A new Hilton hotel in Asheville, N.C., will be among the first in the nation to install a large-scale solar water heating system, hotel developer Biltmore Farms Hotels announced recently. The system, which will provide the 165-room hotel with over 2,000 gallons of hot water every day, is one of many environmentally friendly features being added to the new-build hotel in order to help it achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification when it opens in summer 2009."Biltmore Farms is proud to be a part of Western North Carolina's transition to clean energy," Biltmore Farms CEO Jack Cecil said in a statement. "The Hilton Asheville will be a wonderful place to stay because of its many amenities, plus a design that contributes to the natural beauty and sustainability of our region. Our commitment to sustainability is both good for business and the environment."At current rates, the Hilton Asheville's solar hot water system will save the hotel an estimated $10,000 annually in fossil fuel costs, according to hotel officials. It will work by capturing the sun's heat and putting it to direct use in order to heat the hotel's water supply—without the use of gas-powered hot water tanks.In addition to the solar hot water system, the hotel is going green by planning an energy optimization program and by utilizing recycled materials during the course of its construction. Upon finishing construction, it also plans to outfit the property with non-toxic, locally sourced and low-emissivity materials.Said Michael Shore, president of FLS Energy, which will design and install the Hilton's solar hot water system, "We applaud Biltmore Farms for moving forward in procuring sustainable energy for this hotel and setting an example for Western North Carolina and, indeed, the rest of the country."