SHLD Awards 2026
Press
SHLD Awards 2026
For Immediate Release
AHLA and MindClick Partner on SHLD Awards; Entries Now Open
Only design awards program solely dedicated to sustainable hospitality design, requiring a sustainability threshold before judging aesthetics and functionality
Washington, D.C. – September 17, 2025 — The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) and MindClick today announced a partnership to present the Sustainable Hospitality & Leadership in Design (SHLD) Awards at the AHLA Responsible Stay Summit, with entries now open.
Founded by the Hospitality Sustainable Design Collaborative (HSDC)—a consortium established in 2023 by MindClick, Marriott, Highgate, Hilton, and Hyatt—the SHLD Awards shine a spotlight on hotel projects that mitigate climate impact, protect guest and team health, and advance equity through design choices and purchasing practices.
What makes SHLD different: SHLD is the only hospitality design awards program solely dedicated to sustainable design, and it requires every submission to meet a defined minimum sustainability threshold before judges evaluate aesthetics, functionality, and other performance metrics. This approach ensures that winning projects deliver both design excellence and measurable sustainability outcomes.
The partnership between AHLA and MindClick underscores a shared commitment to the principle that hotel sustainability begins with design, and to advancing practical solutions that enable the industry to build, furnish, supply, and operate hotels more sustainably.
“Three years after making the industry-wide commitment to sustainability through our Responsible Stay initiative, AHLA could not be more excited about the innovations taking place in design,” said AHLA President & CEO Rosanna Maietta. “We are delighted to partner with MindClick on the SHLD Awards, which will celebrate sustainable design projects that improve the guest experience and enhance hotel operations.”
“After a successful inaugural year, we are honored to partner with AHLA," said JoAnna Abrams, MindClick CEO. “The Responsible Stay Summit convenes leaders across the industry with a deep, unwavering commitment to build, furnish, supply and operate hotels sustainably. We look forward to recognizing and celebrating breakthrough design innovation, and sustainability in collaboration with AHLA.”
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Call for Entries
A&D firms, brands, owners, and affiliated organizations are invited to submit projects that demonstrate verifiable progress in interior design and finishes—emphasizing adaptive reuse and refurbishment, healthy, low-emitting materials, responsibly and sustainably sourced materials, locally produced/short-supply-chain products, and innovative, next-generation materials—alongside measurable outcomes in energy/carbon, water, waste/circularity, and indoor environmental quality.
Enter now: https://www.shldawards.com/submit
Final deadline: November 21, 2025, 11:59 PM PST
Judging: Convening at ALIS DESIGN+ on Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Winners announced: AHLA Responsible Stay Summit on March 4, 2026, in McLean, VA
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About MindClick:
MindClick is the hospitality industry’s solution to responsible sourcing, providing product intelligence through lifecycle-based ratings and analytics. Our platform helps hotel brands, owners, management companies and their suppliers measure and improve the environmental and social impact of the products they buy, sell, and use. By guiding purchasing decisions with actionable data, MindClick enables the creation and promotion of healthier, environmentally responsible, and more resilient hotels.
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About AHLA and Responsible Stay:
The American Hotel and Lodging Association is an industry trade group that represents the U.S. hospitality industry. Its members include hotel brands, owners, management companies, Real Estate Investment Trusts, independent hotels, bed and breakfasts, state hotel associations and industry partners and suppliers. AHLA's Responsible Stay is a hotel-industry-wide initiative launched in 2022, focusing on energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, and responsible sourcing to promote environmental and social responsibility in hotels.
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Media Contact:
JoAnna Abrams
CEO. MindClick
jabrams@mindclick.com
(310) 592-5140
AHLA
media@ahla.com
SHLD Awards 2025
Celebrating Sustainability and Innovation in Hospitality Design
[Bend, Oregon] – January 30, 2025 – The hospitality industry reached an inspiring milestone today with the announcement of the winners of the inaugural Sustainable Hospitality Leadership in Design (SHLD) Awards. Held at the JW Marriott/Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, this groundbreaking event showcased the very best in sustainable design practices, celebrating projects that exemplify innovation, creativity, and a commitment to the health of our planet and communities.
Hosted by ALIS DESIGN+ and powered by MindClick’s Product Intelligence™ Impact Ratings, the SHLD Awards honored designs that prioritized energy efficiency, waste reduction, healthier materials, and contributions to local communities.
Congratulations to the 2025 SHLD Award Winners and Finalists!
