Marriott to Launch Prototype for Green Design of Courtyard Hotels

In the latest move to expand its sustainability efforts, Marriott International Inc. says its green hotel portfolio will grow tenfold in the next five years with the introduction of design prototypes for new green properties.

The company is targeting its limited service line — the brands that primarily serve business travelers — in seeking pre-certification of prototype designs through the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED volume certification program, Marriott executives said in announcing their plans at the Greenbuild 2009 conference.