The Courtyard Scottsdale Salt River in Arizona marks two firsts for parent company Marriott: the first hotel to be part of the company’s LEED Volume Program, and the first branded property built on U.S. tribal land. Sustainable features include:

• Light-colored roofing that reflects heat and saves energy;
• 70 percent Energy Star-certified appliances including refrigerators, TVs, computers, and kitchen equipment
• Water-efficient toilets and aerated bathroom faucets
• 10 percent of the building materials used contain recycled content
• “On demand” ventilation that provides fresh air for occupied spaces without wasting energy on unoccupied areas of the property
• LED lighting and controls that turn off the lights
• High-tech daylight sensors to reduce electrical lighting with natural sunlight
• Renewable energy sources such as solar or wind

In addition to its green elements, the hotel boasts Native American aspects of the Pima and Maricopa tradition and culture, including a mural by Pima artist Anthony “Thosh” Collins.  The artwork depicts an ancient courting ritual in which young ladies showed their basket weaving skills for young men. A tightly woven basket with an intricate design was said to be of a hard-working and patient woman; the ritual is known as the Pima basket dance.