DALLAS—Responding to the growing desire for more livable communities and rising concern about our planet, the Green Parking Council (GPC), an affiliate of the International Parking Institute (IPI), has launched the Green Garage Certification program. There is an increasing demand for quality garages in homes and buildings which meet environmental and economical sustainability standards. Steel garages are one of the environmentally and economically sustainable types of garages. The Green Garage Certification program is the parking industry equivalent of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and recognizes and inspires high standards in sustainable parking...

ROCKVILLE CENTRE, N.Y.—Carnegie announced that it has become a Certified B Corporation. B Corp certification is a rigorous third party assessment performed by the nonprofit organization B Lab. Carnegie’s standing in areas such as social and environmental performance were measured and tallied with complete transparency by B Lab.B Corporations are a new kind of company that uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. It’s like LEED or Fair Trade certification, but for a business, not just a building or a bag of coffee. There are currently more than 950 certified B Corporations in over 32...

DENVER—Metropolitan State University of Denver announced that its SpringHill Suites Denver Downtown at MSU Denver and the attached Hospitality Learning Center have been certified LEED Gold for New Construction by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustainable building design and construction. Managed by Denver’s Sage Hospitality, the 150-suite hotel is metro Denver’s first LEED Gold hotel.The public-private partnership between MSU Denver and Sage Hospitality created a vibrant hotel that opened in 2012, as well as the state-of-the-art HLC, the first of its kind in the Rocky Mountain region and one of only 11 in...

TEMPE, ARIZ.—Refresh Glass, a Tempe, Ariz.-based company that creates functional wine bottle art made from empties rescued from landfills, is helping restaurants, hotels, and retailers generate revenue while contributing to their 10 Million Bottle Rescue Mission. Hotels and restaurants that use Refresh Glass products get enthusiastic responses from guests who recognize the wine bottles they know and love while increasing engagement with their staff. The repurposed wares also help broaden their sustainability programs that the public increasingly looks for every year. “The FireSky Resort and Spa is a very green conscious resort and we have been using Refresh Glasses in our...

HOUSTON—Everyone at ForrestPerkins mourns the loss and celebrates the life of our colleague and dear friend, Clifford R. Tuttle, who passed away May 20 at 11:20 p.m. in Houston. He was with his loving family and is survived by his brother, Philip I. Tuttle and his wife Sharon, his niece, Kelly Day, her husband Alan and their son Brooks, and his nephew Robert and his wife Leigh and their son Weston. An award-winning interior designer, Cliff Tuttle managed the interior design practice in the San Francisco office of luxury hotel design firm ForrestPerkins. He joined ForrestPerkins at its founding in...

LAS VEGAS—On May 15, two finalist teams presented concepts for the 8th annual Radical Innovation Award in Las Vegas. Green Air and Hotel 2020 were selected by an esteemed jury—out of nearly 100 entrants from 28 countries. The hotels are meant to propose new solutions for real problems within the hospitality industry.This year, the jury prepared the contestants to present live at the Hospitality Design Expo where opposing jury members and conference attendees considered the feasibility of the future development of the concept. The creator of the Green Air project received the grand prize of $10,000 following a live...

LAS VEGAS—Interface Hospitality is offering up new product options plus online design tools to inspire and help designers create unique floor design layouts. These were on display at the recent 2014 Hospitality Design Expo. Originator of the skinny plank style, Interface is adding the smart 25cm x 1m size to its popular RMS 101 product for guestrooms. This latest iteration features irregular bands of carved texture that go against the grain, creating a subtle undulating appearance and natural effect that evokes sand, water and timeworn driftwood. RMS 101 is designed to be custom colored.Customization is key to creating distinctive...

INDIANAPOLIS—Buckingham Companies and The Alexander, a Dolce Hotel, announced that they’ve been awarded LEED Silver certification in LEED’s New Construction & Major Renovations category. The Alexander is the only hotel in Indianapolis with LEED certification and is part of the 10-acre CityWay neighborhood, located at South and Delaware streets, developed by Buckingham Companies.“Sustainability was central to the vision for The Alexander and CityWay,” said Scott Travis, Senior Vice President of Development at Buckingham Companies. “From construction through completion, environmentally-friendly practices were a priority.”LEED is the primary program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. More than 44,000...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has launched USGBC+, a new magazine for its community of nearly 13,000 member organizations that are committed to USGBC’s mission to create sustainable buildings and communities for all within this generation.The magazine is available as a complimentary amenity for USGBC members, which range from small businesses to multinational corporations, local governments, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations.“USGBC’s network of members, large and small, form the backbone of the worldwide movement toward high-performing green structures that serve as a pathway to a healthier planet, healthier people and healthier bottom lines,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president,...

BAINBRIDGE, ISLAND—Abnormals Anonymous, a new west coast wallpaper studio spirited by a husband/wife duo who remain anonymous, premieres the Living Colours series. The made-to-order collection bursting with big, bold, colorful blossoms will include three patterns in a total of six colorways. Living Colours makes an impact in both residential and hospitality spaces, and is available through design showrooms and selected retailers.Living Colours is fully customizable and eco-friendly. The designers use non solvent, VOC-free inks on all of their papers and can print on a variety of materials, including smooth and textured paper, type II vinyl, and a new recycled...