Meeting News - November 10, 2008 - (Page S11)

40 Asheville Greensboro 85 95 Boone Winston Salem Durham High Point Chapel Hill Raleigh 77 85 Pinehurst 64 Charlotte Fayetteville 40 Wilmington Wrightsville Beach Cape Hatteraas NORTH CAROLINA Proximity Becomes First LEED Platinum Hotel in the Country The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, NC, LEED Platinum certification, its highest environmental rating. The 147-room property, which opened in 2007, is the nation’s first hotel to achieve that status. “When we started the design process four years ago, I would have never believed that we could use 41-percent less energy and 31percent less water without one iota of compromise and with little additional costs,” said Dennis Quaintance, CEO and chief design officer of Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants & Hotels, which owns the property. In order to earn Platinum certification, Proximity had to accumulate 55 LEED points by using an extensive checklist of USGBC requirements. The list included everything from building materials and the treatment of construction waste to choices about insulation, lighting, plumbing, and even parking. As a result, the hotel features more than 70 alternative-energy and health elements, including 100 roof-mounted solar panels, which generate energy that’s used to heat the hotel’s water supply; North America’s first regenerative-drive elevators, which capture and recycle energy that’s created by the elevators’ motors; and oversized windows that provide natural light to over 97 percent of the facility’s occupied space. Additionally, the seven-story Though small, the Proximity has had a big gr een effect. hotel—which features 7,000 sf of event space—was built with over 40 percent and its guests can be proud of,” said USGBC locally sourced materials, 90 percent locally founding chair, president, and CEO Rick sourced furniture, and over 20 percent recy- Fedrizzi. “Proximity is a high-performance, cled content. energy-efficient, healthy environment, and an “This facility is one that both the community inspiration for others.” I limited budgets, unlimited options. We understand that meeting professionals are facing tight budgets and challenging times. That’s why we’ve created a special Value Program, which consists of discounts, reimbursements and special offers you can choose from to help make your stay here financially efficient. Let our highly trained meeting-planning specialists create the perfect event for you while helping you make the most of every dollar you spend. They’ll show you how to do a lot more for a lot less in the place where Florida begins. visitjacksonville.com WE OFFER: More than 100 daily flights Over 30 daily non-stop flights Over 275,000 square feet of meeting and event space Over 16,000 hotel rooms Unique venues and event spaces for groups from 10 to 10,000 Easy access by highways, water-taxis, skyway rail, buses and trolleys Call today to learn more about our new Value Program | 800-733-2668 www.meetingnews.com November 10, 2008 MeetingNews S11 http://www.visitjacksonville.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - November 10, 2008

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