Last year Marriott announced it planned to green itsbuildingportfolio of 300 properties over the next five years. Ithas alreadyposted LEED certification for 40 hotels across nineMarriottInternational brands--Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, ResidenceInn,SpringHill Suites, TownePlace Suites, Marriott, JWMarriott,Renaissance and Ritz-Carlton. It has also established anew Courtyardhotel program that allows hotel owners to tap apre-certified LEEDprocess. Savings expected under this program areroughly $100,000, sixmonths in design time and up to 25% of energyand water costs.

Savings at the headquarters also included an increase in thetherecycling rate to 69% in 2009 and more than $100,000 inelectricityrebates through participation in the Demand Responseenergy reductionprogram.

There are few Gold LEED certified hotels in the DC area. One ofthese is, not surprisingly, a 226-room Courtyard by Marriott hotelinChevy Chase, MD. It received its Gold designation last year aftertheowner, Grosvenor Americas, completed a $35-million renovationandrebranding of the original 39-year-old building.