COURTESY STARWOOD VACATION OWNERSHIP
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Starwood goes green on Maui
The company’s third Valley Island resort focuses on sustainability
Starwood Vacation Ownership, a division of
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, will expand its footprint in Maui with the development of the state's first environmentally certified green vacation ownership resort.
The 390-villa Kaanapali North Beach resort will be Starwood's third vacation ownership product in Maui and its fourth in Hawaii. The beachfront property, which is targeted for a fall 2011 opening, will include one, two and three-bedroom accommodations offering views of the ocean, as well as Lanai and Molokai.
The sustainability of Starwood Vacation's newest resort will distinguish it from the company's other offerings and further work to reduce the carbon footprint left by guests, said David Matheson, vice president of communications of the Orlando, Fla.-based company.
"Sustainability is always top of mind for our company and for our visitors," Matheson said, adding that the company has already sought to reduce traffic and emissions impacts in Maui by offering shuttle service between its resorts and Lahaina. Last year, six shuttles carried about 120,000 passengers, he said.
Resort developers are aiming for LEED certification, a green building benchmark defined by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design rating system, Matheson said.
The company has partnered with Arup, a global design and business consulting firm, to ensure that the resort is environmentally responsible, said Matt Avril, president and managing director of operations.
The resort will build and operate its own desalination and heat exchange system, which will produce drinkable water on site and utilize cool salt water for air conditioning. In addition, a state-of-the-art cogeneration system will provide for most electricity and hot water needs.