LONDON—International carpet manufacturer Milliken Contract ranks sixth in Britain on the second Sunday Times Green List published May 24. The 60 Best Green Companies in Britain were revealed in a special supplement to the newspaper. Forster, a London-based marketing, public relations and design agency, tops the Green List, a definitive guide to businesses with the most radically improved environmental performances. An awards ceremony was held in London’s Covent Garden. Richard Caseby, managing editor of The Sunday Times, said, “The 60 companies in this survey are all pioneers—enterprising, enlightened and fizzing with new ideas. All have a common sense of...

CHICAGO—Builders, remodelers and other industry professionals seeking molded interior doors that meet or exceed green building industry standards can specify CraftMaster Green Doors from CMI. The new, environmentally-friendly doors are made with sustainable materials, recycled content, and low VOC primers and adhesives, and they produce low formaldehyde emissions. CraftMaster Green Doors are available in all CraftMaster raised panel, molded door designs from the original six-panel Colonist and four-panel, square-top Coventry to the two-panel, square top Carrara; arched top, two-panel plank Cashal and others. To complement a wide range of styles and decorating tastes, many passage and bifold doors can be...

SAN FRANCISCO—One of San Francisco’s eco-chic hotels now ranks as its greenest according to the industry standard set by the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) internationally recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification system. Hotel Carlton, a Joie de Vivre boutique property, has earned the prestigious LEED Existing Building Operations and Maintenance (LEED-EB O&M) Gold certification from the USGBC. The hotel is the first in the country to earn the rigorous Gold certification under the USGBC’s newly-revamped LEED-EB O&M rating system which debuted last year and was designed specifically to address the needs of existing buildings. ...

NAPERVILLE, ILL.—Following an extensive evaluation process, Naperville’s Hotel Arista has received official LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), becoming the state of Illinois’ first hotel to achieve this status in green design. “We are thrilled to have accomplished this certification, which not only demonstrates that being environmentally friendly is how we were constructed from the ground up, but also as the way we operate and the very core of what Hotel Arista stands for,” says Jeff Wardlaw, general manager, Hotel Arista. Located in Naperville, a 45-minute drive west of downtown...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) began testing candidates who wish to pursue the new LEED Green Associate credential or the new LEED Accredited Professional (AP) Operations and Maintenance (O+M) credential. The LEED Green Associate credential is intended for individuals seeking to propel their professional journey into the green building industry. It represents the demonstrable knowledge and skills needed in the allied professions and non-technical fields of practice related to green design, construction and operations. It is also the first step for professionals if they later choose to become a LEED AP. “LEED APs have become a force...

ATLANTA—Brintons, the world’s largest producer of custom woven Axminster carpet, has reached a significant landmark in its bid to guarantee its customers the best possible service after becoming the first Axminster carpet supplier to launch its own large format strike-off simulation program. The Axminster Modeling Program (AMP) allows Brintons’ customers to visualize custom designs and color schemes in Axminster construction through computer-generated paper simulations, rather than through traditional woven strike-offs. The use of AMP ensures significant time savings can be achieved at various stages during an installation project and it also brings a number of valuable environmental benefits. Brintons has taken...

LAS VEGAS—PFISTER Custom Faucet Solutions, a custom fixture design program created for the benefit of the hospitality industry, was unveiled last month at HD Expo in Las Vegas. PFISTER Custom Faucet Solutions enables design-focused clients to partner and collaborate one on one with the PFISTER Industrial Design Team, disciplined in traditional applied art and the integration of state-of-the-art technology, to develop unique designs true to original inspiration in as little as eight weeks. “Customization and exclusivity are in high demand in almost every U.S. market segment,” said Nick Kruse, marketing director, PFISTER. “PFISTER Custom Faucet Solutions enables hospitality clients working...

SAN DIEGO—When the Hotel Indigo San Diego-Gaslamp Quarter opens August 1, it will be the first InterContinental Hotels Group hotel to open with LEED certification as a goal. It will also be the first hotel in San Diego to pursue LEED and the first Hotel Indigo to open in that city. There is currently just one other Hotel Indigo in California—in Rancho Cucamonga. The 12-floor, 210-guestroom property was built where an auto repair shop once stood. Non-hazardous material from the building site was recycled and diverted from the local landfill. The hotel is located close to the active Gaslamp...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Valley Forge Fabrics has introduced its newest FRESH innovation, LIVING FRESH with Tencel+Plus. Tencel+Plus is the only Eucalyptus fiber engineered for hospitality. LIVING FRESH with Tencel+Plus includes a Eucalyptus fiber and cotton blend. Valley Forge quietly introduced LIVING FRESH to the largest hotel brands earlier this year. There are currently five major hotel companies with LIVING FRESH in their product testing phase and each company is rushing to be the first to market with the new product. “Another phenomenal aspect of LIVING FRESH with Tencel+Plus is the incredibly soft hand and the fact that no fabric softener is...

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—NYLO Providence/Warwick has received Green Hospitality Certification from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM). In a ceremony before Rhode Island’s hospitality industry elite, the 163-room, urban loft hotel was honored for its outstanding conservation and recycling programs. NYLO Providence/Warwick is the state’s first hotel to run on 100 percent renewable energy. Through a partnership with People’s Power & Light, the property offsets its entire electricity usage with a mix of local and regional solar, wind, biomass and hydroelectric power sources. “Despite New England’s high energy costs, NYLO is deeply committed to sustainability,” says Christine Nevers, general manager,...