GRAND RAPIDS—The CityFlatsHotel in downtown Grand Rapids was built in 2011 to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification and has now accomplished it. The five-story hotel, at 83 Monroe Center in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, inhabits what was once the legendary Fox Jewelers Building. Like its sister hotel (the CityFlatsHotel in Holland, Mich.) before it, the CityFlatsHotel Grand Rapids joins the ranks of LEED certified buildings throughout the world.LEED buildings are designed to: reduce waste sent to landfills, conserve energy and water, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions, and be healthier and safer for...

ANN ARBOR, MICH.—NSF Sustainability, a division of global independent public health organization NSF International, has verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for J+J Flooring Group’s Kinetex flooring product and Invision brand modular styles that use eKo backing. EPDs are essential transparent product environmental attribute reports used by government purchasers, green builders, architects and interior designers to make more informed product decisions in selecting carpet and flooring products that meet their environmental purchasing goals.“EPDs benefit us as well as our customers,” said Russ Delozier, director of sustainability, J+J Flooring Group. “The rigor of completing an EPD helps us pinpoint where our...

ATLANTA—Acuity Brands, Inc. expands the Acculamp specification grade series to include a dimmable 2000 lumen PAR38 LED lamp. The PAR38 LED lamp replaces 150-watt halogen lamps with only 25 watts, providing 83 percent energy savings when compared to traditional light sources.“We listened to the marketplace and identified a significant demand for high lumen output LED lamps that would meet the requirements of demanding applications,” said Seth Owen, Acuity Brands Lighting vice president, LED Lamps and Track Lighting. “Through the combination of a high lumen package, crisp beam angles and low glare, the 2000 lumen PAR38 is our solution.”The Acculamp...

STAMFORD, CONN.—Element Vaughan Southwest, the first international hotel within Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide’s Element portfolio, has opened. Built green from the ground up, Canada’s premier Element hotel is an all-suite, 152-room extended stay enclave in Vaughan, Ontario, offering easy access between Pearson International Airport and downtown Toronto.“Vaughan is one of the country’s fastest growing cities with a strong emphasis on sustaining the environment, which made it a natural choice for Element’s first foray into Canada,” said Brian McGuinness, senior vice president of Specialty Select Brands for Starwood. “Whether staying for a few days or a few weeks, Element...

LAS VEGAS—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) have commended the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) for passing a slate of sustainability resolutions that renew its commitment to local green building and clean energy efforts that help spur economic savings and protect the environment.“Once again, mayors are showing courage and leadership by embracing a strong sustainability and green building policy agenda that helps communities save money, save energy and create jobs,” said Jason Hartke, vice president of national policy at USGBC. “As the first responders on the front lines in the battle to...

DALLAS—NYLO Dallas South Side has achieved LEED Gold certification—one of the highest possible rankings from the U.S. Green Building Council. The hotel, which opened in August 2012, is the first NYLO property to achieve LEED certification, the first historic hotel in Dallas to achieve LEED Gold certification and one of only 69 LEED Gold certified hotels in the United States.“This was NYLO’s first adaptive-reuse project, and it’s in a landmarked historic building to boot—which meant our design team did even more creative problem-solving than usual,” said Michael Mueller, NYLO Hotels’ CEO. “We couldn’t be happier or more proud of...

NORTH OLMSTED, OHIO—Moen Commercial has introduced a new portfolio of commercial-grade kitchen faucets—the M•Dura heavy-duty cast brass single-handle faucets.“The M•Dura line is thoroughly tested to stand up to the extreme wear and tear found in commercial applications, yet it also provides a stylish aesthetic not seen in most industrial faucets,” explained Kristin Meyers, marketing and product manager, Moen Commercial. “Plus, the faucets are backed by a five-year warranty against material or manufacturing defects—so our customers know they’re getting one of the best products on the market.”Featuring a heavy-duty, cast-brass body and Moen’s Duralast ceramic disc cartridge encased in a...

BURLINGAME, CALIF.—Green Creative LLC, the commercial grade LED lighting manufacturer, announced the availability of its new Titanium LED Series 3.0 G25 8W decorative lamp.This latest entry to Green Creative’s lineup of Energy Star qualified products is one of the few G25 60W equivalent bulbs on the market. At only 8W, this dimmable lamp is ideal for decorative applications.The Green Creative G25’s 69 LPW efficacy is the highest among all other Energy Star qualified G25 LEDs. The lamp emits 550 lumens of warm diffused light in 2700K and replicates a 60W incandescent bulb. Ideal for Bathroom Vanities Knowing that some consumers have...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Rock legends Bon Jovi will perform before thousands of green building professionals and community members to launch the upcoming Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Greenbuild, the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building, will take place November 20 to 22, 2013, in Philadelphia. Registration is currently open.“Bon Jovi is the type of band that crosses all generational lines with its diverse and loyal fan base, and we are thrilled to have such an iconic group take the stage at Greenbuild,” said Kimberly Lewis, senior vice president, Community Advancement,...

DEARBORN, MICH.—In their second collaboration with Lauretano Sign Group, Adoba Hotel Dearborn is taking their sustainable journey to new heights. Dearborn’s skyline will now feature a new green hue, thanks to a sustainable sign that’s breaking ground in the world of outdoor illumination. The Adoba Dearborn/Detroit location across the street from the Ford World Headquarters is taking every sustainable element into consideration, Lauretano Sign Group has created a landmark exterior sign package with several green features. For instance, the sign is illuminated by GE LED systems that contain no mercury, lead, or glass. Energy savings will amount to...