Name: Michael Suomi
Title: Founder of Futuregreen Hospitality Forum
Years with Futuregreen Hospitality Forum: Two
Responsibilities with Futuregreen Hospitality Forum: Primary organizer of annual event—a one-day, intensive session focusing on one common goal: envisioning the future of sustainable hospitality. Futuregreen provides a platform bringing together designers, brands, owners, and manufacturers with the mission of leading the hospitality industry to positively impact the environment and society.
NEW YORK—Having heard enough “Green 101” and tired of attending green conferences at non-sustainable venues where he would get a “swag bag of junk made in China,” Michael Suomi hatched the idea of an intensive one-day event at a highly sustainable venue. Born in 2012 with the help of other leaders in the lodging industry was Futuregreen Hospitality Forum.
“I thought, ‘Could there be an approach to a conference focused just on sustainability in a sustainable venue? An event where people in our business would come up with a great idea that could have an impact?’” Suomi asked. “I came up with some ideas for some topics. I wanted a laser focus on a single session—with the goal of coming up with one idea. Cindy Allen [Editor in Chief, Interior Design] loved it so much she wanted to be my partner.”
First Event Attracted 65
According to Suomi, Principal, Vice President of Interior Design at Stonehill & Taylor Architects, P.C., the first Futuregreen Hospitality Forum, held at the LEED Gold certified Crosby Street Hotel in New York City, attracted 65 people and had a “Made in America” focus. Following the event, delegates signed a commitment to create projects that use locally produced products and materials, including a pledge to support manufacturers in the United States when working on U.S. based projects. Some of the delegates have already met their commitments.
This year’s Futuregreen Hospitality Forum, held again at the Crosby Street Hotel, drew close to 110 people. “We focused on the dichotomy between machine made and handmade—the loss of skill and craft,” Suomi says. Alex Steffen, the well-known futurist and the author of Carbon Zero, was charged with helping the group identify challenges and opportunities for hospitality design. In breakout sessions, attendees brainstormed solutions that would leverage the hotel industry’s influence through its purchasing power and connection to millions of consumers. Again, attendees signed a statement of commitment to support local suppliers.
In November, the Futuregreen Hospitality Forum board, consisting of the leaders of seven design firms, will meet to plan the next two annual events.
Suomi has long had an interest in sustainable design. “When I was in high school I had an architecture class and fell in love with the work of Buckminster Fuller,” he says. “I designed a geodesic dome house that my Boy Scout leader actually built. In college we had to design a home for a remote location using materials within a mile of the location using tools used in a backpack. My home was in the northern tundra region of Canada.”
High-Profile Hyatt Project
Stonehill & Taylor has been promoting LEED certification for the projects it has been involved in for the last eight years. The company’s green commitment is reflected in the work it conducted at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. Stonehill & Taylor led the $52 million dollar renovation of the hotel that wrapped up this summer. The scope of work included the complete hotel: 532 existing guestrooms, 112 new guestrooms and suites, the public spaces, meeting areas, and restaurants. The design references the historic industries of the area, including lumber, flour, and wool milling. The project was committed to sustainability, and materials and FF&E were sourced locally, with an emphasis on American manufacturing.
Suomi says the owners of the hotel wanted to spend as much of the renovation dollars with suppliers based in North America. Also driving the local purchasing: a desire by owners to complete 17 months of work in just 12 to 13 months. Suppliers outside of the North America were considered as well but if, after all cost factors were considered, it was more cost-effective to work with North America-based vendors, that was what was done. “In many categories North American companies were competitive to Asia,” Suomi says.
Suomi is a seven-time award recipient for his design of hotels and restaurants. He is credited for such projects as the Hyatt House brand of hotels, The President Hotel, W Union Square Hotel and The Alex Hotel in New York, and numerous high profile restaurants including Buddha Bar Vegas, Olives and Geisha in New York, and Stars in Frankfurt. His prior executive experience includes: Rockwellgroup—Senior Associate, Studio Design Director; Jordan Mozer and Associates—Director of Architecture; and MacEwen + Suomi—President, Director of Design.
Click here for more information on the Futuregreen Hospitality Forum. Also see Stonehill & Taylor.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
