(Ramblings by Dennis Quaintance)

We just got word that the Proximity Hotel and Print Works Bistro are the first anywhere in our industry to be certified LEED® Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program, their highest rating! Mom taught me not to brag — but it’s not bragging if it is true. So we can now say that this wonderful hotel and delightful bistro are officially rated the “greenest” hotel and restaurant in the country!

When we started the design process four years ago, I would have never believed that we could use 39% less energy and 33% less water without compromising one iota of comfort or luxury. But that’s what happened. The hotel and restaurant are on track to use two million gallons less water and to consume beaucoups less BTUs of energy in the first year — and our guests’ comfort and experience of luxury are not compromised one bit! How is it a compromise for a guest to shower with water heated by the sun? For a bistro guest if his or her dishes are washed with solar heated water? Or to ride an elevator that generates electricity as it descends? It reminds me of that old beer ad, but we changed it up a bit, “Great Luxury – Less Resources.”

We formally announced this LEED Platinum rating when officials from the USGBC gave us a fancy plaque during a ceremony on November 10. That same day, we held our second Sustainable Practices Symposium that reviewed the processes that led to these outcomes. If a symposium such as this is of interest to you, we’ll have more. The next one will be in the spring. Sign up for email updates at proximityhotel.com.

It is also newsworthy that Proximity and Print Works have garnered right much national attention. Recent features in Fortune, Wallpaper, Travel + Leisure, Southern Living, Smart Money, and Outside Go are in addition to earlier recognition from NBC’s Today Show and the New York Times. See these features and more at proximityhotel.com/media.htm. Plus, we’re glad to share that this swanky place received four diamonds from AAA.

FYI: We offer group tours about the sustainable practices, and one of us would be happy to talk at your conference or meeting about what we have learned. Please contact Beth Sinnott at [email protected] or 336-478-9115.

The ‘LEED Certification Mark’ is a registered trademark owned by the U.S. Green Building Council and is used with permission.