The Palazzo - Leading the Way to a Greener Las Vegas
In April of 2008, The Palazzo Las Vegas made history as the largest building project in the world to receive a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certificate from the U.S. Building Council. Not only is it the largest, it is four times bigger than the second largest LEED-certified structure.
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project is environmentally responsible, energy-efficient, and a healthy place to live and work.
The following are just a few of the ways The Palazzo has gone "green."
From There to Here
The Palazzo promotes alternative modes of transportation to the resort in a number of ways. First, The Palazzo has provided Valet Bicycle Parking at the resort and secure bicycle racks for both guests and Team Members. The resort also rewards those who carpool or drive electric or fuel-efficient vehicles by providing preferred parking, with five percent of the total parking spaces reserved for car- and vanpools. Second, The Palazzo is located within a half-mile of a Las Vegas Monorail Station and within a quarter-mile of two bus stops on the Strip for easy access to public transportation.
Not a Single Drop Wasted
The Palazzo was designed to maximize guests' enjoyment of Las Vegas' climate. To this end, 42 percent of the building's footprint is open to the outdoors with extensive pool, fountain, terrace, and landscaped areas to enjoy. To promote water efficiency in these areas, we've installed drip-irrigation and planters to reduce run-off and moisture sensors to prevent unnecessary watering. Additionally, turf grass has been replaced by artificial grass in several outdoor areas. These steps reduce water usage by more than eight million gallons each year. What's more, The Palazzo's public area air conditioning system utilizes an innovative cooling technology that saves over 10 million gallons per year.
Let the Sun Shine In
In a city where indoor natural light is a rarity, The Palazzo features two spectacular atria skylights that allow natural sunlight to stream in. In addition, all swimming pools are heated with an expansive solar pool heating system. In the summer, the excess solar energy not needed for the pools is directed to the hotel's hot water system. And solar panels on the pool deck and atop the parking garage generate electricity, effectively making the desert environment an advantage for the resort.
A Greener Guest Suite
Some of the biggest environmental innovations at The Palazzo are inside each and every one of our 3,066 guest suites. At The Palazzo, we're saving energy by fitting each room with sensors that detect when a guest is in the suite, adjusting the temperature automatically according to guest occupancy. Also in each guest suite, you'll find master light switches located near the door. This enables a guest to turn off suite lights on the way out, with just a simple flick of a switch.
We've taken care to provide the best air quality in suites as well by using only environmentally sound paints, coatings, adhesives, and sealants. Additionally, the carpet meets the testing and product requirements of the Carpet and Rug Institute's Green Label Plus program. These steps reduce the quantity of indoor air polluting contaminants that are harmful to guests.
And as for the trash left behind? All leave-behinds in The Palazzo guest suites are gathered, sorted, and taken offsite to a recycling center.
A Breath of Fresh Air
At The Palazzo, we've made it easy to breathe easy with air quality sensors in densely occupied areas that ensure that enough outside air is brought into every conditioned area of the property. All of these areas have outside air ventilation rates above current code requirements to improve indoor air quality and guest comfort.
We've also cleared the air for our non-smoking guests by making a majority of our suites, all restaurants, all retail areas, major corridors through the casinos, and a full 50 percent of the casino floor non-smoking zones.
Behind the Scenes, Ahead of the Curve
Of course, not all of The Palazzo's environmentally friendly innovations can be seen by guests. In building the mostly concrete-and-steel resort, the steel used averaged over 95 percent recycled content, while the concrete contained 26 percent recycled content, including flyash from coal-burning power plants. And every effort was made to procure materials from within a 500-mile radius of the construction site to minimize the negative environment effects of transporting those materials.
During that construction, some 70 percent of waste materials were recycled, diverting nearly 42,000 tons from the landfill.
And in the service areas of the resort, we've installed occupancy sensors to turn off the special energy-efficient lights when no Team Members are present.
The total annual environmental savings generated as a result of The Palazzo's commitment to "green" technology and construction are – in a word – staggering.
Water
Over 41.6 million gallons conserved annually; enough to fill 63 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Electricity
Over 10.6 million kWh conserved annually; enough to power more than more than 700 homes a year or brew nearly 6 million cups of coffee.
Waste
42,000 tons of construction waste diverted from landfill to recycling; the equivalent to a stack of cars approximately 23 miles high.
Carbon Emissions
Conservation at The Palazzo will result in the prevention of over 16.4 million pounds of carbon emissions from entering our atmosphere.
At The Palazzo, our responsibility to the planet is every bit as important as our commitment to the comfort of our guests. We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to make Las Vegas a greener place to live and visit.
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