CHICAGO—Interface was recently awarded Best of NeoCon honors for its new Urban Retreat modular carpet tile collection, celebrating its global launch at this year’s show. Urban Retreat, which explores the intersection of manmade and Mother Nature, earned Silver in the Carpet: Modular category.This year’s competition drew 325 entries in 40 product and furnishings categories, and was sponsored by Contract magazine, Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc., the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), and McMorrow Report.com.Urban Retreat was inspired by Biophilia—man’s innate attraction to nature. Designer and constant collaborator David Oakey drew from the growing global...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new online calculator from American Rivers lets individuals discover the benefits of installing green roofs on their businesses. Green roofs are gaining popularity as cities look for cost-effective ways to protect and restore clean water. A green roof is one that is covered with plants and shrubs. By absorbing rainwater and providing insulation for the building, a green roof prevents storm runoff from polluting local streams and reduces heating and cooling costs. The “Get More Green” calculator allows visitors to enter an address via Google Maps, and determine the square footage of a building’s roof. Visitors then get a...

RIO DE JANEIRO—At the RIO+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Marriott International, Inc. and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) announced a partnership to support new environmentally-sustainable hotel development in growth markets in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. The partnership stands to generate millions of dollars in OPIC financing for Marriott hotel projects internationally, demonstrating a shared commitment to the environment and investment in these emerging economies. According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) recently concluded between the two parties, OPIC will make long-term loans to the third-party owners of the hotels,...

LAS VEGAS—Crystals at CityCenter has earned the VIVA “Best-of-the-Best” designation by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the global trade association of the shopping center industry. Crystals is one of only three 2012 VIVA (Vision, Innovation, Value and Achievement) award winners in the world.“The VIVA ‘Best-of-the-Best’ award honors and recognizes the most outstanding examples of shopping center design and development, sustainability, marketing, and community service worldwide,” ICSC said in a statement.“Crystals is an integral part of CityCenter and was created with a vision to bring a new level of environmental consciousness to the world-famous Las Vegas Strip,” said...

SAINT-GEORGES, QUEBEC—Victor, Designtex, and Steelcase announced a collaborative effort with Unifi to initiate a program to recycle textile industry waste back into fiber and yarn that will be used in first quality fabrics, creating a closed loop process. In an effort to drive sustainable innovation, these companies are establishing a program whereby fabric waste from pre-approved Victor products at Steelcase’s Athens, Alabama panel manufacturing facility will be segregated, collected, and sent to Unifi’s REPREVE Recycling Center in North Carolina to be recycled into fiber and yarn. This yarn will be sent to Victor to be woven into new products...

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.—Marriott International, Inc. announced the first hotel to open as part of its LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment) Volume Program—The Courtyard Scottsdale Salt River in Arizona. The hotel is also the first Marriott-branded property built on U.S. tribal land in cooperation with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, creating nearly 30 jobs.“This partnership is a symbol of Marriott’s commitment to working with diverse business partners,” said Eric Jacobs, chief development officer, North American Lodging, Marriott International. “Our business thrives on partnerships with organizations that share similar philosophies and values. We believe that we have found a great...

TORONTO—Luxury hotel brand Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Manchester Texas Financial Group LLC (MTFG) announce the signing of an agreement for Fairmont to manage a new city center hotel slated to open in 2015. The Fairmont Austin will be located directly east of the Austin Convention Center, at the northeast corner of Cesar Chavez and Red River Streets.The $350 million concept will be crafted by the project’s architect, Gensler Austin, to accommodate additional upscale features reflective of Fairmont’s luxury design and service aesthetics. For example, the planned number of rooms will likely be reduced from 1,035 to approximately 1,000—allowing...

ALPHARETTA, GA.—The Refinishing Touch, a leader in on-site environmentally safe and sustainable furniture refinishing, re-upholstering and armoire modification for private and public organizations, has extended its operations with a new division in Canada. Headquartered in Toronto, The Refinishing Touch Canada is the company’s first international company and administrative division. It will support the company’s refinishing, reupholstery, and remanufacturing crews located in Canada. The office staff will report directly to The Refinishing Touch headquarters in Alpharetta, Ga. The new division will service The Refinishing Touch’s new hotel and hospitality clients across Canada. “Canada has a robust hospitality industry, with an estimated 270,000...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In response to concerns raised by members, core LEED users and stakeholders, and in an effort to provide the marketplace a view of the full LEED program experience prior to ballot, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that it will delay ballot on LEED 2012 until June 1, 2013 (or potentially earlier in 2013 if USGBC members and the market indicate readiness for ballot). Because of this date change, LEED 2012 is being renamed LEED v4. “LEED pushes the envelope to bring transformation to the market—that’s what we do,” said Scot Horst, senior vice president, LEED. “We...

DALLAS—The Omni Dallas Hotel, which opened its doors last November, has received LEED Gold New Construction (NC) certification, making it the first and only LEED Gold hotel in Texas and the largest LEED Gold hotel in the United States outside of Las Vegas. This designation was made possible by the development and execution of a highly disciplined plan that included the use of recycled and regionally-sourced materials, reduced construction pollution and water conservation initiatives. Upon opening, the hotel has also instituted practices to operate at LEED Gold standards.“The Omni Dallas Hotel is living up to its expectations in every...