Hampton Inn & Suites to open in downtown Miami

Hampton Inn & Suites Miami Brickell-Downtown is slated to open in Fall 2011, with owner Hospitality Operations Inc. setting its sights for the property to become Miami’s first hotel certified by the U.S. Green Building Council with LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

The Hampton Inn & Suites project, which is likely to attain LEED Silver certification in early 2012, will incorporate the following sustainable elements: a 35,000 gallon cistern to harvest rainwater to be used in public restrooms, for irrigation purposes and for washing down exterior decking and walkways; an in-room energy management system which will power down air conditioning system when guests are not in their rooms; preferred parking spaces for hybrid and electric cars, with charging stations for electric vehicles; and an ozone laundry system designed to reduce the consumption of water, energy and cleaning chemicals.

Other green initiatives include: installation of Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and LED lighting, which will lower energy consumption by 18%; low-flow water fixtures, dual flush toilets, and motion-activated faucets will reduce water usage by more than 40%, equating to an estimated 500,000 gallons of savings annually; occupancy sensors to control lights in public places and work areas; and biodegradable recycled plastic room key cards.

Construction of the 15-story Hampton Inn & Suites Miami Brickell-Downtown, located at 50 SW 12th Street in Miami’s Brickell Financial District, began in mid-2010 and topped-off in early 2011. Property features will include a rooftop pool, full-service bar, exercise room, business center, 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, a 210-space parking garage, and 3,500 square feet of meeting space.