BERKELEY, CALIF.—Architects, engineers, and urban planners are consistently seeking to access and manage the environmental impacts the buildings they produce. Although the operational energy of commercial structures in the United States accounts for approximately 35 percent of total electricity consumption, the materials that are used to build the building are also scrutinized for their environmental impact.The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has a new software tool for building professionals studying all phases of the complete lifecycle of a building, from acquisition of materials to construction, the use of the building, and finally demolition and end of life to determine its...

BLOOMSBURG, PA.—Bloomsburg Carpet, a maker of woven broadloom carpet, announced the introduction of its new Lineal collection. Combining contemporary colors and a modern aesthetic achieved through clean lines and textures, the collection offers four distinctive yet complementary styles:  Lineal, Grid, Inverse Grid and Rib. Thirty-three colorways ranging from neutral to contemporary are available across the four styles. All of the products are made with Zeftron nylon, a 100 percent fully renewable premium nylon 6 fiber brand.  The Lineal collection combines Bloomsburg’s weaving process for broadloom carpet with Zeftron’s color palette and styling options. Nine colors such as Barley, Charcoal,...

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—Native Trails, a company offering sustainable, artisan-crafted furnishings for kitchen and bath, is providing more finish options in select 100 percent recycled, handmade copper pieces, giving end-users more selections than ever before. Continuing to expand its product offerings, Native Trails is making its Antique finish available for the first time in the complete Maestro Collection of lavatory basins.Since its establishment some 15 years ago, Native Trails has earned a reputation for bringing eclectic sophistication to high-end kitchen and bath furnishings with evocative, authentic, artisan-crafted designs that incorporate recycled, reclaimed or green-certified materials.Artisans in Central Mexico handcraft...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Results of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) 2012 Lodging Survey provide strong evidence that the greening of the U.S. lodging industry is continuing. Funded by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF) and conducted by STR, 52,155 U.S. hotel properties were polled in the survey that is conducted every two years. Similar data has been collected since 1988. There was a healthy response rate of 23 percent to this year’s survey.While most of the questions were repeated from previous years, there were new questions as well. For example, hoteliers were asked for the first time...

DENVER—Denver-based Sage Hospitality, a hotel manager, developer and owner, announced that the 150-suite SpringHill Suites Denver Downtown at Metro State is now open. Located in the heart of downtown Denver, the $45 million hotel is situated just a quick walk from the Pepsi Center, the Colorado Convention Center and the popular Larimer Square, LoDo district and 16th Street Mall.The SpringHill Suites Denver Downtown at Metro State expects to receive Silver Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Green features include the use of only high efficiency plumbing fixtures and low VOC paints...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Viridian Reclaimed Wood announced the introduction of a new range of FSC-certified reclaimed old-growth Douglas-fir tabletops, according to Viridian co-owner Joe Mitchoff.The tabletops, which can also be used for countertops, are milled from a deep inventory of Douglas-fir beams reclaimed from decommissioned buildings. Some beams are well in excess of 100 years old, in long lengths with extremely tight grain patterns.“The beams we reclaim for our Doug-fir tabletops come from abandoned warehouses, decrepit docks and old gymnasiums,” Mitchoff said. “And they exhibit all the character and seasoned beauty you would expect from a centuries-old piece of lumber.” Three Varieties...

OAKLAND, CALIF.—Dramatically-styled with interwoven panels of hand-etched aluminum, Basket Weave wall assemblies are the newest decorative offerings from Móz Designs. Utilized as a large-scaled backdrop in a reception area or public lounge, or placed as a smaller-scaled art installation in a restaurant, corporate lobby or private residence, Basket Weave offers a unique visual presentation.Because of the versatility of Móz color and pattern options—and the range of scaleable sizes—Basket Weave offers designers a unique opportunity to create a contemporary installation compatible with any architectural style or theme.Environmentally-friendly, Móz Basket Weave is fabricated from 85 percent post-industrial recycled aluminum and contributes...

GARDEN CITY, N.Y.—Matching eco-friendly nanotechnology with modern aesthetics, WAC Lighting offers two new Organic LED luminaires. “Designed and engineered to stimulate curiosity and aesthetic appeal among the design and specification community, our next generation OLED luminaires raise the bar with a unique lighting experience of vision and sustainability,” said WAC Lighting president, Shelley Wald.The Vela OLED Chandelier is defined by a dramatic contemporary profile laser-crafted of aluminum, with 12 OLED panels that illuminate surfaces below, and 12 additional OLEDs that shine upward to render a soft ambiance that evokes a lighter sense of space and visual comfort. The chandelier...

NEW YORK—Designtex, a Steelcase company, announced its Surface Imaging facility in Portland, Maine, has been recertified by the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), a nonprofit organization providing sustainability certification in the graphic communications industry. SGP recertification demonstrates Designtex’s continued commitment to sustainable practices throughout its organization. “Commitment to sustainability and maintaining sustainable manufacturing operations is continuous,” says Marci Kinter, chair, Sustainable Green Printing Partnership Program. “We are pleased that Designtex’s facility in Portland, Maine has once again stepped up and recertified under the SGP banner. Recertification sends a strong message that sustainable business practices remain an integral part of...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that the total footprint of commercial projects certified under its LEED green building program surpassed two billion square feet. An additional seven billion square feet is currently in the pipeline across the globe as registered projects.“In communities around the globe, leaders from every sector of the building industry are reinventing their local landscapes with buildings that enliven and bolster the health of our environment, communities and local economies,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & Founding Chair, USGBC. “The journey to this milestone has energized our economy-funneling $554 billion annually into the...