This study examines how climatic factors influence the predictive power of LEED credits in determining certification outcomes for hotel buildings across the United States. Using data from 259 LEED-NC v2009 certified hotels, project-level information was integrated with 30-year climate normals from the PRISM database and Building America climate zones. A three-step hierarchical linear regression was conducted to identify the LEED credits that most strongly predict total certification points while controlling for project size, certification year, and baseline climatic conditions, and to test whether climatic factors moderate these relationships. Regularized Linear Regression (LASSO) was then applied to address multicollinearity and assess model stability, followed by Support Vector Regression (SVR) to capture potential nonlinear relationships. This integrated methodological framework, combining hierarchical regression for interpretability, LASSO for coefficient stability, and Support Vector Regression for nonlinear verification, provides a novel, multi-dimensional assessment of climate-sensitive credit behavior at the individual credit level. Results show that energy- and site-related credits, particularly Optimize Energy Performance (EA1), On-Site Renewable Energy (EA2), Green Power (EA6), and Alternative Transportation (SS4), consistently dominate LEED performance across all climate zones. In contrast, indoor environmental quality credits exhibit modest but significant climate sensitivity: higher mean temperatures reduce the contribution of Increased Ventilation (EQ2) while slightly enhancing Outdoor Air Delivery Monitoring (EQ1). Cross-model consistency confirms the robustness of these findings. The findings highlight the need for climate-responsive benchmarking of indoor environmental quality credits to improve regional equity and advance the next generation of climate-adaptive LEED standards.

As sustainability becomes an essential approach in the USA hospitality sector, green certifications like Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) are increasingly adopted by hotel developers. However, the extent to which different LEED certification levels influence guest satisfaction remains unclear. This study investigates how the LEED certification level interacts with the relationship between a hotel’s sustainability performance and guest satisfaction in the United States. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining Random Forest Regression and the Process macro on a dataset of LEED-certified USA hotels with normalized guest satisfaction scores. The Random Forest model identified Energy and Atmosphere (EA) and Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ) as the most influential LEED categories in predicting satisfaction. Additionally, the results reveal that the positive effect of sustainability on satisfaction is strongest at the lower LEED levels (Certified and Silver), but shows diminishing returns at higher levels (Gold and Platinum), suggesting that an increased sustainability performance does not uniformly improve guest experience. These findings support all three hypotheses and offer practical insights for hotel developers, operators, and certification bodies seeking to align sustainability strategies with guest expectations.

As sustainability is becoming crucial in the hospitality industry, understanding its influence on guest satisfaction is crucial for fostering competitive advantage. This study investigates the relationship between LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification criteria and guest satisfaction in LEED-certified hotels. Using data from 259 LEED NC-v3 projects and aggregated guest reviews from multiple travel platforms, regression analyses were conducted to identify the most influential sustainability factors. The findings reveal that Indoor Environmental Quality (EQ) and Energy and Atmosphere (EA) are the strongest predictors of guest satisfaction, demonstrating that targeted sustainability measures significantly enhance the guest experience. Mediation analysis further highlights the critical role of EQ and EA in translating overall sustainability scores into satisfaction outcomes. These results emphasize the need for hotels to prioritize features that directly impact guest comfort, such as air quality, thermal comfort, and energy efficiency. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the specific aspects of sustainability that matter most to guests, offering actionable insights for improving satisfaction through sustainable practices in the hospitality sector.