Florida gets its first LEED Certified hotel

Florida’s beautiful coastal area of Clearwater Beach just got a bit greener with the LEED Silver Certification of the Sandpearl Resort. The award given by the U.S. Green Building Council, has only been given to 15 properties worldwide.

A diamond in the rough? More like a pearl in the sand. Get it? A “pearl in the sand?” Oh, nevermind.

Since opening its doors in August 2007, the Coral Hospitality’s Sandpearl has been a member of Florida’s accredited Green Lodging Program.

“This certification is the culmination of extraordinary efforts by the entire JMC Communities development team, and proves Clearwater Beach’s commitment to caring for its natural resources,” said Michael Cheezem, CEO of JMC Communities, developer of the Sandpearl. “We’ve been building on Clearwater Beach for over 15 years, and are thrilled to serve as an example that you can successfully develop in an environmentally responsible manner. JMC Communities is thankful for the efforts of its team, and the unwavering support of the Hunter Family and Greenfield Partners, co-owners of the Sandpearl Resort.”

In case you need a quick refresher, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) certification, which was created for market leaders to design and construct buildings that protect and save precious resources, is based mainly on energy use, lighting, water and material use as well as incorporation of a variety of other sustainable strategies.

“We’re honored to receive LEED certification and to be recognized among such an elite group of properties worldwide,” said Lee Weeks, CEO of Coral Hospitality, Sandpearl’s management company. “This certification is just one more step in achieving our goal of being one of the most environmentally friendly resorts in the country.”

LEED certification of Sandpearl was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community, including:

• Chilled water air-conditioning system
• Heat recovery exhaust system
• In-room energy management system
• Ozone assisted laundry
• Special glazing for windows and sliding glass doors
• Low emission construction materials
• Geothermal pool heating system
• Ozone pool sanitizing system
• Extensive water and waste conservation systems

“Since Sandpearl’s conception, we knew we would incorporate green building materials and energy management systems to limit our impact on the environment,” stated Stuart Arp, general manager of the Sandpearl Resort. “This milestone achievement helps ensure that generations of visitors will enjoy Clearwater Beach as we do today.”

For more information, visit the Sandpearl Resort online.