COLUMBIA, S.C.—“It just happened that way,” says Hema Patel, in regard to her company’s Holiday Inn & Suites Columbia-Airport opening on Earth Day 2010. Planned or not, it certainly was appropriate that the five-story, 122-room hotel opened on a day that recognizes the birth of the modern day environmental movement. The hotel, which is owned by Patel and her husband’s Capital Hospitality, LLC and operated by the couple’s Courtesy Management Inc. of Orangeburg, S.C., is expected to earn LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in early 2012. Patel says the intent initially was not to build...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Viridian Wood Products announced the introduction of a new line of 4’x 8’ architectural-grade veneered panels milled from reclaimed North American wood, according to Viridian co-owner Joe Mitchoff. Viridian’s sliced veneers—derived from old-growth redwood previously used in wine tanks, Oregon black walnut reclaimed from urban salvage, and old-growth Douglas fir from warehouse deconstruction—are produced domestically and laid-up on urea formaldehyde-free, FSC-certified medium density fiberboard (MDF) in a variety of thicknesses, including fire-rated cores. Mitchoff said more species are being sourced for launch in the future. “These are distinctive, beautiful and rich in history, a befitting use of some amazing wood,”...

NEW YORK—Raw, an InterfaceFLOR modular carpet tile product created from yarns derived from a combination of salvaged fishing nets, post-industrial waste, and fibers from the company’s own processing of reclaimed carpet products, is among 100 products named “Best of What’s New” for 2011 by Popular Science magazine. In naming Raw to this noteworthy list, Mark Jannot, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, said, “For 24 years, Popular Science has honored the innovations that surprise and amaze us—those that make a positive impact on our world today and challenge our views of what’s possible in the future. The ‘Best of What’s New’ Award is...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes LittleFootprint Lighting as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. The company is the maker of the HeronLED Personal Task Light. It is the first desk lamp made from recycled ABS plastic from e-waste. The replaceable LED bulb lasts 15 years or longer and uses just 4 watts. The lamp produces a “warm white” light, more than 230 lumens, at 58 lumens/watt. The desk lamp and bulb are manufactured in the United States and can contribute to LEED in several categories. The desk lamp comes with a...

NOTTINGHAM, PA.—Zandur, a green manufacturer dedicated to developing the world’s most environmentally sensitive flooring products, announces the launch of a new tile size in their “True Green” line of natural Cork Rubber Flooring. The 12" x 24" tile addition creates extensive opportunity for designers to discover their own unique patterns by mixing and matching square or plank cut tile in nearly limitless combination. Zandur’s high performance material is available in 48 standard colors.    Zandur’s Cork Rubber Flooring is made from more than 65 percent recycled and renewable cork and 35 percent rubber and meets the requirements of numerous...

NEW YORK—Sustainability consultancy MindClick SGM, founder and leader of the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium, is working with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to advance the shared mission of a sustainable future for hospitality.  The rapidly growing Consortium, comprised of more than 25 global companies, is creating a scorecard rating system to measure the sustainability performance of suppliers of hotel furnishings and supplies. The scorecard, known as the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Index (HSP Index), measures corporate social responsibility, product, and environmental sustainability performance. Consortium members are currently evaluating the HSP Index to ensure that it meets the information and measurement...

NATIONAL REPORT—The hospitality industry is no stranger to green initiatives and has been committed to sustainability programs for a long time. With the 24/7 nature of their operations, hotels, restaurants, and related businesses have a huge impact on the Earth’s resources, making the conservation of water, energy, and raw materials a top priority that also makes good business sense for owners. According to the EPA Energy Star Program, U.S. hotels spend close to $4 billion on energy costs each year and are the fourth most intensive users of energy in the commercial sector. Lighting accounts for nearly 25 percent of...

SANTA MONICA, CALIF.—Shore Hotel opened last month on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, just steps from the Santa Monica Pier, Third Street Promenade, and the city’s popular beaches and shopping districts. Shore Hotel is the newest addition to the coastline—a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified property that offers eco-friendly accommodations. Independently owned and operated by the Farzam family, Gensler Architecture conceived the 164-room hotel’s modern California exterior and interior design. The open-air, U-shaped design of Shore Hotel showcases an outdoor pool and patio, distinctive, steel trellis and three-tier glass sky bridge. Amenities on property include a...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The first annual NEWH Sustainable Design and Development Conference and Tradeshow will be held on December 9 at the Capitol Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. This tradeshow will bring together innovative, sustainable leaders, ideas, products, design and tangible business results. NEWH invites all members of the design and development community, hospitality industry, event professionals and sustainable partners who are looking to gain further insight and to promote and build strong business relationships to attend this new industry show. The trade show and conference will be a one-day event and will conclude with a cocktail reception on the show floor....

TORONTO—Hunter Douglas Contract's GreenScreen Revive fabric received Cradle to Cradle Certification at the Silver level from MBDC. The high-performance roller shade fabric is made with PVC-free polyester using 89 percent recycled Repreve fibers. Each yard of GreenScreen Revive fabric uses 11 post-consumer bottles. To earn Cradle to Cradle certification, GreenScreen Revive had to possess the followingcharacteristics: • Material health: safe and healthy for humans and environment.• Material reutilization: material contains recycled and recyclable content.• Renewable energy use: commitment to use solar, wind, geothermal, or other renewablesources of energy during the manufacturing process.• Water stewardship: ensure clean water leaves the factory after...