NYLO Providence/Warwick earns Green Hospitality Certification

NYLO Providence/Warwick received Green Hospitality Certification from the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (DEM). The 163-room, urban loft hotel was honored for its outstanding conservation and recycling programs. NYLO Providence/Warwick is the state's first hotel to run on 100% renewable energy. Through a partnership with People's Power & Light, the property offsets its entire electricity usage with a mix of local and regional solar, wind, biomass and hydroelectric power sources. The 82,000 s/f structure was built by Pro Con Inc. and was designed by Forum Studio Inc. NYLO's green construction and operating policies call for using energy-efficient and recycled building materials whenever possible and incorporating them into each property's unique aesthetic. NYLO Providence/Warwick, for example, features an eco-conscious entrance, thanks to its semicircular driveway made of 70-year-old cobblestones reclaimed from the Old Holyoke, Mass. railroad station. Even NYLO Providence/Warwick's hallmark urban loft design is part of its energy conservation strategy. The hotel's exposed brick walls and polished concrete floors not only lend charm; they also stabilize indoor temperatures to cut electricity usage for heating and cooling. In guestrooms and public spaces, oversized windows and glass window walls admit plenty of natural light, reducing the need for electricity still more. Additional green practices include the use of Natura water purification system for all bottled water. Take-out containers, coffee cups, straws, utensils and napkins are biodegradable and made from corn-based products. NYLO Providence/Warwick's guest lofts include sensors to shut down the lights and heating or air conditioning when a guest leaves the room. Energy-efficient light bulbs pitch in to help save the planet too. R.I.'s Green Hospitality Certification Program recognizes members of the state's hospitality and tourism industry that embrace going green, including restaurants, hotels and limousine services. The program, launched in January 2008, is a partnership between DEM; the R.I. Hospitality Association; R.I. Division of Tourism; Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau; R.I. Airport Corp.; R.I. Convention Center Authority; R.I. Resource Recovery Corp.; The Proccacianti Group; New Harbor Corp., and Warwick Division of Tourism, Culture and Development. Guests can forego having their bedding and towels changed daily. Desk pads and folio binders use recycled paper. Even NYLO's line of Gilchrist & Soames bath amenities come in recycled bottles and have no chemical preservatives like Paraben. Guests find recycling bins for bottles and paper on each floor. NYLO Providence/Warwick's eco-attitude is typical of the brand. Each NYLO hotel uses a minimum of 50% renewable energy, according to Patrick O'Neil, executive vice president of operations, NYLO Hotels. He says the brand has one of the most robust, Web-based utility-managed software systems available to track conservation and cut consumption still more. "Being green is very much about doing our part for the environment, not just in words - but in actions," O'Neil explains. "But green practices also makes good financial sense. Serving fresh, locally grown food and conserving energy and water yield substantial dollar savings. We pass these savings onto our guests, who enjoy affordable luxury in the form of an eco-conscious boutique hotel at mid-priced rates, especially attractive in the current economy." NYLO Providence/Warwick opened in September 2008 as the first property in New England for NYLO Hotels. NYLO Providence/Warwick features more than more than 4,000 s/f of meeting and event space, divided among a riverfront terrace and three boardrooms. Each guest loft has 300 s/f of living space, with 10-foot-plus ceilings, exposed brick walls, polished concrete floors and oversized windows. The full-service property also offers a PURE Floor with allergy-friendly guest lofts.