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Euro-Chic Motel 6 Gets LEED-Certification

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Folksy Motel 6 spokesman Tom Bodet has long had a signature message, intoned in his folksy gruff voice: “I’ll leave the light on for you” at the economical chain of motel 6s throughout the USA.

But now the new message might need to change.  A much greener “our lights sense when you’re there and when you leave, and turn-off automatically when you don’t need them so they won’t waste energy…”

“…and our water-efficient showers and toilets save precious water too” – just doesn’t have quite the same ring. But it should.

The first economy hotel in the US to be LEED certified is a Texas Motel 6 near the Dallas/Fort Worth airport, designed by BOKA Powell architects to become the prototype for a new eco-Motel 6 chain.

Hip British design firm Priestmangoode of London devised Euro-chic interiors to elegantly optimize the use of space by combining multiple functions into a single piece of furniture to provide modern functionality.

“The Phoenix prototype offers the best of both worlds – an upscale feel at the lowest price of any national chain”, says Jim Amorosia, president and COO of Motel 6 and Studio 6. “True to the spirit of Motel 6, the new design is simple, functional and straight to the point”.

This no-frills, uncomplicated and efficient design has a non-aesthetic benefit too. The new Motel 6  achieves LEED rating because of the environmentally friendly materials and construction practices used. Some examples:

• Thermal solar water heating.
• Reflective cool roof.
• Low-E tinted glass windows.
• Low-energy LED and CFL lighting.
• High-efficiency packed terminal AC.
• Flooring with 80% pre-consumer recycled content.
• Low VOC construction materials.
• Certified sustainable lumber.
• Waste recycling during construction.
• Native landscaping with low-water landscaping.
• Low-flow 1.1 gallon pressurized toilets.
• Water-efficient sinks and showers.

Source: Jetson Green