by Shane Henson — June 18, 2012—Marriott International, Inc., recently announced that the first of its properties—the Courtyard Scottsdale Salt River in Arizona—has become certified through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Volume Program. The hotel is also the first Marriott-branded property built on U.S. tribal land in cooperation with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
Administered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED Volume Program is for organizations planning to certify a large number of design and construction projects or existing buildings. It works by establishing verifiable guidelines that streamline the certification process without compromising LEED’s rigorous standards. According to Marriott, its entire select-service and extended-stay portfolios—Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites—are now all LEED Volume certified, and each brand is in the process of opening its first LEED Volume-certified facility.
LEED Volume Program Owners of hotels like Marriott’s save about $100,000 in upfront costs and six months of design time, says the USGBC. Additionally, owners can expect to save 25% in energy and water consumption and should recover their additional investment in five to six years—possibly sooner depending on federal and local government incentives.
The Courtyard Scottsdale Salt River features a number of elements that focus on energy, water efficiency and recycling, as will all Marriott LEED Volume hotels. Some of those elements include:
- Light-colored roofing that reflects heat and saves energy;
- 70% ENERGY STAR-certified appliances, including refrigerators, TVs, computers and kitchen equipment;
- Water-efficient toilets and aerated bathroom faucets;
- 10% of the building materials used contain recycled content;
- “On Demand” ventilation that provides fresh air for occupied spaces without wasting energy on unoccupied areas of the property;
- LED lighting controls that turn off the lights;
- High-tech daylight sensors to reduce electrical lighting with natural sun light; and
- Renewable energy sources such as solar or wind.
- 70% ENERGY STAR-certified appliances, including refrigerators, TVs, computers and kitchen equipment;
Opened April 26, the hotel boasts over 6,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including a 3,000 sq. ft. ballroom. Creating over 30 jobs for the community, the hotel features Native American aspects of the Pima and Maricopa tradition and culture including a mural depicting an ancient basket-weaving courting ritual by Pima artist Anthony “Thosh” Collins. The facility is the newest addition to the emerging Talking Stick Cultural and Entertainment Destination.
