What Does LEED Certification Mean to the Hotel Industry - 0 views
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LEED certification is a growing trend and concern among hotel developers, architects, hotel brands and consumers.
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To earn LEED certification, a building is awarded points for satisfying certain green requirements in six categories- Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, Indoor Environmental Quality and Innovation in Design.
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istorically it was believed that there is a cost associated in building a LEED-certified hotel; however, it is arguable if this cost differential exists in today’s construction market. The USGBC reports that as of 2007, the cost to develop a green hotel, if any, is only one to two percent above that of a conventional hotel’s cost
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In addition to selling more room nights at potentially higher rates, LEED-certified buildings typically save 30-50 percent in energy usage, 35 percent in carbon emissions, 40 percent in water emissions, and 70 percent in solid waste.
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Currently there are only eight hotels in the U.S. that are LEED-certified, but over 100 more hotels have made their intentions known to become LEED-certified.
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Green hotels offer recycling options, water-efficient toilets and faucets, energy-saving lighting, and recycled paper goods; many hotels have even begun to clean guestrooms and public space with non-toxic cleansers.