By going green from the ground up with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) construction, hotel owners and operators have the potential to increase their properties’ customer base and provide a good return on investment. One property of such construction is the Best Western Burlington Inn in Burlington, Ontario, Canada, built in 2003.
12/28/2008
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Good IAQ is important because people spend roughly 90 percent of their time indoors. With indoor air being two to five times more polluted than outside air (and as much as 100 times higher in new construction), poor IAQ can have a significant impact on building occupants’ health and comfort, whether they realize it or not.
12/15/2008
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As sustainable business practices continue to become the norm, pressure is building in many industries where natural resource consumption is high, and where technology has created viable alternative options. There are few such areas where this is more evident than in the direct mail industry.
12/03/2008
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At a time of rising energy costs and widespread concern about the effects of climate change, a number of state and local governments across the country are taking bold steps to adopt policies that leverage the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star tools for improving energy efficiency.
11/28/2008
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Now is definitely a time of economic uncertainty, or at least that is how many people feel. I believe that although the current economic climate may seem uncertain, there are so many things you can do to influence the consumers who are still traveling to your area. And if you are a green establishment, you have even more opportunities.
11/17/2008
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Can older hotels become energy efficient in a simple and cost-effective way? Yes, and it starts in the guestroom with some easily installed equipment that has a fast payback. Using the guestroom keycard to send the room into occupied or unoccupied mode can save lots of money.
11/07/2008
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Reducing a property's energy costs can be challenging. Guests need the ability to control their room temperature, take a hot shower 24 hours a day, and have instant access to other amenities. These challenges are being addressed by the rapid acceptance of “green” buildings, and one of its key components, building commissioning.
10/28/2008
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The average conference leaves in its wake piles of plastic name badges, resting upon hundreds of plastic water bottles, disposable cups, plates and plastic utensils. At the end of many events, the floors and hotel rooms are scattered with pages and pages of printed brochures and handouts on virgin paper.
10/14/2008
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Designing and installing landscapes for hotels, restaurants, resorts and other mixed-use hospitality properties creates unique challenges when trying to be environmentally friendly. Where others might be able to sacrifice aesthetics for a “green” label, our industry must be able to continue to provide a welcoming and exciting environment while also being responsible.
09/23/2008
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NATIONAL REPORT—Sec. 179D of the IRS Code provides a significant deduction for the cost of energy-efficient improvements to commercial property. If your company owns or leases hotel properties and you have installed or retrofitted the property to be more energy efficient, you may be eligible for a deduction for part or all of the costs associated with the installation or retrofit.
09/09/2008
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