| LEEDing the Way in Hospitality... |
| Written by Nancy Cochrane |
|
What’s that building going up in Mt. Pleasant close to the Ravenel Bridge? Not another hotel? Well, yes, but this is no ordinary hotel…and though it looks yellow now, it’s really going to be very green. In fact, it will be the first LEED-certified hotel in South Carolina! Terrill Carter, VP of Operations for Charlestowne Hotels is “very excited about managing this special project, which will be one of the few LEED-certified Holiday Inn Express hotels in the country.” Terrill has recruited George Buell, a LEED-accredited professional with expertise in the hospitality industry (www.whygoeco.com), to oversee the certification process. This is how LEED points are racking up so far, according to George: 1. Existing trees and planned installations throughout the parking areas will offer a fair amount of shade to meet LEED heat island reduction requirement  s. 2. A storm water runoff management system, in which concrete collection basins collect rainwater from the parking areas and then slowly release it back into the ground, will help to retain water at the site and prevent flooding. 3. As to the four-story frame, there has been a strong effort to purchase materials (steel, aluminum and concrete) with the highest percentage of recycled content available. 4. Although a rooftop garden is not structurally possible, the material used to seal the roof will be light in color with a high Solar Reflectance Index. 5. Also from the roof, rainwater will be collected to provide irrigation for the native plants and trees used in the landscaping. Although the initial investment is greater, George is convinced that LEED certification results in operating cost reductions from energy, water and waste removal savings that will be repaid in just 3-5 years. Kudos to locally-owned KVH Hospitality (pacesetters Jay Keenan, Steve Varn, and Batson Hewitt) for committing their resources to such a progressive, earth-friendly project! Stay tuned for more updates as the construction continues . . . |
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Caanan makes this comment
Wednesday, 13 May 2009