sustainability features being worked into new hotel designs, says report

With hotel construction nationally showing no signs of abating, a new report contends that an increasing number of projects are incorporating sustainable building elements into the actual design of such structures.

The report, Sustainability in Hotels: Opportunities and Trends Shaping the Future of Hospitality, notes that in an effort to minimize waste and reduce construction time, the industry is more and more adapting prefabricated and identical hotel project modules that are put together offsite.

The new hotels are also seeing a greater use of smart guest room technology, as well as sustainable room fixtures and furniture, all designed to reduce the carbon footprint of such structures.

The increased use of water purification systems and circadian lighting are also regarded in the report as positive signs of hotel sustainability initiatives.

Published by the Urban Land Institute of Washington, the report details the results of a series of hotel sustainability projects nationally, while also offering the insights of just over two dozen hotel developers, investors, and owners.

A press release from the ULI states that of all commercial buildings, “hotels are among the highest per-square-foot energy and water users, and that carbon emissions for full-service hotels exceed emissions for limited-service hotels.”

In addition, the report argues that while such things as high-efficiency energy management systems undoubtedly require a greater front-end investment on the part of hotel owners, long-term dividends include increased net operating income and greater utility savings.

By Garry Boulard

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