The Right Approach In Greensboro
The Proximity Hotel proves you don’t have to compromise style for sustainability. By Jennifer V. Cole
t’s a typical stay at the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina. You wake up in Egyptian cotton glance out the window of your spacious loft-inspired ro m, shower using Aveda toiletries, ride the elevator clown to the lobby, and dine in the airy Print Works Bistro. Sounds typical for a luxury hotel-but it’s not. Everything you pas eel or used was put there with a Green idea in mind . The window measure 50 quare feet to allow for unmitigated natural light. The shower utilizes high-efficiency Kohler faucets to reduce water usage b)’ .’3.’3%. The elevator is an Otis Gen2 regenerative model (the descent generates power for the ascent). And the restaurant serves locally sourced . sustainable foods.You’d be forgiven for not realizing it. but you’ re in the Greenest hotel in America. It is the first- just announced in September- to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification from the Green Building Council. Gone are the days when Green equaled Birkenstocks and granola. Every inch of this eco-chic model has been designed for the discerning traveler. from ambient lighting to bathrooms to artwork. Hotel designer and local owner Dennis Quaintance didn’t leave the creature-comfort decision-making to some a arbitrary panel of experts- he tested all of the bathroom fixture and bedding in his own home. This 147-room hotel is where eco goes hand in hand with luxe. and the devil revels in the details. Dennis says it best: .. t’s conservation. not deprivation”
Writer’s Note: Carbon Offsettting
Over the past year, I’ve logged approximately 35,000 miles while researching stories, resulting in 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Supporting a carbon-offsetting project can counterbalance the effect of all that CO,. Visit ww.carbonfund.org to use online calculators that determine the impact of your travels and then let you choose the project you wish to support. I donated $101.35 (the estimated amount to make up for the effects of my travels) to the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Wingate, Texas. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s a start.