HEI Hotels & Resorts recently announced that the EPA has named the hospitality investment firm 2011 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year. This is its second consecutive year winning the award for energy management and reductions of greenhouse gas emitions.

Gary Mendell, HEI’s chairman and chief executive officer, explained, “Not only do we believe that it is our responsibility to conserve energy as caretakers for tomorrow’s generations, it also makes good business sense. By reducing our carbon footprint, we become both better neighbors and better business partners.”

Thousands of organizations are elligible for the award, and the EPA selects only those that consistenty integrate plans for reducing energy consumption into the management and operation of their organizations.

HEI's total energy consumption decreased by 6.2 percent in 2010 compared with 2009. It also maintains an internal awareness program for executive housekeepers, chief engineers, banquet managers, and executive chefs, encouraging those departments, which are responsible for 90 percent of the hotel energy consumption, to find better methods for conserving energy. Additionally, HEI has set goals for the company in 2011 to reduce energy consumption a further 3.5 percent and reduce waste by 10 percent.

HEI, the "fastest growing private owner/operator of hotel real estate", acquires, develops, owns, and manages numerous upper upscale and luxury hotels throughout the United States , including highly-regarded names such as Hilton, Sheraton, Westin, Marriott, Embassy Suites, and Le Meridien.