SAN DIEGO—In this new age of evolving plug-and-play appliances, electronics, and even automobiles, NOVI Industries, Inc. is innovating traditional bathroom construction methods by manufacturing custom-built, prefabricated modular bathrooms with the introduction of InoviaPods.  InoviaPods are manufactured off-site with efficient quality control procedures, strict health and safety standards and built using environmentally-friendly materials such as light-gauge steel framing and magnesium-oxide board sheathing. These major structural components have several advantages: fire proofing; and resistant to water infiltration, pests, mold and mildew, as well as seismic activities. They are completely non-toxic materials. Built to clients’ specifications and needs such as size, layout, finishes,...

BETHESDA, MD.—The Courtyard Charleston/Summerville in South Carolina will be the first hotel built using Marriott International’s green hotel prototype, in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). This will dramatically accelerate the company’s goal to have 300 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) hotels by 2015. Marriott is the first in the hospitality industry to launch a green hotel prototype that has been pre-approved by USGBC as part of its LEED Volume program, meaning that any Marriott hotel that follows these plans will earn basic LEED certification, or possibly higher, upon USGBC final approval. The new Courtyard hotel...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Green building professional credential holders with one of the LEED AP or LEED Green Associate designations can now look for the new “GBCI Credential Maintenance Program (CMP)” logo to identify courses that meet the LEED credential maintenance requirements. Ongoing learning makes innovation and market transformation of the building industry possible by introducing new ideas and preparing professionals to embrace them to create high-performance building projects. Credential maintenance ensures green building professionals remain at the cutting edge in their knowledge of green building practices and LEED, bolstering the LEED Professional Credentials’ reputation as a mark of excellence for the industry’s...

DALLAS—Motel 6’s newest property in Northlake, Texas, is the first economy hotel in the nation to attain LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and the first hotel for parent company Accor to gain the distinction. “With the brand’s ‘Phoenix’ prototype, we are setting the pace for the future of Motel 6, which, in line with our values, must be as energy-efficient as possible,” said Olivier Poirot, CEO of Accor North America, Motel 6 and Studio 6. “LEED’s high environmental standards lend a great deal of credence to our efforts, and we...

ANN ARBOR, MICH.—NSF International announced that Mannington Commercial is the first company certified to NSF’s new American National Sustainability Assessment Standard for resilient floor covering. Certification against this standard provides a means to evaluate the environmental performance and sustainability attributes of a range of floor products. The new standard, NSF/ANSI 332 Sustainability Assessment Standard for Resilient Floor Coverings (NSF/ANSI 332), was developed to help the floor covering industry recognize and promote sustainable manufacturing practices. Mannington Commercial has met the environmental and sustainability criteria and provides proven assurance to the public regarding these products. NSF/ANSI 332 establishes a point-based system in which...

ATLANTA—With signs of the economy and the hospitality design industry steadily returning back to life, HD Boutique will return to the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Fla., on Tuesday, September 14, and Wednesday, September 15, 2010. Considered the sister show to Hospitality Design Exposition & Conference (HD Expo) in Las Vegas, the event will draw more than 450 global manufacturers to showcase the latest and most inventive products directly applicable for existing or future hospitality projects. More than 3,500 key decision makers will comprise show attendees, including designers, architects, purchasing agents, and hospitality owners and operators who will...

HEALDSBURG, CALIF.—The July 4 holiday weekend turned out to be a good time to open for the new water-themed h2hotel in California’s Northern Sonoma Wine Country. The four-story, 36-room hotel sold out—a good sign for the owners of the $19 million property. A collaboration among David Baker + Partners, the architect responsible for the AIA design award-winning Hotel Healdsburg, Andrea Cochran Landscape Architecture, and Marie Fisher and Jen Gadiel Interior Design, h2hotel is primed to earn a  LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Unique in many ways, h2hotel is located within 10 miles of 100 wineries and...

ATLANTA—Two newly constructed Marriott International-branded hotels located in Atlanta’s Gateway Complex—adjacent to one of the world’s busiest U.S. airports and home to the Georgia International Convention Center—will be among the greenest hotels in the city. The SpringHill Suites Atlanta Airport Gateway is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) registered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and on track to becoming Atlanta’s first LEED Gold hotel. The Atlanta Marriott Gateway will apply for LEED Silver status upon opening in August. This major step in Atlanta brings Marriott one step closer to its goal to expand its LEED portfolio...

NORTH WALPOLE, N.H.—Len-Tex Corporation, a manufacturer of commercial wallcovering, announced that Arc-Com Fabrics, Inc. of Orangeburg, N.Y., has been named as a new sales partner for its Surface iQ PVC-free wallcoverings. Arc-Com is now the third channel partner representing this vinyl alternative, joining Carnegie Fabrics of Rockville Center, N.Y., and MDC Wallcoverings of Elk Grove, Ill. The new partnership will allow expanded market presence for the Surface iQ product line, broaden its availability to the A&D community and provide more options for sustainable design solutions. “We’re very pleased to establish this new partnership with Arc-Com,” said Don Lennon, president...

LONDON—For the second year running, Milliken Contract is ranked among the top green companies in the United Kingdom. In London, The Sunday Times cited Milliken Contract, ranked at 13 for 2010, as being “at the forefront of good environmental management” in its annual ranking. “This recognition reinforces that Milliken approaches stewardship in the same manner around the globe,” said Bill Gregory, director of sustainability, Milliken & Company. “This list has built a reputation for showcasing the very best environmentally-focused companies and it is testament to our commitment to sustainability that we continue to be ranked among the top...