Category: PUBLIC SPACE: LUXURY
Winner: Sofitel Philadelphia at Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Design Firm: //3877, Washington DC | Purchasing: Parker International | Owner/Operator: Clearview Capital
Category: PUBLIC SPACE: SELECT
Winner: The Clover at Olive Crossing, Olivette, Missouri
Design Firm: HOK, NYC | Purchasing: Continua Interiors | Owner/Operator: Keeley Properties & KEAT Properties
Finalist: Moxy Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California
Design Firm: Cadiz Collaboration, Costa Mesa, California | Purchasing: HPG International | Owner/Operator: Stonepark Capital
Category: GUESTROOM: UPSCALE
Winner: Hyatt Regency Irvine, Irvine, California
Design Firm: DLR Group, Omaha | Purchasing: Rosemont |Owner/Operator: Hyatt Hotels
Category: GUESTROOM: MIDSCALE
Winner: The Twin Fin Hotel, Waikiki, Hawaii
Special Mention: Lowest Carbon Footprint & Reusability of Existing Materials
Design Firm: Next Design, Honolulu | Purchasing: Jim Motonaga Interior Purchasing | Owner/Operator: Highgate Hotels
Category: GUESTROOM + PUBLIC SPACE: UPSCALE
Winner: Romer House Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii
Design Firm: IndiDesign, Los Angeles | Purchasing: Summa | Owner/Operator: Highgate Hotels
Finalist: Monterey Beach Hotel, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel, Monterey, California
Design Firm: IndiDesign, Los Angeles | Purchasing: Siri Procurement | Owner/Operator: Highgate Hotels
Category: GUESTROOM + PUBLIC SPACE: MIDSCALE
Winner-Guestroom: Romer Hell’s Kitchen Neighborhood Hotel, New York, New York
Design Firms: Goodrich for Public Space & Islyn Studio for Guest Groom, NYC | Purchasing: Parker International |Owner/Operator: Highgate Hotels
Finalist: Romer Waikīkī at the Ambassador, Honolulu, Hawaii
Design Firms: Vanrooy Design, Santa Ana, California | Purchasing: Summa | Owner/Operator: Highgate Hotels
Category: GUESTROOM + PUBLIC SPACE: SELECT
Winner: Moxy Virginia Beach Oceanfront, Virginia Beach, Virginia
Design Firm: Baskervill, Richmond | Purchasing: Contract Purchasing | Owner/Operator: Suburban Capital
Finalist: Residence Inn New York Downtown Manhattan, New York, New York
Design Firm: Carlita Alexander Design, NYC | Purchasing: Cortes Purchasing | Owner/Operator: Highgate
What They’re Saying
“The SHLD Awards highlight how visionary design, and sustainability can work hand in hand to transform the hospitality industry. These design teams exemplify the impact of thoughtful, sustainable product choices and innovative design on creating award-winning hotels,” said JoAnna Abrams, CEO of MindClick.
“We applaud the efforts of MindClick on the creation of the SHLD (Sustainable Hospitality Leadership in Design) Awards, the first of its kind award recognizing exceptional sustainable design in hospitality, and congratulate the winners on their remarkable accomplishments,” added Michelle Finn, VP Design & Construction Products and Services, The BHN Group by Northstar. “We are proud to be a part of a meaningful change on sustainable design solutions for the betterment of our industry.”
Looking Ahead
As we celebrate the success of this year’s honorees, we eagerly anticipate next year’s SHLD Awards. Together, we will continue to raise the bar for sustainability and innovation in hospitality design.
For more information about the SHLD Awards, visit www.shldawards.com.
About MindClick
MindClick delivers product-based analytics, decision tools, and benchmarking through its Product Intelligence™ platform to drive occupancy and differentiation, mitigate risk, guide decisions, meet financial and regulatory reporting requirements, and promote responsible design. With rating and analytics for more than 150,000 products from hundreds of manufacturers, MindClick provides powerful data to support sustainable design, purchasing, and construction. MindClick’s analytics guide brand standards, design specifications, and purchasing in support of net zero carbon emissions, healthy interiors, circularity and waste reduction, and social responsibility—transforming sustainability into a powerful differentiator for the hospitality industry and beyond.
About ALIS DESIGN+
The ALIS DESIGN+ conference and trade fair took place January 30-31, 2025, at the JW Marriott/Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles L.A. LIVE. The 2025 event attracted more than 1,000 attendees and included more than 20 conference sessions featuring nearly 100 speakers providing insights into the latest trends and information for hotel architecture, construction, design, and purchasing segments, among others. The event also showcased exhibitors in an exclusive trade fair and a curated hosted-delegate program pairing key decision makers and exhibitors in high impact one-on-one meetings. The event is presented in conjunction with the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) and produced by Northstar Travel Group in association with The BHN Group and the American Hotel & Lodging Association. As a brand extension of ALIS, ALIS DESIGN+ is the premier event connecting hotel owners, brands, investors and developers with the design, construction, architectural communities and manufacturers of design elements and architectural materials. For more information about ALIS DESIGN+ visit www.ALISDesignPlus.com.
Press Contact:
media@mindclick.com
Join us in celebrating a new era of hospitality design—where sustainability and innovation lead the way.