WASHINGTON, D.C.—To address the challenges of green design in the hospitality industry, RTKL recently completed participation in a year-long working committee facilitated by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The committee, formally known as the Hospitality Adaptations Working Group, was charged with developing sustainable design guidelines specifically tailored for lodging, food and beverage, and conferencing facilities. RTKL principal Laura Galbreath AIA, LEED AP, the sole architect to serve on the committee, is optimistic that the new guidelines will encourage more hotel developers and operators to enhance their sustainability goals in accordance with USGBC standards. “While most clients are interested in sustainable...

PLYMOUTH, MINN.—Advance now offers battery and electric burnishers that meet requirements for sustainable cleaning equipment specified by the Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance Rating System (LEED-EBOM). Advance burnishers that meet requirements for contributing points to LEED-EBOM certification include the Advance Advolution 20BT battery burnisher and the Advance Advolution 20XP electric burnisher. The Advolution 20BT and Advolution 20XP burnishers are both available with active dust control and operate at sound levels of less than 70 dBA, which are requirements under the LEED-EBOM program. Burnishers with active dust control include a shroud and vacuum system...

WEST VALLEY CITY, UTAH—Home2 Suites by Hilton, a mid-tier, extended-stay hotel brand targeting budget-conscious business and leisure travelers, announced it will break ground on its sixth U.S. property in West Valley City, Utah. This will be the debut of Hilton Worldwide into the West Valley City market. Scheduled for completion in November  2011, the 79-suite, four-story hotel will be owned by HWV, LLC and managed by Inn Management, Inc. Homes2 Suites executives joined with community leaders, including West Valley City Mayor Mike Winder, at the late January groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the second Utah location for Home2 Suites. “Home2 Suites is...

COLUMBIA, MD.—New Energy Technologies, Inc. announced that researchers have successfully developed a first-generation 12" x 12" working prototype of the company’s SolarWindow technology, capable of generating electricity on see-thru glass. Compared with its 4" x 4" predecessor, unveiled in September 2010, the debut marks a significant achievement for the company as it continues to work towards producing a commercially marketable product. The new prototype marks a 300 percent increase in size over its predecessor, and is the first-ever working SolarWindow of its dimension. Researchers fabricated this prototype using New Energy’s patent-pending process for “spraying” the company’s electricity-generating coatings directly onto glass,...

DALLAS—NYLO Hotels LLC announced plans for a third hotel in the Dallas-Fort Worth market, this one in South Side Dallas, a thriving community just south of downtown. This project marks two “firsts” for the lifestyle hotel brand; it will be NYLO’s first conversion property, and it will be the first NYLO hotel to pursue LEED Silver Certification. The NYLO Dallas South Side will break ground in the first quarter of 2011 and open in the first quarter of 2012. The hotel will be operated by NYLO Hotels and developed by Matthews Southwest. NYLO Dallas South Side will be located three...

SAN DIEGO—From the floors of the Americas Lodging Investment Summit in San Diego last week, Advaya Hospitality unveiled a global lifestyle hotel brand before an audience of industry insiders. The brand, MODO Hotel, which will have some green features, will make its debut in major markets around the world, starting with a minimum of five properties in India and another five in Brazil. Advaya also is in the early stages of establishing a fund to acquire strategic assets and build new hotels, targeting major U.S. markets like New York, Kansas City and Miami. MODO presents a new take on hospitality...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Building insulation products from Dow Building Solutions have achieved recertification by the Cradle to Cradle Certification program, a well-known, multi-attribute eco-label that assesses a product’s safety and environmental impact. Originally certified and announced at IBS last year after rigorous analysis,  STYROFOAM Brand Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Foam Insulation and SAFETOUCH Fiberglass-Free Insulation both recertified at the SILVER level, while STYROFOAM SIS Brand Structural Insulated Sheathing, THERMAX Exterior Insulation, and STYROFOAM Brand Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) Insulation all achieved BASIC recertification. “We feel that recertification of our building insulation products under a holistic analysis like Cradle to Cradle is a preferred...

DALTON, GA.—Zeftron nylon, a premium branded nylon 6 fiber for the commercial interiors marketplace, announced that Julie Kelly is the grand prize winner of its second annual Sustainable Practices Award. Kelly, an interior designer at Chicago Design Network, was chosen for her variety of innovative green practices. Sheri Gorman, director of business development and marketing at RD Weis Companies, was selected as this year’s runner-up. The award honors commercial architecture, interior design and facility professionals who incorporate sustainable practices at home, at work and in their communities. “Zeftron nylon recognizes that the key to a sustainable future is not just...

ATLANTA—IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) the world’s largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced that its in-house sustainability system—Green Engage—has been awarded with a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) volume precertification established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). IHG is the first hotel company to receive this award for an existing hotels program. The USGBC’s LEED rating system is a program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. Volume precertification is a preliminary step that provides a streamlined path to LEED certification for a large group...

LAS VEGAS—Healthier Choice Flooring, LLC will launch a new line of stainable flexible transition moldings, called Flexitions, at Surfaces 2011 in Las Vegas. The event will be held January 25 to 27. The company will also display its line of “green” cushions and underlayments which includes premium products for residential, commercial and hospitality markets.Flexitions is the solution to installation headaches when dealing with a curve, arch or radius. Available in t-molding, threshold, reducer, stair nose and quarter round profiles, Flexitions can be stained and finished to match and or coordinate floor coverings such as wood, laminate, tile, vinyl, stone...