Marriott Hotels to Become Atlanta's Greenest

BETHESDA, Md., July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Two newly constructed Marriott International (NYSE: MAR)-branded hotels located in Atlanta, Georgia's Gateway Complex – adjacent to one of the world's busiest U.S. airports and home to the Georgia International Convention Center– will be among the greenest hotels in the city.  

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The SpringHill Suites Atlanta Airport Gateway is LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) registered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and on track to becoming Atlanta's first LEED Gold hotel. The Atlanta Marriott Gateway will apply for LEED Silver status upon opening in August.  This major step in Atlanta brings Marriott one step closer to its goal to expand its LEED portfolio to approximately 300 properties by 2015, the broadest commitment of its kind in the industry.

"We're extremely proud and excited to be among the first to achieve the highest levels of LEED certification in Atlanta," said Erika Alexander, area vice president, Marriott International, Inc.  

Both the Atlanta Marriott Gateway and SpringHill Suites Atlanta Airport Gateway were purposely built on a site near alternative transportation and accessible via Atlanta airport's newly built SkyTrain. Each hotel was created with ten percent of recycled materials and a landscape and irrigation design that reduces water consumption by 50 percent. They will use 30 percent less water and 28 percent less energy than a non-LEED hotel. Twenty percent of all hotel supplies are sourced locally, within a 500-mile radius, and each have a white roof to reduce heat absorption. Both hotels use non-coal produced energy, low-flow plumbing and shower fixtures, energy efficient lighting and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, sealants and carpets.  

While the SpringHill Suites uniquely offers 90 percent natural light throughout the hotel, both hotels regularly monitor and test indoor air quality to ensure the best level and provide guests access to thermostats to control personal environments. Additionally, both offer recycling in centralized locations, hybrid rental cars, premium parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles, paperless billing, green meeting options and materials.  

Last fall, Marriott announced a goal to expand its LEED portfolio to approximately 300 properties by 2015, the broadest commitment of its kind in the industry. Today, there are 30 LEED hotels certified or registered across all Marriott International brands. Much of the company's green hotel expansion will be fueled by a new Courtyard hotel prototype that is pre-certified LEED, making it faster, easier and less expensive for hotel owners. The new prototype will save owners roughly $100,000, six months in design time and up to 25 percent energy and water savings. Marriott plans to roll out a prototype for its extended stay brands by year-end.

Building on more than 20 years of energy conservation experience, Marriott is committed to protecting the environment.  The company's Spirit To Preserve® environmental strategy calls for:  Greening its $10 billion supply chain; further reducing fuel consumption by 25 percent per available room; creating green construction standards for hotel developers to achieve LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council; educating and inspiring employees and guests to support the environment; and helping protect the rainforest. 

USGBC's LEED rating system is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at improving performance across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. For more information,  visit www.usgbc.org.

For more information on Marriott International's environmental practices and initiatives, visit www.marriott.com/environment. View hotel photos on Flickr, http://www.flickr.com/photos/marriott/sets/72157624386177844/.

For company information, visit Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR).

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.