VENICE, CALIF.—Sustainable contemporary furniture-design firm Animavi announced the introduction of the Animavi Artisan Screen, a seven-section, freestanding space-defining sculpture for commercial and custom residential applications. The Artisan Screen is comprised of seven handcrafted steel bases that can be configured in a linear or serpentine form, enabling a six- to seven-foot length. The base unit is available in two finishes: artisan patina or raw steel. The seven-foot vertical planks that make up the screen can be specified in three different material options: Chroma by 3form, Varia Pure Color ecoresin by 3form or Forest Stewardship (FSC)-certified bamboo by Plyboo. “The Artisan Screen is...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As a part of the broader vision for LEED V3, the certification bodies for the LEED Green Building Rating System were announced. Well-known and respected for their role in certifying organizations, processes and products to ISO and other standards, they are: ABS Quality Evaluations, Inc.; BSI Management Systems America, Inc.; Bureau Veritas North America, Inc.; DNV Certification; Intertek; KEMA-Registered Quality, Inc.; Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance Inc.; NSF-International Strategic Registrations; SRI Quality System Registrar, Inc.; and Underwriters Laboratories-DQS Inc. In the spirit of the most successful LEED projects, this evolution in the certification process is being undertaken as an integrated...

LYNDEN, WASH.—Lynden Door Inc., a manufacturer of wood flush interior doors, announced that it has been third-party certified for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody (SGS-COC-003855). The FSC COC audit report found the Lynden plant to be a safe, efficient and progressive manufacturing operation. “Lynden Door’s lean manufacturing initiatives are a perfect platform from which to launch Chain of Custody certification,” said senior vice president John Ridder. “Furthermore, the company’s order flow, accounting and procurement processes all offer strong administrative support for Chain of Custody documentation. We welcome traceability as a fundamental of our overall manufacturing operation, and as...

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Hospitality Group announced its designer partnership with Angela Adams. Featuring signature designs celebrating the inspiring beauty of nature, Adams’ sustainable collections, Ocean and Garden, present timeless landscapes from the land and sea. “We are pleased to partner with Angela Adams, a leader in contemporary design,” said Desiree Worsley, v.p. of marketing, Shaw Hospitality Group. “Our innovative collaboration is focused on delivering inspirational designs for both public and private spaces in a way that provides unprecedented opportunity for our clients to create unity and harmony throughout their properties.” Ocean and Garden are designed as a celebration of the tides, the...

CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE—The transformation of Inn by the Sea into one of Maine’s premier luxury beach destinations is complete after a massive multi-million dollar makeover, announced the inn’s general manager, Sara Masterson. The renovation seamlessly weds contemporary amenities and green design features with traditional coastal charm to create an atmosphere of upscale elegance throughout the property. Guests are given a touch of the red carpet treatment the instant they are ushered into comfortable leather chairs for ‘check-in’ in the renovated lobby, now open to scenic Atlantic views. A nautical compass rose detail on the granite floor is repeated beyond an...

SOUTHAMPTON, BERMUDA—Scout Real Estate Capital CEO Alan Worden announced that work on the company’s new five-star resort hotel on the site of the old Wyndham Beach Resort in Southampton Parish (formerly Sonesta Beach Resort) is progressing on schedule. Scout intends to present its proposed plans for the property to the government’s Special Cabinet Committee for approval in early September 2008. Current estimates place project development costs at $300 million. Scout plans to pursue U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the hotel. Preliminary plans for the hotel include more than 150 luxury hotel rooms,...

VANCOUVER ISLAND, B.C.—Starwood Capital Group LLC and Marine Drive Properties Ltd. CEO, Elke Loof-Koehler, announced the development of a landmark hotel-condominium at Wyndansea Oceanfront Golf Resort, home to the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club of Canada. The property is located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, adjacent to the Pacific Rim National Park and will be known as the 1 Hotel Vancouver Island at Wyndansea. 1 Hotel and Residences is the first global hotel brand to combine the best of environmentally sustainable architecture and interior design with first-class service and luxurious comfort. Located on the west coast of...

LAS VEGAS—NaturesCast, Inc. of Las Vegas, a member of the Sustainable Furniture Council, has entered the U.S. hospitality market with a line of chic and modern furniture, and décor accessories made from agro-forest waste. A Filipino-based eco-friendly master furniture and décor accessories manufacturer, NaturesCast functional and artistic décor products are unique in that they are constructed from agro-forest waste including dry leaves, dead twigs and barks from the forests around Compostela, Province of Cebu, Philippines. The collected materials are shredded through a special machine and bonded together using an odorless water-based binder and then shaped into a variety of unique...

SANTA MONICA, CALIF.—The Ambrose Collection, having pioneered environmentally responsible practices years before “green” buildings were touted by the media, has made history with the recognition of its flagship property, The Ambrose, as the first-ever U.S. hotel to earn LEED-EB certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Under the vision of its founder and president, Deirdre Wallace, The Ambrose has earned a Silver LEED-EB (existing building) award, based on measurements set forth by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System™, USGBC’s system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy-efficient, and high-performing buildings. ...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Pacific Hospitality Design, Inc. as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Pacific Hospitality Design manufactures quality custom furniture and furnishings for the hospitality and high end residential industries. Pacific Hospitality Design has made a long term commitment toward sustainable manufacturing in seating and case goods. Products are manufactured in various species of kiln-dried Forest Stewardship Council lumber. The company also offers kirei board and kirei bamboo for exposed areas as an optional design element. Other components include: foam which is a 100 percent recycled rebound material, upholstery...