LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.—Montage Deer Valley, which opened in Park City, Utah in December 2010, has been awarded Silver Certification as part of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for New Construction V2.2. This third-party rating system has been designed to encourage the design, construction and operation of more sustainable buildings. Montage Deer Valley, the first certified hotel in the state of Utah, is a newly constructed mixed-use hotel and residential project which has been LEED certified as a single development, denoting it as a high performance building that is a responsible, efficient and healthy...

BETHESDA, MD.—Leaders in the recently launched Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium welcome its newest member, Contract Decor International, a source for high-quality, custom-manufactured window treatments and bedcovers. The Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium, led by MindClick SGM, is working collaboratively to develop an industry-wide Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Index (HSPI). HSPI will help hotel owners purchase products that both reduce their properties’ environmental impact, and contribute to guest comfort, health and well-being.“We recognize and fully support the Consortium’s commitment to greening the hotel industry through purchasing,” said Michael Handler, CEO of Contract Decor. “Working closely with designers, brands, purchasing firms and owners...

SILVER SPRING, MD.—Choice Hotels International, Inc. announced it has executed a lease for a new corporate headquarters in Rockville, Md. The news follows the October 25, 2010, announcement by Governor Martin O’Malley, Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and City of Rockville Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio that Choice Hotels had signed a letter of intent to move to Rockville when the lease on the company’s current building expires in 2013. The new headquarters, which will pursue LEED certification, will be located at a building being completed at 121 Rockville Pike in Rockville Town Center, where the company will occupy more than...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The International Code Council recently announced that Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed into law legislation passed by the state’s General Assembly adopting the International Green Construction Code (IGCC) as an optional requirement for new construction. Maryland’s adoption of the IGCC, effective in March 2012, will apply to all commercial buildings as well as residential properties more than three stories high. The IGCC is a tool designed for jurisdictions to adopt into laws reducing the environmental impact of construction projects while keeping construction safety measures intact and enforceable. “We applaud Maryland’s leadership in adopting an adaptable, affordable and enforceable code...

CROSSVILLE, TENN.—Crossville, Inc. announced that it has become the first tile manufacturer in the United States to achieve certification of its waste recycling programs through Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), an independent, third-party certifier of recycled claims. Crossville has joined with TOTO, the world’s largest manufacturer of sustainable, luxury plumbing products, to recycle that company’s pre-consumer fired sanitary ware. This material from TOTO has been recently certified by SCS as part of the EcoCycle Fired Waste Process, marking the latest development in Crossville’s EcoCycle Recycling Processes program. SCS has verified that through these recycling processes, Crossville annually recycles approximately 12 million...

SAN DIEGO—Cali Bamboo, a manufacturer of green building materials for residential and commercial projects made primarily from bamboo, launched its BamDeck Composite Bamboo Decking made from 100 percent recycled materials. With durability characteristics twice the density and strength of other decks, it’s the only decking product made from 30 percent recycled bamboo fibers and 70 percent recycled plastics. “We’re really excited about the launch of BamDeck Composite,” said Jeff Goldberg, CEO of Cali Bamboo. “Not only is it the ultimate green choice in outdoor decking, but it’s incredibly easy to install using the hidden fastening system. Another factor that residential...

SPOKANE, WASH.—Prestyl USA is launching a line of far-infrared Radiant Artwork heating panels—panels of customizable thin-film artworks that provide heat to any room in a residential or commercial setting. Prestyl’s heating panel products are based on a highly efficient and reliable French thin-film technology that has been used in aircraft, ships, trains, homes and public buildings overseas for nearly 16 years. But now Prestyl has successfully incorporated this film into ultra-thin panels, printed artworks and decorative ceiling modules. The Prestyl far-infrared technology does not heat the air; the energy is reflected by some surfaces and absorbed by others, thus creating...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—Manchester Texas Financial Group LLC announced a proposal for a 1035-room hotel adjacent to the Austin Convention Center that will pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification. The project includes two restaurants, retail, and 115,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space. Manchester Financial Group LP of San Diego (the parent company), contributed the land for the San Diego Convention Center and built both the Manchester Grand Hyatt and The San Diego Marriott Marquis and Marina consisting of approximately 3,000 rooms. Douglas Manchester admires what he refers to as “Texas’ finest city” and believed in the...

SNOWMASS, COLO.—Viceroy Snowmass, which opened to rave reviews in late 2009, announced that it has been awarded LEED Gold certification, established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Viceroy Snowmass is the first hotel in Aspen/Snowmass to be awarded LEED Gold as well as the first luxury hotel in Colorado to receive this prestigious designation. By incorporating sustainable design and construction, innovative operational practices, and a culture of environmental stewardship, Viceroy Snowmass aims to...

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.—The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) International has collaborated with NSF International, a leading ANSI-accredited developer of more than 75 American National standards, to develop Product Category Rules for the furniture industry. The National Center for Sustainability Standards (NCSS), founded by NSF, will serve as the Program Operator for developing the furniture Product Category Rules (PCR). Product Category Rules (PCR) help meet the growing demand for science-based support to verify environmental product claims and eliminate greenwashing. PCRs define how to conduct a life cycle assessment for a particular product group and what to include in the...