LAS VEGAS—Last week’s HD 2008 Expo & Conference was the setting for the introduction of hundreds of new green products. Furniture, floor covering, fabric, wall covering and other vendors capitalized on the opportunity to talk about the ways their products incorporate recycled content, reduce or eliminate volatile organic compounds (VOCs), reduce waste, and lower energy consumption. It would be a Herculean task to mention every new product but here are some of the highlights from last week’s event at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas. Valley Forge Fabrics introduced its 100 percent recycled and recyclable polyester drapery...

LAS VEGAS—Inspired by design trends seen at European markets, Amtico introduces the Back to Black collection of saturated, abstract floor tiles that bring a striking twist to commercial interiors. The collection features rich undertones and is finished with a subtle pearlescent sheen that creates a lacquered appearance. Four products comprise the Back to Black range: Vamp, a dark, deep and mysterious shade of black; Desire, a rich, bitter dark chocolate brown; Envy, enigmatic dark olive tones; and Poison, a rich shade of aubergine. When the floors in the Back to Black collection are combined with opulently styled furniture and accessories the...

LAS VEGAS—A total of 270 people attended Hospitality Design’s Green Day here at the Sands Expo and Convention Center on Tuesday, May 14. Even more—450—attended the publication’s third annual Green Luncheon, at which environmental lifestyle expert Danny Seo provided the keynote speech. The strong turnout was proof that lodging’s design community is eager for green learning and networking opportunities. Green Day kicked off with a session entitled, “Why Go Green?” Tode Rubenstein, president, Ecodynamix Consulting, Inc., emphasized that green practices are most definitely not a trend. For hoteliers, he said, the benefits to greening operations include cost reductions, increased revenue,...

SAN FRANCISCO—Joie de Vivre Hospitality has announced its latest innovation in the hotel world—Domain Hotel—located in Sunnyvale, Calif. After a complete renovation, the former Radisson was re-introduced last month with a new identity fitting with its Santa Clara-meets-Sunnyvale location. One of the few hotels going green in the south bay, the new Domain Hotel, offering 124 rooms and 12 suites on three levels, is decorated in two themes—Tranquility and Awakening—each of which are offered upon check-in, depending on the guest’s preference. If one is interested in Awakening, it’s possible to reserve one of the rooms where the outside is brought...

PITTSFORD, N.Y.—G3 Technology Innovations, LLC (G3i) announced the launch of a new website for GreenShield, the next generation of textile finish. The website offers information about the GreenShield product family, the technology behind GreenShield, answers to frequently asked questions, and contact information for enquiries. GreenShield is the only fabric finish that responsibly manages environmentally harmful chemicals. Unlike other textile finishes, GreenShield uses at least eight times less fluorocarbon to deliver similar or better water and stain repellency performance on most fabrics. It is the greenest and safest multifunctional finish for textiles on the market today, reducing or eliminating...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL.—Valley Forge Fabrics, Inc. has developed the first ever 100 percent recycled polyester drapery fabrics that are inherently fire retardant to meet all vertical fire codes. These Earth-friendly textile constructions are 100 percent post consumer recycled polyester and the first to be serviceable without any additional fire retardant chemicals. The drapery fabrics look and perform like their conventional non-recycled and chemically treated ancestors, but have two major differences. First, they are inherent so there is no risk of the fabric losing its FR properties after washing. Secondly, these inherent FR recycled fabrics have less of an environment footprint...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Green Lodging News has added its eighth case study to its Vendor Case Studies section. The case study focuses on the Lied Lodge & Conference Center in Nebraska City, Neb., and its selection of Milliken & Co. to replace its 13-year-old carpeting in its guestrooms and public areas, including the focal-point grand staircase. Milliken broadloom met the green building criteria with a custom carpet that modifies and updates the original design elements. Michelle Galvin of Galvin Design Studios sought to complement the rustic feel of the interior. The acorn-and-leaf motif chosen for the carpet uses earth tones and greens....

BATTLE CREEK, MICH.—Deep Lake, a wellness resort planned here, will be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. The Battle Creek township has approved the Planned Unit Development for the resort which is situated on 300 rolling and wooded acres with five lakes. The plan includes multiple conference rooms, wellness center, spa, dining room, and 122 guestrooms. The Village at Deep Lake, a community of 137 homes, will surround the resort. Guests, villagers and area residents will have the convenience of a wellness facility lead by a physician trained in a holistic medicine. There will...

SAN FRANCISCO—Smith & Fong Co., manufacturer of Plyboo bamboo architectural plywood and flooring, announced it has secured certification according to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and established the sustainability of its bamboo forest resource, enabling the company to produce the world’s first range of FSC-certified bamboo plywood and flooring. Product will be available to the North American market by this summer. “The independent European FSC-certifier Institut für Marktökologie (IMO) was impressed with our forestry practices and agreed that if we could meet the same FSC standards for a tree forest, it would certify our bamboo source,” Smith...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Swisssol USA Creative Body Care as an advertising partner. Swisssol USA Creative Body Care is the maker of the Press + Wash dispensing system. The system, which can dispense liquid soap, body lotion, shampoo and bath/shower gel, helps the environment by eliminating individual bottle waste. Press + Wash can reduce costs by up to 35 percent a year. Press + Wash is a long lasting and tamper-proof system. It is drip free and will not leak. Press + Wash offers an attractive image design and is available in...