throughout the day, rather than depending on unreliable hotel guests to keep their window shades pulled down, as it was in LEED v3. While hotels may choose to gain certification by either LEED v3 or v4 at this time, v4 is more advantageous in many ways given its hotel-specific provisions. With that said, v4 does pose more stringent requirements. For example, it references the 2010 version of the Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low- Rise Residential Buildings (ASHRAE 90.1) in its Minimum Energy Performance prerequisite, which means the new system’s requirements are roughly 19% more rigorous than the 2007 version of 90.1, which was featured in LEED v3. Also, for the first time, LEED v4 addresses appliances like ice machines and clothes washers, which were previously declared outside the scope of LEED’s water use reduction calculation, but now have performance requirements tied to ENERGy STAR. IGCC THE INTERNATIONAL GREEN CONSTRuCTION CODE (IGCC) was created in 2009 by the International Code Council (ICC), an organization comprised of building code officials and other building safety professionals. The goal of the IGCC is to reduce energy use and carbon footprints, and accomplishes these goals through regulating the construction of new and existing commercial buildings. Although the title denotes “international,” the codes have primarily been adopted in the U.S., with Baltimore, Maryland, Fort Collins, Colorado, and the entire state of Rhode Island incorporating them into their building codes. The 2015 IGCC was just approved this past November, updating the prior 2012 version by significantly increasing the energy performance requirements and allowing building owners to prove compliance by submitting lower energy bills, i.e., an “outcome based approach.” CalGreen CalGreen will soon require that 80% of all floor area be resilient flooring (flooring which does not need to be regularly replaced due to wear and tear) in order for buildings to be considered compliant. This marks a significant 12 California Hotel & Lodging Association SPRING 2015 increase from the current 50% requirement, and the change is slated to go into effect on July 1, 2015. other changes that will go into effect on July 1, 2015 include: • New buildings will be required to install electric vehicle chargers to accommodate electric vehicles in 3% of all parking spaces; and • Plumbing fixtures (water closets, urinals) and fittings (faucets and showerheads) must be highly-efficient to meet to the state’s water conservation requirements. Additional Takeaways Millennials’ environmental awareness is having a profound effect on the hospitality industry, with hotels implementing some of the following initiatives to satisfy Gen y travelers: • Several hotels have begun using Tesla vehicles to escort customers to and from their properties. • Some properties have created hydration stations and removed plastic water bottles from rooms. • other hotels have made a point to use recycled and repurposed materials throughout the building process. As a general rule, developers and hoteliers should always make sure to “reduce, reuse, and recycle.” While navigating your way through the ever-changing codes and regulations, implementing simple steps to reduce your property’s carbon footprint will control costs in the long run. Utilizing bamboo instead of hardwood, LED lighting, low emission paints and sealants, portion-controlled soap and shampoo, non-toxic cleaning supplies, natural solar coatings, and biodegradable tissues and toilet paper, will cut down on waste while saving money in the end. Building green is a win-win. Vincent Loh is an attorney at the law firm of Michelman & Robinson, LLP (M&R). He serves in the firm’s Commercial and Business Litigation Department, and is a member of M&R’s Hospitality Industry Practice Group. M&R is a national law firm with offices in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, Sacramento and New York. Mr. Loh may be reached at 714-557-7990 or by email at vloh@mrllp.com. Going Green
CHLA lodging News Spring 2015
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