Proximity First Hotel Designated LEED Platinum

Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels announced recently that The Proximity Hotel and Print Works Bistro, Greensboro, N.C., have been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the USGBC’s rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy-efiicient and high-performing buildings. Opened in late 2007, the Proximity is the first hotel to obtain the USGBC’s top level of certification.

“When we started the design process four years ago, I would have never believed that we could use 41 percent less energy and 33 percent less water without one iota of compromise in comfort or luxury and with minimal additional construction costs,” said Dennis Quaintance, chief executive officer and chief design officer of Quaintance-Weaver.

The hotel and restaurant is on track to use 2 million gal less water during the first year, saving more than $13,000 by spending less than $7,000 in additional construction costs. “I’ve come to believe that it is an urban legend that employing sustainable practices with new construction is too expensive,” Quaintance said. “We are very happy with the results, including the costs and returns, of everything that we did. It’s not easy, but it’s not hard. And it’s definitely worth it.”

Proximity and Print Works attained this milestone by, for example: recycling 87 percent of the construction debris (1,535 tons); sourcing more than 40 percent of the building materials locally; using more than 20 percent recycled content; restoring 700 ft of an adjacent stream; plating a vegetated rooftop; installing the first regenerative drive elevators in North America, generating electricity on the descent; providing natural lighting to 97 percent of the occupied space; and more than 60 other sustainable practices.

“Proximity Hotel is especially to be commended for achieving LEED Platinum. This facility is one that both the community and its guests can be proud of,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, chief executive officer and founding chair of USGBC.

Officials from the USGBC will present the LEED Platinum plaque to the Proximity and Print Works at a ceremony at the hotel on Nov. 10. On that same day, Proximity will hold its second Sustainable Practices Symposium, a three-hour class and tour about its design and building process using the LEED criteria. There is no charge for attendance, but advance registration is required at www.proximityhotel.com.

Source: Greensboro North Carolina Convention & Visitors Bureau