HONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 18, 2025--
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort announced that its Tapa Tower has been LEED Certified, becoming the first LEED-certified tower within the Park Hotels & Resorts portfolio. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the world’s most widely used green building rating system and a global symbol of excellence. LEED-certified buildings promote sustainability through practices that improve environmental and human health.
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“We see the achievement of this LEED certification as another way we get to take care of this place we call home,” said Debi Bishop, managing director of Hilton Hawaiian Village. “This is a proud milestone that reflects our commitment to sustainability and our belief that preserving Hawaii’s natural beauty is essential for today’s guests, our community, and future generations.”
This certification was achieved for implementing practical, measurable strategies in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality during the renovation of Tapa Tower. These upgrades led to a 14 percent reduction in both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
Located 0.1 miles from a main bus station and earning a walkability score of 90 out of 100, the Tapa Tower’s location supports reduced emissions by promoting alternatives to car travel. Low-flow plumbing fixtures contribute to over 29 percent in water savings, while all guest room mini-refrigerators are ENERGY STAR® certified. To support a healthy indoor environment, all paints, coatings, adhesives, sealants, and flooring materials used were verified as low-emission or non-toxic. A comprehensive indoor air quality plan was implemented during construction to protect workers and future guests, including the use of green building materials and natural ventilation protocols.
A key aspect of the project was revitalizing an existing building, which posed greater challenges than certifying new construction. It required technical innovation and coordination to meet LEED’s criteria without compromising guest experience or daily operations.
“Sustainable upgrades in existing buildings are inherently more challenging,” said Torsten Biernat, director of sustainability at Baumann Consulting, the firm that led the certification effort. “Our role was to identify pathways to LEED credits while maintaining the integrity and operations of the hotel. This achievement demonstrates what’s possible when sustainability is fully integrated into a building’s renovation and operations planning.”
For more information about Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach resort, visit www.HiltonHawaiianVillage.com.
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort announced that its Tapa Tower has been LEED Certified, becoming the first LEED-certified tower within the Park Hotels & Resorts portfolio.
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader U.S. effort to take control of the South American country’s oil.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media that the U.S. Coast Guard had boarded the Motor Tanker Veronica early Thursday. She said the ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of President Donald Trump’s "established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”
U.S. Southern Command said Marines and sailors launched from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to take part in the operation alongside a Coast Guard tactical team, which Noem said conducted the boarding as in previous raids. The military said the ship was seized “without incident.”
Noem posted a brief video that appeared to show part of the ship’s capture. The black-and-white footage showed helicopters hovering over the deck of a merchant vessel while armed troops dropped down on the deck by rope.
The Veronica is the sixth sanctioned tanker seized by U.S. forces as part of the effort by Trump’s administration to control the production, refining and global distribution of Venezuela’s oil products and the fourth since the U.S. ouster of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime raid almost two weeks ago.
The Veronica last transmitted its location on Jan. 3 as being at anchor off the coast of Aruba, just north of Venezuela’s main oil terminal. According to the data it transmitted at the time, it was partially filled with crude.
The ship is currently listed as flying the flag of Guyana and is considered part of the shadow fleet that moves cargoes of oil in violation of U.S. sanctions.
According to its registration data, the ship also has been known as the Gallileo, owned and managed by a company in Russia. In addition, a tanker with the same registration number previously sailed under the name Pegas and was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for moving cargoes of illicit Russian oil.
As with prior posts about such raids, Noem and the military framed the seizure as part of an effort to enforce the law. Noem argued that the multiple captures show that “there is no outrunning or escaping American justice.”
However, other officials in Trump's Republican administration have made clear that they see the actions as a way to generate cash as they seek to rebuild Venezuela’s battered oil industry and restore its economy.
Trump met with executives from oil companies last week to discuss his goal of investing $100 billion in Venezuela to repair and upgrade its oil production and distribution. His administration has said it expects to sell at least 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil.
This story has been corrected to show the Veronica is the fourth, not the third, tanker seized by U.S. forces since Maduro's capture and the ship also has been known as the Gallileo, not the Galileo.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks with reporters at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press conference, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks at a news conference at Harry Reid International Airport, Nov. 22, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Ronda Churchill, File)
