Best green hotels in USA: Omni Dallas LEED certified

Omni Dallas LEED cert exterior — Omni Dallas Hotel is the only LEED Gold hotel in Texas

The Omni Dallas Hotel proves once again that green can be beautiful, luxurious, and affordable.

The Omni, which opened its doors on 11/11/11 — a lucky day for those of your who follow numerology — has earned LEED Gold New Construction certification.

That makes this new Dallas landmark the first and only LEED Gold hotel in Texas and the largest LEED Gold hotel in the U.S. outside of Las Vegas.

The LEED Gold standard is the result of using lots of recycled materials and and regionally-sourced materials, which reduce both construction pollution and water conservation initiatives. Not to mention they save gas since the materials are being trucked fewer miles.

The eco-friendly design and construction includes —

Reclaimed timber and brick for the hotel’s signature restaurant, Texas Spice.
Certified wood is nearly half the interior decor materials, which further encourages environmentally responsible forest management.
The hotel’s design reduces storm water run-off via with a 25,000-gallon cistern to capture water for plants and gardens instead of using ‘new’ city water.
The water softener system is tied to the cooling tower and reduces water and chemical usage.
Roof materials feature solar reflective indexes to help with heat island effects.
Lighting and temperature controls activate when a guest activates the system by putting the room key into a slot by the door, it activates lighting and HVAC systems. The system saves energy by turning off when nobody is ‘home’ in the room.

I don’t know if it’s energy-efficient or not, but one other feature I love is the TV in the bathroom. This is a special kind of TV. The screen is integrated into the bathroom mirror, so it doesn’t take up counter space or stick out from the wall where you can bump your head.

In addition to the LEED Gold certification, the hotel has won numerous design awards. Not surprised about that, either.

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