HKS-designed JW Marriott San Antonio awarded LEED certification
JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, the 1,002-room luxury resort that opened January 2010 in San Antonio, Texas, earned LEED certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC) rating system.
Designed by HKS Hill Glazier Studio and ForrestPerkins, and developed by Miller-Global Properties, LLC, the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort offers 1,002 spacious rooms, a three-level, 370,000 sq ft conference facility with expo hall, multiple ballrooms, 125,000 sq ft of elegant meeting space, a luxurious spa, upscale fitness facilities and retail areas.
"Building sustainable properties is the right thing to do," said Steve McGuire, director of engineering, JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. "Our environmental vision is to be the global hospitality leader that demonstrates how responsible hospitality management can be a positive force for the environment and create economic opportunities around the world, and by example, inspire personal action in the communities where we operate."
Green initiatives included using highly reflective roofing materials that mitigate the urban heat island effect; over 70% of the power needs of the resort powered by Windtricity; smart energy systems which include sensors in the heating and cooling systems recognise when doors to the balcony are open, automatically shutting down to conserve energy; low-emitting paints, coatings, adhesives and sealants prevent harmful odours and contamination; compact fluorescent light bulbs which use approximately 75% less energy.
"As hospitality environment designers, we are stewards of sustainable design," said Nunzio DeSantis, director of HKS Hill Glazier Studio. "Hotels are known to be one of the largest consumers of energy - due to their continuous use and voluminous space. We are proud and honoured to be a part of this resort project as well as other green-focused hospitality projects."
|
