Potawatomi Hotel Attains LEED Gold designation

MILWAUKEE (May 5, 2015) – Potawatomi Hotel & Casino announced today its hotel has attained LEED® Gold certification, making it the first casino hotel in Wisconsin to attain the green building honor.

The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, which ranks buildings on how well they save energy and water, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve indoor environmental quality and their overall environmental impact.

From the time ground was broken, priority was placed on sustainability efforts. Through numerous green initiatives, the property’s goal was to become one of the premier sustainable developments in Milwaukee.

“While obtaining LEED Gold certification is a significant achievement, the effort to obtain this certification was not about recognition,� said Mike Goodrich, Potawatomi Hotel & Casino General Manager. “Our goal was to advance sustainable business practices, which has been a long-standing tradition of the Forest County Potawatomi and a key focus at the casino for years.�

With the help of the property’s design firm Cuningham Group Architecture, Inc., the construction management team of Greenfire Management Services and the Gilbane Construction Co., and the engineering firm exp U.S. Services Inc., many steps were taken to ensure the property would achieve LEED® designation.

Energy

• Energy consumption is managed through innovative technology and conservation techniques guests experience as soon as they enter their rooms. When a hotel room key card is entered, the room’s thermostat senses activity and adjusts the room temperature accordingly.
• LED lighting throughout the property has controls in place to limit usage as needed.
• Sensors gauge how much natural lighting is coming through the hotel’s large windows during the day, keeping energy consumption down.
• Excess heat from the nearby Forest County Potawatomi Community Renewable Generation power plant offsets the need to burn natural gas for hot water.

Water

• By incorporating native landscaping techniques, water consumption has been reduced significantly.
• Inside the hotel, all rooms feature low-flow water fixtures.
• An on-site storm water management system is in place.

Hotel design

• Building products were made from locally produced or recycled materials whenever possible.
• Wood products from local Native-owned forests were used throughout the property.

The hotel, which opened in the summer of 2014, features 381 rooms, the property’s newest restaurant, Locavore; a lobby bar and lounge; a coffee bar featuring Stone Creek Coffee; more than 12,000 square feet in new meeting space and refined furniture and fixtures throughout.

Potawatomi Hotel & Casino is committed to green initiatives. Through strategic innovation and design, the property will continue to be a leading sustainable development in the community.