SAN FRANCISCO—Pioneering bamboo and palm interior finishes manufacturer Smith & Fong Co. announced the launch of Malabar, the latest in its growing line of Durapalm palm wood design offerings, according to company founder and CEO Dan Smith. Inspired by the Malabar Coast, a fabled region of southwest India with 6,000 years of trade and cultural exchange with Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Asia, the Malabar panel is the second in a series of Durapalm panel designs derived from the Indian landscape. “Our materials come from the rural fabric of the Indian subcontinent where the palm grows natively and is very...

MUMBAI, INDIA—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)—the creators of the LEED green building rating system—have announced that Greenbuild, the world’s largest green building conference and expo, will be held in Mumbai, India November 2 to 4, 2017. USGBC also announced that the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo will be held in partnership with the ABEC Exhibitions & Conferences Ltd. (ABEC), and bring together Indian and global industry leaders, experts and frontline professionals dedicated to sustainable building, making Greenbuild the ideal space to learn about groundbreaking green building products, services and technologies in the region. “Greenbuild is the place where the passion...

COMMERCE, CALIF.—Cylo, a new cylindrical LED rail head from Nora Lighting, offers an array of versatile adjustment features, including full rotation aiming and two beam spreads. With sleek contemporary lines, Cylo is offered in three sizes and can be attached anywhere along a Nora 120V Rail System for wall, cabinet and display illumination or overall lighting. Fixtures are constructed from die-cast aluminum with finishes in bronze or brushed nickel. Each Cylo also includes a field changeable 25° spot and 50° narrow flood. The Cylo series is fully dimmable and can be specified as an 8W (600L), 20W (1400L) or 32W (2800L) LED...

WHEELING, ILL.—Two new indoor/outdoor performance fabrics, Glaze and Raku, join Brentano’s spring 2017 Ceramic collection. The collection—inspired by the artistic nature of brush strokes on pottery, cracked glaze surfaces and primal firing techniques—transforms one form of functional art to another; textiles. Embracing the rustic characteristics of hand-thrown pottery, Glaze and Raku combine design with durability. The indoor/outdoor 54" upholstery fabrics are constructed with Sunbrella Contract solution-dyed acrylic and solution-dyed polyester for an abrasion resistance passing 100,000 double rubs (Wyzenbeek, Cotton Duck). Joining Brentano’s Green label with an ACT Facts Silver certification, both textiles also offer stain resistance and bleach cleanability...

TACOMA, WASH.—The environmental benefits of North American wood products are presented in a new guide from APA – The Engineered Wood Association. Sustainable Buildings, Sustainable Future, Form F305, contains facts and figures related to the sustainability of the forest resource, forest certification, life cycle assessment, and Environmental Product Declarations. The guide also compares energy consumption in the manufacture of wood, steel and concrete products, and provides a comparison of the net carbon impact of the building materials. Sustainable Buildings, Sustainable Future also includes an in-depth look at how sustained demand for wood products fosters a cycle of growth in North...

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.—Duralee Contract introduces the new FR Woven Drapery Collection. Designed with a goal of minimal environmental impact in mind, Duralee Contract partnered with a local manufacturer that is less than 100 miles from their warehouse to develop this “Made in the USA” product line. Where similar goods are commonly produced overseas, Duralee Contract is aware of their carbon footprint, and the sustainability of staying local. Sixteen diverse designs make up this 44 SKU book of large scale looks with a distinct artistic flair. These designs are complimented by open, poised and tranquil style that will evoke the feeling of...

WASHINGON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council released its LEED in Motion: Venues report, which highlights the efforts of convention centers, sports venues, performing arts centers, community centers and public assembly spaces to transform their environmental, social and economic footprint through LEED certification. The report showcases some of the most impressive green venues around the world. “The scope and scale of the venues industry is enormous, and the leaders creating these spaces have an important role to play in reducing environmental impact,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, President & CEO of USGBC. “By incorporating green practices, venues around the world are positively impacting their triple bottom...

LAGRANGE, GA.—It was more than 20 years ago that Interface, the maker of carpet tile, set a very ambitious goal: to have no negative impact on the planet by the year 2020. It called its decades-long project “Mission Zero.” With less than three years to go until 2020, Green Lodging News spoke with Interface’s Mikhail Davis to learn how close the company is to reaching its goal. Davis, based in San Francisco, is Director of Restorative Enterprise and a Certified Biomimicry Specialist. Davis says two of Interface’s key metrics are energy use per unit of production and how much of...

FARGO, N.D.—Visiting North Dakota, travelers can find themselves experiencing countless photo-worthy moments—from playing with the meerkats at Red River Zoo to exploring the badlands and Painted Canyon at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Today, in response to the region’s tourism growth, DoubleTree by Hilton, one of Hilton’s 14 brands, welcomes its newest property in West Fargo, N.D. The stylish hotel—DoubleTree by Hilton West Fargo—features 103 spacious suites and pays tribute to the region’s beauty and its local pride through art pieces, photographs and décor. Locally-inspired and sourced elements within DoubleTree by Hilton West Fargo include: Locally photographed images of the upper...

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—1 Hotels, the mission-driven luxury lifestyle hotel brand, has opened the doors of its third property and first ground-up development, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. Remaining true to 1 Hotels founder, Barry Sternlicht’s, core philosophy, “The world around us is beautiful, and we want to keep it that way.” According to Starwood Capital, the property cultivates the best of eco-conscious design, sustainable architecture, cause-oriented partnerships, and unrivaled service. Situated at Pier 1, just south of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, in Brooklyn Bridge Park with sweeping waterfront views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge was developed by...