Marriott International accelerates green hotel development

Marriott International, Inc announced that it will expand its green hotel portfolio ten─fold over the next five years by introducing a green hotel prototype that will be pre─certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), an internationally recognised green building certification system designed by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

According to a report in breakingtravelnews, the green hotel prototype, which will be available in April 2010, will save owners approximately USD 1,00,000 and six months in design time and reduce hotel's energy and water consumption by up to 25 per cent.

The green hotel prototype, referred to by the USGBC as 'volume build certification,' has been created for Marriott's Courtyard brand, which has a development pipeline of nearly 160 hotels worldwide. In 2010, the company expects to introduce similar green hotel prototypes for its Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites brands, which represent more than 290 hotels in the pipeline worldwide.