ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—Kuvella Modular Designs, a leader in sustainable modular construction, and Z Modular, a division of Zekelman industries and leader in modular steel construction, announced an alliance between the two companies to streamline the modular construction process and broaden availability of their products throughout North America. Z Modular’s signature product, the Vectorbloc, provides extremely tight tolerances and ensures even stacking of modules. It’s also flexible, allowing for the design of virtually any type of building. Coupled with Kuvella Modular Designs’ commitment to sustainable and energy efficient construction, this partnership will greatly reduce the carbon footprint of the built environment while...

LHAVIANI ATOLL, MALDIVES—Crown & Champa Resorts has opened its 100 percent solar-powered Kudadoo Maldives Private Island. The luxury resort is 200 meters long by 200 meters wide and was designed by Yuji Yamazaki. Included on the island are 13 one-bedroom residences and two two-bedroom residences. According to Crown & Champa Resorts, at every point in the design and operation of Kudadoo, the team has carefully selected and purposefully minimized its environmental impact. Together with architect Yuji Yamazaki, Crown & Champa has sourced exclusively eco-conscious materials for the residences, including wood from sustainably managed forests in Canada, New Zealand and Indonesia. Solar...

DELRAY BEACH, FLA.—GSky Plant Systems, Inc., a global industry leader in the design and production of interior and exterior green walls, announces the recent installation of the 500th Versa Wall indoor green wall system, ideal for adding sustainable design to interior space at any scale. Engineered with a unique tray design for simplified installation and maintenance—plus higher water efficiency—the Versa Wall is a versatile and long-lasting green solution for shopping malls, residences, corporate campuses, hotels, restaurants, and more. GSky Versa Wall customers include Fortune 500 companies, international airports, hotels, healthcare centers, and major universities with multiple locations. The Versa Wall’s...

DETROIT—Element Hotels, part of Marriott International, along with Detroit-based Roxbury Group and Means Group, announced the opening of Element Detroit at the Metropolitan, marking the debut of the stylish and eco-focused hotel brand in Michigan. The hotel, which has been incorporated into a renovated 92-year-old neo-Gothic building in the heart of Detroit’s entertainment district, aims to fuel a balanced life for travelers on the road. Designed for today’s healthy, active traveler, Element Hotels has redefined the longer stay experience with a nature-inspired design philosophy that is clean, modern and bright. “We are thrilled to be bringing Element Hotels to Michigan...

NATIONAL REPORT—Coastline hotels, resorts and other properties in areas prone to wind and flooding damage from storms can help themselves by implementing sustainable, resilient design techniques. So says Tom Hook, Principal and Director of Landscape and Planning for B+H North America. Hook recently spoke on the topic at the Caribbean State of Tourism Industry Conference. Caribbean tourism is especially vulnerable to hurricane destruction. In fact, the World Travel and Tourism Council predicts the Caribbean will become the most at-risk tourist destination in the world between 2025 and 2050. Architects know how to design buildings to withstand strong hurricane winds but...

PHOENIX—Aquafil last month inaugurated its first carpet-recycling facility in the States, in Phoenix. A total of 160 guests—including customers, suppliers and sustainability experts—gathered at the 116,000 square feet new building to celebrate the Grand Opening. As the President of Aquafil USA Franco Rossi said, 3.5 billion pounds of carpet are discarded each year in the States. Only two or three percent of this is recycled and often it is downcycled, the rest goes to landfills or is incinerated. Aquafil’s new facility will turn each year 36 million pounds of old carpets destined for landfills back into raw material. But what’s happening in...

GEORGETOWN, TEXAS—Sheraton Austin Georgetown Hotel & Conference Center, a AAA four diamond hotel, has achieved LEED Silver Certification for New Construction. The 222-room hotel, just 27 miles north of Austin, is the first Sheraton Hotel to earn the distinction in the continental United States. Developed by Novak Bros. LLC, the LEED status represents a milestone achievement for the Sheraton Austin Georgetown Hotel and serves as a testament to the property’s sustainability and ongoing green practices. “We are proud to have achieved LEED Silver status,” says Rita Healy, General Manager, Sheraton Austin Georgetown Hotel. “Georgetown, Texas operates on 100 percent renewable energy....

KNOXVILLE, TENN.—Knoxville businessman Tom Boyd announced that a new 40-acre resort with more than 150 unique dwellings and treehouses, a 150-seat restaurant, a 500-person meeting and event center, and a 1,000-seat outdoor amphitheater will open in South Knoxville in 2020. The $40 million project is expected to draw 200,000 visitors annually. No motor-driven vehicles will be used, rather electric golf carts designed as ancient wagons to transport guests to the various areas they want to visit. Parking is hidden from view, and roads are lined with trees to protect village views. The resort, called “Ancient Lore Village at Boyd Hollow,”...

MURRIETA, CALIF.—The pieces to put together a net zero hotel are here and ready to go—and at a cost less than typical hotel construction. So says S2A Modular, a Murrieta, Calif.-based company specializing in electrically self-sustaining, custom luxury homes and commercial buildings such as hotels. S2A Modular combines modular construction techniques with Tesla solar panels and Powerwalls (Powerpacks for larger buildings such as hotels) to create structures that get by without electricity provided by a utility. In fact, S2A buildings are built to provide surplus energy to the local utility when possible, creating “surplus energy income” for the building...

Tesla has built a huge following because of its sleek electric vehicles (EVs) but the company offers much more than EVs. It has also developed its own unique solar panels, solar tiles made from tempered glass, Powerwalls for home energy storage, and Powerpacks for larger-scale energy storage for buildings such as hotels. I bring up Tesla because a California company, S2A Modular, is combining its modular building techniques with Tesla energy storage technology to make net zero hotels not only possible but affordable as well. What S2A Modular is doing has the potential to dramatically change our industry. I spoke with...