LEEDer in Energy-Efficient Hospitality

Thank you, “The Green Review” for the great overview on our eco-efforts.  The review highlights how we meet and exceed the LEED Silver certification requirements.  To read the full article, visit:

LEEDer in Energy-Efficient Hospitality.

Hotel Felix in the news

As we previously mentioned on our blog, Hotel Felix has recently gained Silver LEED status for Green Design.

We are thrilled to report TerraCurve, the guide to responsible travel, has taken notice and written about our Silver LEED certification.  Read the article here: “Chicago hotel earns Silver for being Green”

Hotel Felix is also featured as a Green Hotel on the City of Chicago’s Official Tourism Site. Take a look.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a nationally accepted benchmark for design, construction, and operation for green buildings. Read more about LEED certification at the U.S. Green Building Council website.

Bamboo & Cork Flooring

How often do you take the time to notice flooring? I’m guessing not often.  At the Hotel Felix we want to provide our guests with a comfortable, eco-friendly, environment and that environment includes flooring.  Our use of sustainable and recycled flooring materials is part of the reason why we are Silver LEED certified and Green Seal certified.  If you don’t know much about bamboo or cork flooring, well here’s your chance to learn something new!

photo by danielepesaresi

Bamboo Flooring

• fast growing plant
• harvest replenishes itself within 3-5 years as oppose to the hundred years needed for one tree
• no need for replanting, grows from stem left behind
• little or no pesticides needed
• the Hotel Felix uses bamboo flooring in the Spa

photo by mauroguanandi

Cork Flooring

• it’s “springy” – so it’s perfect for high traffic areas
• made from Cork Oak bark, only the bark is harvested, so the tree remains
• provides insulation, keeping warmth in and acts as a sound barrier
• 9 to 12 years regeneration of bark
• anti-microbial
• the Hotel Felix uses this flooring in the meetings rooms

Saving Green on Green Travel

TravelZoo’s Gabe Saglie talked about how to $ave green, while traveling green with ABC 7 this morning.  Watch this segment to hear what Gabe has to say about the Hotel Felix – Saving Green on Green Travel | ABC-7 News (video).

The Hotel Felix is proud to be Chicago’s first hotel to be LEED silver certified, Green Seal silver, and we don’t skimp on the luxury!

Hotel Felix Earns Green Seal Certification

We’re thrilled to announce that we received the Green Seal Environmental Standard for Lodging – Silver certification this week. This adds us to an elite group of hotels nationally to earn this certification.

The certification process takes three months minimum and includes nearly three dozen environmentally responsible criteria for lodging properties.

Green Seal is a national nonprofit organization that provides scientific-based environmental standards in this increasingly competitive marketplace. To learn more about Green Seal, please visit www.greenseal.org

Hotel Felix Receives Green Seal Certification

Hotel Felix to Harvest Chicago’s “Windy City” Power

The Hotel Felix, the first hotel in Chicago designed to be Silver LEED certified, is proud of its many green features and initiatives. Compact fluorescent and LED lights are used throughout the building, guest room carpets are made of recycled materials, eco-friendly cleaning products are used throughout the hotel, local organic coffees and teas are served in the lobby, and our front desk has gone paperless to reduce waste.

There are a few more upcoming green projects that the Hotel Felix is excited about as well. Like many of Chicago’s downtown buildings, both Hotel Felix and its sister property, Hotel Cass, are located in strong wind corridors. As part of a renewable energy study being conducted by both hotels in cooperation with  GSY Energy Inc., Hotel Felix and Hotel Cass have installed technology to measure the amount of wind power potential for each site. It’s estimated that the two hotels combined could produce more than 100,000 kilowatt hours of electricity from wind annually.

Findings of the wind study are expected to be released in spring of 2010. If Hotel Felix can harness the power of Chicago’s wind and transform it into clean energy, it will be just one more way we’re working to help protect the planet and conserve our precious natural resources.

Hotel Felix is Now Open.

Chicago is recognized as one of the nation’s leading “green” cities so it is fitting that owners of the Hotel Felix, the city’s first hotel designed to achieve a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating from the US Green Building Council. Hotel Felix provides an innovative, eco-friendly boutique hotel with efficiencies & key design elements that lessen the environmental impact of a newly built property.

The 225-room boutique hotel located at the crossroads of Gold Coast & River North neighborhoods was redeveloped by the Oxford OBG Hospitality Investment Properties. The Hotel Felix presents an upscale & intimate option for those seeking comfortable elegance inspired by natural elements.

Want to learn more? Stay visit us next week at www.happynaturally.com or stop by the hotel’s website at www.hotelfelixchicago.com.