transformative tool that positively impacts the quality of our built space by creating a healthier, more sustainable environment that saves money and resources.”
According to a recent study by McGraw Hill Construction, green construction in the hospitality sector has increased by 50 percent from 2011-2013 and now represents 25 percent of all new construction in the sector today. USGBC’s recent Green Building Economic Impact Study also found that across industries, green construction is outpacing that of traditional construction and is poised to create more than 3.3 million U.S. jobs and $190.3 billion in labor earnings by 2018.
The report also features LEED-certified projects from internationally recognized brands from around the world. These projects include:
- Marriott Marquis, Washington, D.C.: LEED Gold
- ITC Windsor, Bengaluru, India: LEED Platinum
- Virgin Hotel Chicago, Chicago, Ill.: LEED Gold
- The Nines, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust/Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Portland, Ore.: LEED Silver
- MGM City Center, Las Vegas, Nev.—Aria Hotel: LEED Gold; Vdara Hotel: LEED Gold; Mandarin Oriental: LEED Gold
- Tambo del Inka Hotel, Urubamba, Peru: LEED-certified
- Heritance Kandalama Hotel, Dambulla, Sri Lanka: LEED-certified
- Clark & Grand Hotels Complex (Hyatt Place, Fairfield Inn & Suites and Aloft Hotel), Chicago, Ill.: LEED Platinum
- OXO 69/Sustainable Properties Fund, Bogotá, Colombia: LEED Platinum
LEED in Motion: Hospitality is the latest in a series of reports from USGBC designed to provide a holistic snapshot of the green building movement in international markets. The report equips green building advocates with the insight and perspective to understand the use of the globally recognized LEED rating system and to make a strong case for sustainable building activity.
Download LEED in Motion: Hospitality from the USGBC website.
