SEATTLE—Hyatt at Olive 8, Seattle’s first and only Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified hotel, continues to lead the local hospitality industry in green initiatives with the announcement of its Green Seal Gold Certification—the much sought after achievement that can only be accomplished if the property complies with the Green Seal Standard for Hotels & Lodging Properties (GS-33, 2011) at the highest level. Only three hotels in the United States have obtained a gold certification, and only a handful of properties have the unique combination of all three environmentally friendly distinctions.“Since opening our doors in February 2009,...

NEW YORK—Around the world, the green building marketplace is accelerating, according to a new study released by McGraw-Hill Construction in partnership with United Technologies at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in San Francisco.The study indicates a shift in the global construction market, now viewing green as a business opportunity rather than a niche market. Overwhelmingly, firms report that their top reasons to do green work are client demand (35 percent) and market demand (33 percent)—two key business drivers of strategic planning. The next top reasons were also oriented toward the corporate bottom line—lower operating costs (30 percent) and...

PHILADELPHIA—Campus Apartments, a developer and manager of university-affiliated real estate, announces that its first hotel development, Homewood Suites by Hilton—University City, was awarded the Silver level of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.The upscale extended-stay hotel, which provides residential-style accommodations for visitors to area universities and medical facilities, opened in May 2012 after 18 months of development. Located in Philadelphia’s University City District, the hotel was designed and constructed to meet green building standards with sustainable systems and an energy-efficient envelope.The City of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp. and The...

SAN FRANCISCO—U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the world’s largest conference dedicated to green building, kicked off earlier this week at San Francisco’s LEED Gold Moscone Center with 7,000 attendees. The morning’s opening plenary, headlined by MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” co-hosts Mika Brzezinksi and Joe Scarborough marked the official launch of the 2012 show.Now in its 11th year, Greenbuild convenes 35,000 members of the green building industry for three days of education sessions, renowned speakers, networking events, and a vast exhibition floor with thousands of booths. This year’s location in San Francisco is ideal: With more...

NEW YORK—M1T Partners, LP (M1T), an SEC Registered Investment Advisory addressing the needs of private equity and merger and acquisition specialists by placing investments and providing the necessary advisory services to arrange, structure, execute and syndicate transactions, has finalized a preliminary round of funding of Adoba Eco Hotel, the first independent hotel chain to design, build and convert fully LEED certified hotels. M1T’s $75 million investment represents the first round of financing of a five-year plan to accelerate Adoba’s national expansion plan. M1T’s investment in the Adoba Eco Hotel brand expansion is being conducted through the firm’s fund that...

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—Native Trails, the maker of luxury, sustainable furnishings for kitchens and baths, has expanded its collection of hand crafted accessories and furnishings. The Harmony and Solace Mirrors are part of the brand’s Renewal Series, which consists of bath furnishings and accessories made from bamboo.“We continually look for ways to enrich people’s surroundings with good design and sustainable materials,” said founder and CEO of Native Trails, Naomi Neilson Howard. “The Renewal Series illustrates bamboo’s warm persona, providing myriad choices in bath furniture and mirrors for designers and homeowners to create distinction and depth in their living spaces.”Artisan...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new set of Global Alternative Compliance Paths, or Global ACPs, are now available for all commercial projects pursuing LEED green building certification using the 2009 versions of the rating systems. Global ACPs offer a flexible method for projects around the world to demonstrate compliance with the LEED credits that are traditionally more challenging for projects outside of the United States.“Global consistency and a regional approach mean providing flexibility in referenced standards while ensuring that LEED certification signifies the same level of excellence worldwide,” said Scot Horst, senior vice president, LEED, USGBC. “By focusing on global standards and...

VANCOUVER, B.C.—GSky Plant Systems Inc. will be exhibiting its three Green Wall Systems: Pro Wall, Versa Wall and Basic Wall at the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo from November 14 to 15, in San Francisco for the first time.Pro Wall is designed to thrive in demanding climates and outdoor environments, therefore can be installed virtually on any outdoor surface. In contrast, the Versa Wall demonstrates as the most versatile interior Green Wall System, with the only system that has 100 percent water efficient capability in the industry. Furthermore, to accommodate large building area coverage, GSky’s Basic Wall Container System...

FREDERICK, MD.—The 120-suite TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Frederick, Md., has opened. The TownePlace Suites Frederick will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned by Westview Hospitality Associates, LLC and managed by Plamondon Hospitality Partners.The hotel is expected to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification for its contributions in making the environment a healthier place by reducing waste and conserving energy and water. It is the second TownePlace Suites to receive this level of certification and will be achieving LEED certification via Marriott’s LEED Volume program using the pre-certified prototype for the brand.Green features include: a fleet...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Valley Forge Fabrics has received the 2012 Marriott International Supplier Sustainability Leadership Award. Marriott made the announcement at their International Global Discipline Conference. Marriott’s “Supplier Sustainability Award” is designed to annually recognize one of Marriott International’s suppliers who have made the greatest impact on their guests and properties through innovative ideas that help Marriott meet their sustainability goals. This year two suppliers were honored with Marriott’s prestigious award; Ecolab also took home this recognition.Valley Forge Fabrics is the largest producer of decorative fabrics for the lodging industry. Over the past several years, the company has been honored...