Hilton Orlando – Green by Design

The Hilton Orlando opens August 2009. As a newcomer to a community as vibrant, conscious, and healthy as Orlando… “Smart design.  Smart location.” will be more than just a tag line.  We look forward to supporting our customers, our neighbors, and our partners in efforts to improve our community, the region, and the planet.  We are proud to be Green by Design.

Civil Systems
All primary irrigation for landscaping surrounding the Hilton Orlando is from reclaimed water.  The environmental benefits of using reclaimed water include:

  • Increased water quantity; decreased diversion of freshwater from wetlands and other ecosystems.
  • Reduced use of potable water by industrial, housing, and recreational development projects that use reclaimed water.
  • Reduction in the amount of groundwater withdrawal, which impacts base flow in many rivers and streams.
  • Increased water quality; reduction in the amount of nutrients entering rivers, lakes, and other water bodies.

Storm water treatment is on-site to minimize our contribution to runoff into natural water bodies.

Landscape Design
The natural environment of Central Florida has a unique, rich character.  Think of a sea sponge with all of its pits and voids saturated with water and you have an image of what lies beneath our feet in Orlando - Florida’s unusual karst geology.  In places throughout Central Florida, the underground aquifer rises to the surface in springs and artesian wells creating a lush and wet landscape.  With the desire to provide Orlando with a hotel that looks and feels like it belongs in this region, designers have incorporated  key elements of Central Florida’s natural environment into the landscape surrounding the Hilton Orlando.

  • Sabal Palms, Live Oak hammocks, Magnolias, Pines, Bald Cypress and a rich palette of other native plants in the resort’s landscaping reflect this environment.
  • The porte cochere fountain  mimicks the water cycle from spring to sea. 
  • The meandering lazy river is shaded overhead by the canopies of trees, reminiscent of lazily floating down a pristine Florida stream.  
  • Walkways, walls, columns and buildings in the pool area are constructed of limestone, wood siding and other natural materials native to Central Florida.
  • Imprints of palm and fern fronds pressed into the walkways and wall caps that are a nod to the fossils found in the native limestone.

Structural Systems
The Hilton Orlando contains 20% fly ash in the concrete foundations, columns, and floor slabs.  For every ton of fly ash used instead of portland cement:

  • Enough energy is saved to provide electricity to an average American home for 24 days.
  • The landfill space conserved equals 455 days of solid waste produced by the average American.
  • The reduction in CO2 emissions equals 2 months of emissions from an automobile.

The production of portland cement puts about a ton of carbon dioxide (CO2, a primary greenhouse gas) into the atmosphere for every ton of cement produced–roughly half a ton from the fuel used to cook the raw limestone, and half a ton from the calcination of the limestone. Worldwide, the production of portland cement alone accounts for 6-8% of human-generated CO2.

All rebar used in the building of the Hilton Orlando is reused / recycled material.

Mechanical & Electrical Systems
The most current and energy efficient designs and products were used in the development and building of the Hilton Orlando.  Energy Efficient Chillers – 0.576 KW/ton, variable frequency drives, variable volume air handling system,  CO2 sensors in return air systems, independent switches, occupancy sensors, site lighting controlled by photo-cell and time clock, water source heat pump, etc all contribute to our aggressive pursuit of our Green Lodging Property designation by the Florida Green Lodging Program upon or just after opening in August 2009. 

 

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