OMNI DALLAS HOTEL RECEIVES LEED GOLD CERTIFICATION
Luxury Property is First and Only LEED Gold Hotel in Texas, Largest LEED Gold Hotel in U.S. Outside of Las Vegas
DALLAS (May 15, 2012) – Today, the Omni Dallas Hotel, which opened its doors on 11/11/11, received LEED Gold New Construction (NC) certification, making it the largest LEED Gold hotel in the U.S. outside of Las Vegas. Meeting planners and guests can take comfort knowing their stay at the Omni Dallas will not have as great as an environmental effect as stays at other major convention hotels.
“The Omni Dallas Hotel is living up to its expectations in every way,” said Mayor Michael S. Rawlings. “We promised to create a hotel that added to downtown development and brought in more convention business all in a sustainable manner, and we are proud that with great teamwork, we have surpassed our goal for LEED certification.”
Over the years, meeting planners have looked to incorporate more sustainable components into their travel programs. To assist these meetings planners, Omni Hotels & Resorts will customize solutions that minimize the negative impact an event has on the environment. Upon scheduling a meeting, planners can request a list of sustainable options ranging from locally-sourced culinary options, reduce or eliminate the use of plastic bottles and/or paper waste as well as responsible housekeeping operations to name a few.
“We are thrilled with this acknowledgement and look forward to continuing to be a sustainability leader in the hospitality segment,” said Ed Netzhammer, managing director of the Omni Dallas Hotel. “Meeting planners and their attendees at the Omni Dallas can rest assured their event will have less of an impact on the environment.”
The LEED Gold certification is a major milestone for the acclaimed project. Earlier this month, the hotel also received a 2012 Design Award from Lodging Hospitality. Additionally, Texas Spice was recently certified as a 2-Star Certified Green Restaurant® by the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national nonprofit organization helping restaurants to become more sustainable. Other notable accolades include the 2010 Best Public/Private Partnership from the Dallas Business Journal; the 2011 Outstanding Project Team Over $50 million and Over $100 million from the American Subcontractors Association of North Texas; and several 2012 Distinguished Building Awards from the TEXO Construction Association.
For additional information, visit omnihotels.com or call 1-800-The-Omni. Travelers and media can also follow Omni at Facebook.com/OmniHotels, Twitter.com/OmniHotels.
About the U.S. Green Building Council
The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.
With a community comprising 80 local affiliates, more than 18,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 167,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. gross domestic product from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students.
Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.
LEED
The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Over 100,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED rating systems, comprising over 8 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 114 countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. USGBC was co-founded by current President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi, who spent 25 years as a Fortune 500 executive. Under his 15-year leadership, the organization has become the preeminent green building, membership, policy, standards, influential, education and research organization in the nation. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.
About the Omni Dallas Hotel
The Omni Dallas Hotel offers a luxurious, warm and sophisticated design, which reflects the essence of Dallas, with a contemporary, reflective glass exterior and local textures, art and other materials inside. Guests and locals alike now have access to five culinary selections, including the celebrated Bob’s Steak & Chop House, The Owners Box and a farm-to-table restaurant, Texas Spice, for a casual dining experience as well as retail space, lounges, a signature Mokara Spa, urban pool deck and more. In-room technology includes flat screen TVs as well as TV monitors embedded within the bathroom mirrors.
Connected via a skybridge to the Dallas Convention Center, the Omni Dallas Hotel incorporates more than 110,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event space. Included among its 39 meeting rooms are the Dallas and Trinity Ballrooms, encompassing 32,000 and 15,000 square feet respectively. The hotel will comfortably accommodate groups of more than 3,300 attendees at any given time.
For more information, visit omnidallashotel.com or call 214-744-6664.