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...

HARTFORD, CONN.—Do “green” buildings protect human health from environmental hazards? The answer is “not necessarily,” according to a recent report released by Environment and Human Health, Inc. (EHHI), titled “LEED Certification: Where Energy Efficiency Collides with Human Health.” EHHI is a nonprofit organization composed of doctors, public health professionals and policy experts who specialize in research that examines environmental threats to human health. The organization receives no funding from corporations or businesses. The lead author of this study is John Wargo, Ph.D., professor of Risk Analysis and Environmental Policy at Yale University. Wargo summarized the study, “Although the U.S. Green...

LAGRANGE, OHIO—West Development Group (WDG), a leader in sustainable roofing products and practices, introduces E-VersiBlock, a high-performance, versatile, and sustainable alternative for mounting commercial rooftop accessories. WDG’s E-VersiBlock rooftop equipment mounting system can be used in a variety of ways to support HVAC unit rails, gas pipes, electrical conduit, and walkways. It can also be used for equipment curbs, solar panel mounting, and structural framing mounts. These units are connectable and offer increased versatility when used with metal framing, pipe clamps, struts, couplings and other attachments. Each E-VersiBlock is designed to allow for two-way drainage that significantly reduces...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—The International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Show (IHM&RS) invites hospitality designers from across the globe to submit entries for the 30th annual Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design, the premier interior design competition for the industry. The coveted awards are presented in eight categories: Best Hotel Design, Guest Room, Lobby/Reception Area, Lounge/Bar, Restaurants/Casual Dining, Restaurants/Fine Dining, Spa and Suite. Entries must be submitted by July 1, 2010. Designers of hotels, motels, timeshares, restaurants, clubs, cruise ships, casinos, conference centers, spas and other hospitality facilities are encouraged to enter the competition, which last year considered more than...

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.—Representatives from Shaw Industries Group, Inc. joined California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and William McDonough at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. recently for an event marking the launch of the Green Products Innovation Institute (GPII). The first nonprofit institute of its kind in the United States, the GPII is dedicated to transforming the way companies design and manufacture products by advancing the Cradle to Cradle framework developed by architect and designer William McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart. Speaking at the event, Shaw CEO Vance Bell said that Shaw, an early adopter of Cradle to Cradle design, was...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Arizona’s Aloft Tempe is now officially Tempe’s greenest. Aloft Tempe has been awarded the coveted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Aloft Tempe becomes the seventh LEED certified property for Aloft brand parent Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “Environmentally-conscious development has never been more important than in today’s business environment,” said Michael Mahoney, CEO of Triyar Hospitality, the hotel developer. “Our mantra has always been to build into the future and with the Aloft brand and LEED certification, we believe we have achieved that goal.” With more...

SAINT-GEORGES, QUEBEC—Victor Group, a leading North America-based textile company, announced that the company is partnering with cf stinson, a leading supplier of contract fabrics, to launch the Jazz Collection, a new fabric collection that features the Victor Group’s Eco Intelligent PC Recycled Polyester with Agion. The fabrics in the Jazz Collection—inclusive of the antimicrobial, dyes and chemicals—are certified Cradle-to-Cradle Silver by MBDC. Cradle to Cradle certification is a multi-attribute eco-label that assesses a product’s safety to humans, the environment and design for future life cycles. The Jazz Collection, created by renowned designer Jane Wicks, represents the next evolution in cf...