Modular construction is trending. I heard this week from S2A Modular, a California-based company that designs and constructs electrically self-sustaining residential and commercial buildings. The parts of the homes and commercial buildings are constructed in the company’s MegaFactory. Unique to the company is its net zero approach. Each structure pairs Tesla’s Powerwall system with solar technology to produce zero emissions. Modules are scalable and stackable. The company says it has constructed hotels. Says Brian Kuzdas, Co-founder and CEO, S2A Modular, “When I reveal to people that world-class hotels from globe-leading chains, such as Marriott, are being built ‘modular,’ there’s a...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the results of the Dodge Data & Analytics World Green Building Trends 2018 SmartMarket Report, to which USGBC is a contributing partner. Overall, global green building activity continues to rise, with significant increases expected in 19 countries over the next three years. Importantly, nearly half of survey respondents expect that most of their projects in the next three years will be green buildings. “With more and more people demanding and expecting healthier places to live and work, more and more leaders around the globe are committing to green building, which is now...

CHICAGO—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has launched LEED Zero, a new program that will address net zero operations and resources in buildings. “Net zero is a powerful target that will move the entire industry forward,” said Melissa Baker, Senior Vice President of Technical Core at USGBC. “For years, LEED projects around the world have aspired to net zero milestones. We are recognizing the leadership of these projects—and formalizing our commitment to focusing on carbon and net zero across the entire LEED community. These new certification programs will encourage a holistic approach for buildings and places to contribute to a regenerative...

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.—Six months after soft opening in Colorado Springs, the 176-room SCP hotel there is enjoying “off the charts” reviews according to Ken Cruse, CEO of Soul Community Planet, LLC, the parent company of SCP Hotels. The renovation of what once was a Knights Inn and other branded properties is attracting travelers and locals with its eco-industrial vibe and features such as the SCP fitness center. The SCP Hotel Colorado Springs is the first of several green, community-focused hotels planned by Soul Community Planet. The next one will open in Redmond, Ore. Cruse says he and his core team had been...

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—SG Blocks, Inc., a leading designer, fabricator and innovator of container-based structures, has signed a $25 million contract for a multi-thousand module order with Phoenix Hotel & Hospitality. The purchase order represents the largest retail module contract to date for SG Blocks. The modules will be designed, prefabricated and delivered to locations across the United States, where they will be installed by the customer. SG Blocks has already commenced work on the project in the fourth quarter of 2018. “This project represents many months of work and we believe it to be a significant step forward in the continued...

MALDIVES—The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort has opened and features 70 villas and suites, 41 on island and 29 over water. Each villa is shaped with an eco-friendly double roofing to create ideal natural ventilation. Outdoor rainforest showers are a distinctive feature. Poised over the sea on stilts and with an area of almost 200 square meters each, the overwater suites are among the largest a resort has to offer in the Baa Atoll region. Developed by Belluna Co. Ltd, Japan and Asia Capital PLC, Sri Lanka, The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort heralds the Westin brand’s wellness positioning in the Maldivian...

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), operator of the most widely used green building rating system in the world, released a flurry of announcements in the past month in conjunction with its annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo (held in Chicago November 14 to 16). First, USGBC launched LEED Zero, a new program that will address net zero operations and resources in buildings. LEED Zero is open to all LEED projects certified under the BD+C, ID+C or O+M rating systems, or projects registered to pursue LEED O+M certification. LEED projects can achieve LEED Zero certification when they demonstrate any or one of...

SAN DIEGO—In response to growing customer demand, green building industry leader, Cali Bamboo, has added four new floors to its Eco-Engineered bamboo flooring collection for a total of 16 engineered styles. Engineered planks are frequently a strategic choice, with a layered construction that makes them more dimensionally stable, and therefore better suited for high moisture environments like kitchens, bathrooms, and basements. The new floors expand the omnichannel company’s engineered options with click-lock milling, ideal for glue-down or floating installations. Planks measure 72⅞ inches long, 5 5/16 inches wide, and 9/16 of an inch thick. The entire engineered collection is now...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world’s largest hotel franchising company, has received a Gold recertification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program for the company’s headquarters in Parsippany, N.J. The recertification designates Wyndham Hotels & Resorts’ corporate campus as one of the highest-performing green buildings in the country, reflecting the company’s commitment to minimizing its environmental footprint. LEED is a third-party certification program and premier benchmark for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. It uses a point system to determine the environmental merits of a building, with four levels of...

NEW YORK—A solar powered USB charging station. An electric bicycle lending program. A one hundred percent recyclable wine glass. A system that integrates an alarm clock, HVAC and lighting controls, Wi-Fi and more into a single unified platform. A salad-making robot (vending machine) named “Sally” that delivers eight-component meals in seconds. These are just some of the products that were introduced at HX: The Hotel Experience and Boutique Design New York (BDNY). Both events were held November 11 to 12 at the Javits Center in New York City. It would be impossible to list all the eco-friendly products and...