WESTBURY, N.Y.—The Viana Hotel and Spa, located in Westbury N.Y., has been awarded LEED certification by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). As Long Island’s only green-built feng shui hotel, Viana Hotel and Spa has made an unwavering commitment to sustainability and efficiency. The project team includes LEED consultants, The Cotocon Group and TWIG, who utilize various elements to create buildings that are sustainable and retrofitted to green standards. The architectural work that carries out these eco-friendly principles was completed by Hero Architects, and accompanied by commissioning agent Viridian Energy & Environmental LLC.Starting with the demolition, the team...

ANN ARBOR, MICH.—NSF Sustainability, a division of global independent public health organization NSF International, has verified an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for a broad variety of nylon carpet styles and colors manufactured by Mannington Commercial and backed with their rEvolve modular backing system. EPDs are transparent product environmental attribute reports used by government purchasers, green builders and owners, architects and interior designers to help make more informed product decisions in selecting products that meet their environmental purchasing goals.“As one of the first companies in their industry to release a third-party verified EPD, Mannington is demonstrating their commitment to environmental...

ALPHARETTA, GA.—The Refinishing Touch, a leader in on-site environmentally safe and sustainable furniture refinishing and re-upholstering for private and public organizations, has completed a large-scale renovation project at the Candlewood Suites in Killeen, Texas. The Refinishing Touch re-upholstered 68 lounge seats, 63 desk chairs and seven side chairs using eco-friendly Embrace recycled leather, the latest addition to the company’s Touch Textiles commercial fabric division. After receiving customer feedback around outdated, stained and worn upholstery across its existing furniture assets, Candlewood Suites sought an alternative to purchasing new furniture that would enhance its ongoing sustainable initiatives and save on...

SEATTLE—ForestEthics, a forest protection organization whose mission includes educating consumers about environmentally harmful forestry practices, filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asking the agency to investigate the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)’s claim to be a “green” certifier of forest products. The complaint argues that SFI’s claim that it is an independent, nonprofit public charity is deceptive and misleading because SFI is substantially governed and financed by the timber industry and because its vague and ambiguous forestry standards are developed and approved by timber industry personnel in a closed process. ForestEthics’ complaint is based on the FTC’s...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced today that its membership has voted to adopt LEED v4, the next update to the world’s premier green building rating system. The final overall vote was 86 percent in favor of adopting LEED v4. This includes 90 percent approval from the user category of the voting body, 77 percent approval from the general interest category and 89 percent approval from the producer category. The minimum overall percentage of votes needed for a passing vote was 66.7 percent.“There are 46 countries and territories around the world and all 50 U.S. states (and...

STAMFORD, CONN.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that its “Different by Design” Aloft brand has doubled its presence in Tulsa, Okla., with the opening of Aloft Tulsa Downtown. The opening also marks the successful completion of the Aloft brand’s second adaptive reuse project. The former City Hall was transformed into Aloft Tulsa Downtown by owner and developer TOCH, LLC. Managed by Presidian Hotels & Resorts, Aloft Tulsa Downtown offers 180 loft-like rooms and leading-edge technology.“Aloft Tulsa Downtown brings new life to a historic building by infusing it with the energy of the Aloft brand’s urban design and buzzing...

NEW YORK—Textile manufacturer Carnegie has released its Biobased Xorel—the first high- performance interior textile in the world with a majority of plant-based content.The rollout begins this month with six products, including the re-launch of three classic, popular patterns Strie, Nexus, and Dash. Three new patterns—embroideries Abacus and Topiary, and embossed design Veneer—are also part of the Biobased Xorel launch. Between them, the six designs are offered in a range of 91 colorways. There are no discernable visual or performance differences from existing Xorel products. They offer the same durability, cleanability, and longevity.This major breakthrough boasts a 60 to 85...

NEW YORK—The second annual Futuregreen Hospitality Forum brought together hotel brands, hospitality designers and furnishings suppliers for a one-day brainstorming session to tackle the possibility of hotel design as a catalyst for positive change for the future, and to discuss how technology can affect the future of hospitality. Sixty-five high-level delegates gathered in New York’s Crosby Street Hotel on May 31.“Our goal was to elevate social and environmental sustainability to the top of the hotel industry’s agenda,” said Michael Suomi, principal and vice president of interior design at hospitality design firm Stonehill & Taylor and founder of Futuregreen. “Through...

SAN DIEGO—Cali Bamboo, a leading manufacturer of green building materials for residential and commercial projects made primarily from bamboo, announced its first GreenClaimed flooring line created from cork, another highly renewable and recycled material.GreenClaimed Cork Flooring is a click-and-lock product manufactured from reclaimed cork used in the wine industry, and is one of the first cork flooring lines available in a 5.5 inch by 48 inch plank format.“The new plank format gives our new cork floors the look and feel of a hardwood but can be installed where hardwoods shouldn’t such as bathrooms and high moisture prone areas,” said...

DESTIN, FLA.—After a fire ravaged the outdoor space at the Hilton SanDestin Beach Golf Resort and Spa, the resort looked to MoistureShield composite decking to create an expansive new 17,000 square foot multi-purpose deck. The new deck leaves the Gulf Coast views unobstructed for hotel guests to enjoy, while preserving beachfront habitat. The fire started on the hotel’s beachfront area in October 2010. It ignited an adjacent deck, destroying most of the hotel’s deck structure and outdoor restaurant. In response to the fire, Hilton SanDestin’s management and construction team sought to build a new and improved outdoor experience. One...