Proximity Hotel: The Greenest Hotel in America
Written By: John Shimkus
You don’t get much more elegant and luxurious than the Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina, but add eco-friendly to the mix and you’ll sleep extra sound. The Proximity uses 36 percent less electricity and 30 percent less water than comparable luxury hotels and is LEED Platinum certified: the highest institutionalized standard of green building certification in America.
The 147-room hotel features custom designed furnishings, locally commissioned art, and various unique sustainable design aspects. North America’s first regenerative drive Gen2 elevator system has been installed at the Proximity hotel, which captures the elevator’s energy and feeds it back into the building’s electricity grid for added efficiency. There are 100 solar panels mounted on the roof to generate electricity to heat water. However, the building was specifically designed not to hinder the overall luxury of the hotel, and guests are none-the-wiser to the energy saving capabilities of the Proximity.
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The hotel rooms themselves feature giant 50-square-foot windows to promote natural light. Room service and the hotel restaurant use local food to create traditional dishes as well as signature European bistro-style cuisine. The kitchen uses a sensor-controlled ventilation system and geothermal energy for refrigeration equipment. Dining tables are made from reclaimed walnut.
The reinforced steel used in the Proximity’s construction is made of 90 percent post-consumer recycled content. 75 percent of the hotel’s waste is recycled, and the walls and floors feature low-VOC paints, carpets and adhesives. The Proximity is even planning a green rooftop, featuring vegetation to reduce heat absorption in the building.
So if you find yourself in Greensboro, North Carolina and want to stay somewhere both luxurious and eco-friendly, be sure to visit the Proximity Hotel: the greenest hotel in America.
