White Plains, New York-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced today its goal that ELEMENT Hotels, its latest brand, will pursue the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED certification. Its first hotel will open in Lexington, Massachusetts in July before the brand surfaces in the Las Vegas, Houston and Baltimore areas.

 

Hotel Chain Mandates LEED Certification for All Hotels Brand-Wide

White Plains, New York-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced today its goal that ELEMENT Hotels, its latest brand, will pursue the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED certification. Its first hotel will open in Lexington, Massachusetts in July before the brand surfaces in the Las Vegas, Houston and Baltimore areas.

The first location served as a testing ground of sorts for green building techniques that have been incorporated into a road map for future locations. More than 20 hotels are set to open by the end of 2009, enabling Starwood to potentially make history by marking ELEMENT as the first major hotel brand to commit to LEED certification.

The ELEMENT brand has created a road map for developers which streamlines certification pursuits and provides a pathway to cost-effective green building. Starwood’s research indicates that LEED certification is achievable at a minimal cost premium. In addition, ELEMENT’s research shows that the initial investment can be recouped within a few years, given associated operational savings.

“Leading the way in hotel innovations is part of Starwood’s DNA and fundamental to our success,” said Frits van Paasschen, Starwood’s CEO. “With the launch of ELEMENT, we’re creating a new way to build hotels and guest experiences through the lens of environmental responsibility. By testing and refining ELEMENT in our own laboratory, we are developing an economically responsible LEED-certified hotel concept that is accessible to developers and designed to be replicated, promising a more sustainable future.”

ELEMENT’s key green features do not compromise luxury, style or comfort of guests to the hotel. Amenities are designed to be as appealing aesthetically as they are eco-friendly. ELEMENT hotels will be equipped with appliances and features that consume a minimum of electricity and water. Hybrid-driving guests will received priority parking. Natural lighting (a 16-foot window wall in the lobby and oversized windows in each guestroom, providing sightlines to the outdoors) and low VOC carpets and paints made from recycled content will be used, as well as filtered water to curtail bottled water consumption.

All ELEMENT guestrooms will feature Westin’s Heavenly bed, spa-like bathrooms with oversize showers and rain showerheads which are water efficient. 

“ELEMENT’s efforts around green are great for the Earth and great for our guests,” said Brian McGuinness, ELEMENT hotels’ Global Brand Leader. “From improving the quality of the air, to minimizing pollutants and toxic chemicals, to providing ample access to natural light, ELEMENT provides a cleaner, healthier environment and a sense of well being, all designed to help our guests thrive on the road.”

“Today’s consumers—including guests who stay with us, corporate customers who select hotel providers and the development community who build our hotels—are increasingly demanding green options when they select hotel brands,” said Robin Korman, Vice President of Marketing for ELEMENT hotels. “As more cities require LEED certification, Starwood and ELEMENT will be ahead of the industry in terms of developing and operating green hotels.”

The first ELEMENT hotel will open in Lexington, Mass. (July 2008), followed by: ELEMENT Summerlin (Las Vegas); ELEMENT Houston Vintage Park (Houston), and ELEMENT Arundel Mills (Baltimore, Md.).

For more information, visit ELEMENT online.