LONDON—Global carpet tile manufacturer Interface, Inc. and conservation charity the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) are celebrating the successful completion of a pilot project and the start of a commercial venture with both conservation and socio-economic benefits. The innovative collaboration, called Net-Works, has been created to tackle the growing environmental problem of discarded fishing nets in some of the world’s poorest coastal communities.By establishing a community-based supply chain for discarded nets, Net-Works aims to improve the livelihood of local fishers, while providing Interface with an innovative source of recycled materials for its carpet tiles. Discarded nets on the beaches...

KELOWNA, B.C.—The Best Western Plus Kelowna Hotel & Suites continues to charge forward with environmentally responsible initiatives. Not only has the hotel installed an electric vehicle charging station, they have just received LEED Silver Certification for their new environmental wing through the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC).LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a third-party certification program that rates buildings to the highest environmental performance standards in Canada. “This was quite the process,” says Brenda Rayburn, director of sales and marketing for the Best Western Plus Kelowna Hotel & Suites. “However, for me, the length of time...

ARCHBOLD, OHIO—WoodTrac by Sauder announced that it has received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain-of-Custody Certification for its WoodTrac Ceiling Systems. The FSC Chain-of-Custody certification is awarded to companies that meet FSC standards for traceability in their wood supply chain. Before a product can carry an FSC label, all stages of the production, distribution, and sales of the product must be tracked from the certified forest to the finished product. The certification indicates that the timber was harvested from responsibly managed forests.In addition, the certification means that builders, architects, interior designers, and developers using WoodTrac Ceiling Systems can earn Leadership...

LAS VEGAS—Hospitality Design Exposition & Conference (HD Expo) will take place at its new location at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center from May 15 to 17, 2013. Over three days attendees can gain insight and inspiration while experiencing what’s new and how to maintain success in the ever-evolving and ultra-competitive world of hospitality design. The show will feature idea-generating and fully accredited educational sessions, awards ceremonies and special events focused on the latest and most innovative products and services.“2013 will be an exciting year for us,” said Liz Sommerville, group show director for The Hospitality Design Group. “Not only...

TEMPERANCE, MICH.—MTS announced that its Studio Twist has earned recognition at the upcoming NAFEM (North American Food Equipment Manufacturers) show in February. This is one of the largest trade shows focusing on the foodservice market.“The clean lines and eclectic appearance of the Studio Twist makes it a great addition to our ‘Twist’ models of restaurant seating,” said MTS CEO Phil Swy.Envisioned by renowned, European designer Kirsten Bartlmae, the Studio Twist features a tapered leg design and a minimalist back and seat profile. Like all MTS Café Twist and Bistro Twist models, the Studio Twist nests six high in a...

WILMINGTON, MASS.—Altro, a manufacturer of interior surfaces such as safety flooring, has teamed up with Green Mountain Energy to completely offset 100 percent of the electricity used in all of its facilities in both the United States and Canada. This partnership allows Altro to offset its carbon emissions from its electrical consumption by investing in wind farms across the country.Each wind farm is capable of producing around 150 megawatts of power, enough energy to power 120,000 average U.S. homes. Each megawatt of wind power has the potential to prevent approximately 1,500 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere...

PORT ORFORD, ORE.—“It feels like you are on another planet.” That is how Michelle Duarte describes the WildSpring Guest Habitat that she and her husband own along the coast of Oregon in Port Orford. Their small, eco-friendly resort sits on five acres of 100-foot trees and includes five cabins. “The cabins are built like small homes,” Duarte says. “They are not rustic.”Just about everything possible was done to minimize the environmental footprint of the five cabin suites. Duarte’s husband, Dean, who once worked on Hollywood sets in construction, played an integral part in the building of the cabins. Only...

ATLANTA—Acuity Brands, Inc. announced the introduction of the Lithonia Lighting W Series luminaires that feature integral occupancy sensors to manage lighting usage in low-traffic or low-occupancy areas such as corridors, stairwells and restrooms. The luminaires automatically turn on or off as occupants ascend and descend stairs, walk corridors or enter a seldom used space, significantly reducing energy consumption by not lighting the space when it is not in use.The W Series luminaires are available with energy-efficient LED or fluorescent lamps and can be configured for surface or wall mount applications. The luminaires’ linear-fluted diffuser coordinates with the Lithonia Lighting...

Turner Construction just released the results of its 2012 Market Barometer Survey. A total of 718 executives participated in the survey. They represented the following types of companies: architecture (49 percent), construction (19 percent), real estate consulting (11 percent), corporate owner-occupant (9 percent), developer (9 percent), engineering (9 percent), real estate owners (7 percent), corporate tenant (3 percent), and broker/real estate service provider (2 percent). Eighty-four percent of respondents said their companies were committed to environmentally-sustainable practices. Executives were most likely to cite financial factors as being important to their companies’ decisions on whether to incorporate green features in...

SAN FRANCISCO—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced a $3 million grant from Google that will catalyze the transformation of the building materials industry and accelerate the creation of healthier indoor environments.“Healthy, non-toxic building materials are a critical component in green building,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. “Fostering awareness of the materials we put into our buildings is of paramount importance, since many materials can link to a host of environmental and health issues. Working with Google enables us to broaden our efforts in the materials industry as we prepare for the...