RALEIGH, N.C.—Durat Plus, developed by Durat, is the world’s first commercially available solid surface material combining recycled solid surface material and recycled resin. Traditional solid surfaces use two primary ingredients: the solid surface material itself (pigments, plastics, minerals, etc.) and the resin that binds it. Durat Plus can use any manufacturer’s recycled solid surface as a raw material. The resin is made from recycled PET plastic, as used in plastic bottles. With both of the primary materials being recycled, Durat Plus contains up to 80 percent recycled materials. Its carbon footprint is half that of a traditional Durat, which contains...

CHICAGO—The 55th edition of NeoCon, June 10 to 12, at THE MART in Chicago, is shaping up to be a rich experience with over 400 leading and emergent brands. This year, 18 companies are set to unveil new permanent spaces, from establishing inaugural new showrooms, to reimagining, renovating, and expanding existing footprints. Exhibitors are pulling out all the stops with groundbreaking product launches and immersive displays, leveraging their presence at THE MART and NeoCon to capitalize on the event’s capacity to drive growth and foster quality business opportunities. The 7th floor, organized by product category, serves as a premier venue...

CHICAGO—Bjelin will show its latest flooring at NeoCon, a launchpad for innovative design in the U.S. The leading event within commercial interior design will take place in Chicago from June 10 to 12, 2024 (booth 7-3069). The company’s new eye-catching Contrast Collection is a highlight alongside the innovative Woodura hardened wood flooring—rated for heavy commercial use—and the light and sound-absorbent rigid core range. “We’re excited to unveil our latest highlights in Scandinavian-designed flooring,” said Zach Adams, the U.S. General Manager of Bjelin. “With cutting-edge technology from our sister company Välinge Innovation, these floors offer a distinct competitive advantage.” Bjelin’s hardened wood floors...

I attended HD Expo in Las Vegas this past week. The annual trade show featured hundreds of exhibitors, many of which featured green products of note. It would be impossible to mention all of those products here, but the following are some that stood out for recognition. (See complete list of exhibitors on the HD Expo site.) Coulée Coffee Co. featured The Coulée Swirl, the world’s only self-adapting automated pour-over coffee maker. The compact system captures the pour-over experience with its automated moving swirl-arm, precisely heated water, and intelligently-dispensed water pours. Used with the company’s compostable Vpac filters, the Swirl...

CORCOVADO, COSTA RICA—Soul Community Planet (SCP) Hotels, a holistic hospitality company serving those who value wellness, social good and the environment, announced the grand opening of SCP Corcovado Wilderness Lodge (CWL). CWL uniquely sits at the intersection of two thriving ecosystems: Corcovado National Park, which is known as the world’s most biologically intense terrestrial ecosystem, and the Isla del Caño Biologic Reserve, a vibrant marine ecosystem. The all-inclusive 189-acre private reserve is 100 percent off the grid, offering a blend of environmentally conscious accommodations, local and sustainably sourced gourmet cuisine, first-class service, and a range of immersive adventures from professionally guided interpretive...

DENVER—Populus, the country’s first carbon positive hotel, set to open in Denver in summer of 2024, is now accepting reservations for September 2024 onwards. Managed by Aparium Hotel Group, a pioneer in the lifestyle hotel industry, and developed by Urban Villages, a leading real estate developer and environmental steward, Populus will feature 265 guestrooms, a ground floor signature restaurant, lounge and coffee bar, flexible event spaces, a rooftop restaurant and bar offering unobstructed views of the mountains, city skyline, and Civic Center Park. Committed to offsetting both its embodied and operational carbon footprints through Colorado based reforesting efforts, Populus invites guests...

ATLANTA—Interface, Inc., the global flooring solutions company, and leader in sustainability, announced it is focusing on direct carbon reduction and carbon storage to meet the urgency of the climate crisis. The company is aligning its strategy to meet its climate commitments, which do not allow for carbon offsets. The planet is at an inflection point and absolute emission reductions are critical to solving the climate crisis. Beginning in 2025, Interface will repurpose former offset investments to accelerate innovation projects that will result in direct carbon reductions and carbon storage both internally and throughout its supply chain. “We’re ‘all in’ on solving...

The annual HD Expo + Conference, which I will be attending, will kick off at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas next week. The event will run from April 30 to May 2 and will include many opportunities to learn about sustainable products on the trade show floor with hundreds of exhibitors in attendance—including 145 first-time exhibitors. Conference sessions will touch on topics ranging from equity, inclusion, and diversity to circular design strategies. Among the first-time exhibitors this year are Light and Green (LED architectural lighting), AGIC Energy (energy management systems), Coulee Coffee Co. (self-adapting automated pour-over coffee maker that uses...

RALEIGH, N.C.—Recycled glass countertop manufacturer Gilasi, and CaraGreen, the trusted source for healthier building materials, announce the availability of the Gilasi Resort Collection—recycled glass countertops made in the U.S. This terrazzo style palette of new colors is inspired by the serene beauty of the beach with a nod to the environment in its composition of varying glass sizes from small granular pieces to larger, chunky geometric styles. These colors incorporate the mixed glass sizes with touches of real seashells, evoking the essence of coastal sands and sparkling seas, adding a touch of contemporary elegance to any commercial space looking to...

BEND, ORE.—MindClick, the hospitality industry’s data and analytics solution for environmentally and socially responsible design and purchasing, is expanding its reach with its Hospitality Sustainable Design Collaborative. Created with support from Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and Highgate Hotels, along with trusted suppliers, the Collaborative is a free program intended for interior designers, specifiers, and purchasing decision-makers. The Collaborative includes an online educational series, an accreditation program, and awards and recognition program. The first program in the online educational series, “Climate Change & Carbon Emissions, How Design Choices Can Make a Local and Global Impact,” was held on April 9 and had 234...