hospitalitystyle.com

(May 2010) posted on Mon May 24, 2010 EDT

Sheraton and Marriott locales will seek to trim their environmental impact

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Two hotels are among the 14 buildings nationwide taking part in the U.S. EPA's first ever national energy-efficiency contest. Owners and managers of nearly 200 buildings applied to take part in the competition, and the 14 finalists include the Courtyard by Marriott San Diego Downtown in San Diego and the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol in Austin, Texas.

In the spirit of such weight-loss competitions at TV's “Biggest Loser,” the two hotels and the 12 other competitors will vie to “work off the waste” through improvements in energy efficiency with help from EPA's Energy Star program. The building that sheds the most energy waste on a percentage basis will be recognized as the winner of the competition in late October.

“We are thrilled and honored to be a part of this competition,” said Jody Blackinton, general manager of the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown San Diego, a 245-key hotel located in an 82-year-old former bank building that's managed by Denver-based Sage Hospitality Resources. “There are definitely unique challenges to improving the energy efficiency of a historic property like this, and we look forward to seeing how we measure up against other buildings across the nation.”

Also looking forward to taking part in the contest are those involved with the Sheraton Austin Hotel, a 365-room property that opened in 1986 and underwent a major renovation in 2008. “Sustainability is good business, plain and simple,” said Chris Alto, general manager of the property, which is owned and operated by HEI Hotels & Resorts. “Not only does it help global efforts to make the planet a cleaner place to live, but it also creates meaningful cost reductions to our bottom line.”

Other competitors include stores, a shopping center, office buildings, a school and a convention center.