NEWH - September 2007 - (Page 24)

ANDREW CERINO cover story Taking the LEED Purchaser Bill Langmade makes the first important step in solving a bigger problem By Alia Akkam WITH THE SPOTLIGHT ON A CONTINUOUSLY DETERIORATING ENVIRONMENT, it’s no surprise that leaders in the hospitality industry are proactively seeking ecologically sound alternatives when it comes to renovating and building new properties. Although one might think that the increasingly popular LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation is something only architects, designers, engineers, and building owners and operators need to concern themselves with, Bill Langmade, president and founder of Dallas-based Purchasing Management International (PMI), is showing that LEED accreditation is a process all savvy hospitality professionals should not only be aware of, but educated in. “There are so many misconceptions about what LEED is,” explains Langmade, who has just become a LEED accredited professional, or LEED AP, himself. “The definition is kind of an issue for me. Most people in the industry, besides architects, don’t know what it is.” (LEED is the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating system to recognizing environmentally healthy quality standards in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.) Langmade believes that although LEED is not specific to hotels, its strategies can be applied to the hospitality arena. “Many of our clients in many jurisdictions have adopted this as the standard because it is rapidly becoming a requirement by both city and state governments and is a sound environmental practice,” the Dallas Chapter member says. An industry vet for more than 25 years, Langmade clearly has his pulse on hospitality trends. He launched 24 september 2007 www.newh.org tel 800.593.NEWH Above: Bill Langmade poses with an eco-friendly packing solution: blankets. Opposite page, top to bottom: The façade, pool, and lobby of the W Dallas Victory Hotel & Residences, one of the latest projects PMI worked on. http://www.newh.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH - September 2007

NEWH - September 2007
Contents
Network Leaders
Chapter News
Save the Date
Products: A Medley of New Offerings
Product Know-How: Glass Trends
On the Scene: Service with a Smile
Cover Story: Taking the LEED
Sustainability: Green 101
Scholarship: Hospitality Idol
Projects: No Place Like Home
New Members
Partner Profiles

NEWH - September 2007