Jeff McIntyre, principal with hotel operator Gemstone Hotels& Resorts acknowledges that the $30 million for renovations onthe hotel at 125 Second St. NW was higher than the original $12million investment anticipated when owner Gary Goodman bought the property,then known as the La Posada de Albuquerque, in May 2006. One reasonfor cost increases, he comments, is because the building was oldand issues such as wiring and plumbing came to the surface duringthe renovation process, and needed to be corrected.

But the other reason had to do with the owner himself. "Garywanted to make sure this project made a tremendous statement on thegreen front," McIntyre tells GlobeSt.com. "The more he got into it,the more he wanted to move forward and the more he wanted to dosomething no one had done before."

The hotel's upgrades included addition of a solar-heated hotwater system and an energy conservation, integrated building energymanagement system. The windows in place were designed to reduceenergy costs, green chemical cleanings sourced and interiorfinishes and furniture selected that incorporate recycled and lowVOC materials. McIntyre says Gemstone and Goodman have applied tothe U.S. Green Building Council for LEED Gold certification, andanticipates they'll know something by the first of the year.