CHARLESTON, S.C.—GreenWizard, a Web-based solution designed to simplify building material selection and management, announced a technology partnership with U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), creators of the LEED green building program and LEED Online. This partnership enables users of GreenWizard and their LEED Assessment tools to easily sync up data and information with LEED Online, the software platform that manages the LEED green building certification process. Using the LEED Automation API, GreenWizard is the first product management solution to integrate with LEED Online, and this integration is the first step toward a fully automated process (called LEED Automation) for obtaining...

MIAMI—Some important project details are currently confidential—the name of the owner and developer, for example—but information released by Miami-based Oppenheim Architecture + Design indicates that a 244-room, 440-foot high hotel is in the pipeline for the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y. The hotel is being design to earn LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. According to Carolina Botero, a designer at Oppenheim Architecture + Design, the hotel is still in the early stages of development and will be completed by 2015. Key sustainability features will include vertical access wind turbines, green roof, rainwater harvesting and reuse,...

SAN DIEGO—Cali Bamboo, a manufacturer of green building materials made primarily from bamboo, announced its newest product, CaliClick Engineered Flooring, which is designed to snap together without nails or glue. The engineered bamboo click flooring combines the company’s Fossilized strand woven proprietary manufacturing process and an optimized engineered base. “We’ve worked diligently to provide a click flooring option and it’s without a doubt an offering that many people will say is a lifesaver,” says Tanner Haigwood, vice president of Cali Bamboo. “It literally makes installation a snap and offers the same great scratch resistance qualities and high Janka Ratings that...

MINNEAPOLIS—Carlson, a privately held, global hospitality and travel company, announced that its world headquarters earned the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Silver level certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (LEED EB O&M) certification. LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Carlson is the 40th LEED EB certified property in Minnesota; of which, two are rated Platinum, 15 are rated Gold, 11 are rated Silver (including 701 Tower) and 12 are rated Certified. The project was completed in 11 months and was a joint effort by several departments...

ZEELAND MICH.—Contract furniture maker Herman Miller is the first company certified by global public health and environmental organization NSF International to the highest level for sustainable furniture BIFMA level 3. Products certified to the level program may satisfy state and federal purchasing requirements and earn points toward LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. Certification to level 3 demonstrates Herman Miller’s Aeron, Celle, Embody, Mirra, and SAYL task seating; Setu multipurpose seating; and Caper stacking seating products all have achieved the highest level a product can reach under the BIFMA furniture sustainability standard. The level designation signifies that a...

BOSTON—As early as April 2012, Boston will welcome its new Boston Hostel. Perhaps the most expensive hostel in the world, the $43 million project has been designed to earn LEED Silver certification. The new hostel’s location at 19 Stuart Street is at the intersection of Boston’s midtown cultural district, theater district, and Chinatown, close to the Boston Public Garden and adjacent to public transportation. Set in the renovated six-story, 60,000-square-foot Dill Building, the Boston Hostel will have 468 beds, a common area for guests, a self-serve kitchen, and another kitchen for group functions. The hostel is expected to attract...

COOPERSBURG, PA.—Energy-saving light control manufacturer Lutron Electronics announced that its Washington, D.C. Commercial Experience Center has been awarded LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the USGBC’s leading rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy-efficient and high-performing buildings. Lutron Experience Centers are showcases of Lutron’s most impactful residential and commercial products and solutions. The Washington, D.C. facility specifically showcases commercial products in use in a variety of vignettes (conference rooms, offices and more). “We’re pleased to have achieved USGBC’s LEED Gold Certification,” said Andy Wakefield, director of Government Relations at Lutron. “Knowing...

GASTONIA, N.C.—Flanked by the mayor and city council of Gastonia, N.C., a crowd of local business owners, event planners, community organizations, arts committees and local residents watched Mayor Jennie Stultz cut the ribbon on the long-awaited 30,000-square-foot, multi-use Gastonia Conference Center. Located in downtown Gastonia, the Center is easily accessible to I-85, just 15 miles from Charlotte/Douglas International Airport. The Center’s design pays homage to the surrounding architecture and heritage of the area and is registered for LEED Gold certification. The $10 million project is a centerpiece of downtown Gastonia’s robust revitalization to create a strong sense of community...

LOS ANGELES—As part of its effort to increase the use of recycled content and reduce energy use, Samsung recently received an upgraded Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) certification on 21 Staron Solid Surfaces and five Radianz Quartz Recycled Content products. In addition to the newly certified products, SCS certification was renewed on several Staron and Radianz Recycled Content colors. Along with the SCS certification, Samsung has also been accredited GREENGUARD Level 3 certification, meaning all Staron Solid Surfaces, Tempest and Radianz Quartz products are certified to be low-emitting materials that lead to better air quality indoors. “We pride ourselves on our commitment...

HOUSTON—Construction has started on the Hilton Garden Inn Houston Northwest—Americas Plaza, the first hotel in Texas scheduled to open with LEED Gold Certification, one of the highest environmental rankings bestowed on a building by the U.S. Green Building Council. Located at Highway 290 and West Little York, the 172-room property is scheduled for opening in November 2012 and will be owned and managed by Houston-based New Horizons Hospitality. The company’s portfolio of owned and managed hotels includes two Hampton Inns and a Homewood Suites in northwest Houston and a Hilton Garden Inn located in The Woodlands. As of October of this...