SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Orchard Garden Hotel has been awarded LEED® (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). San Francisco’s first hotel to earn this honor, the Orchard Garden is only the third hotel in the U.S. and fourth hotel in the world with this certification. LEED is the USGBC’s leading edge system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, energy-efficient, high performing buildings. The 86-room, $25 million new construction, the first of a new generation of hotels, is set in the heart of San Francisco—one block from Union Square, steps away from the Chinatown gate and adjacent to the Financial District. Inspiration for the hotel comes from its 83-year-old owner, Mrs. S.C. Huang. She is passionate about clean environments, after the untimely cancer-related deaths of three family members, and has devoted herself to creating an environmentally safe, sustainable hotel. LEED Certification was based on numerous green design and construction features that positively impact the project and the broader community. From the building’s framework and construction practices, to guest room and public space lighting and décor, to housekeeping, the Orchard Garden Hotel boasts environmentally sustainable practices unmatched in the hospitality industry. Eco-friendly construction materials include concrete made with fly ash, a byproduct of recycling coal, and wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as harvested in a sustainable manner. One environmentally sustainable construction practice diverted debris from landfill disposal by redirecting recyclable material back to the manufacturing process. The well-insulated building makes guest rooms very quiet and uses less energy for heating and air-conditioning. Water faucets and toilets are ‘low-flow;’ specially designed carpets include recycled content and have low chemical emissions. The hotel’s green practices include organic, chemical-free cleaning products, a 100% tobacco-free environment, recycled paper and soy-based inks, in-room recycling bins and the debut of a guestroom key card energy control system. All fabrics are made with recycled polyester and other textiles without chemicals and are machine-washed to avoid dry cleaning chemicals.
