NEW YORK—KnollTextiles introduces the Renew Collection of three environmental upholstery fabrics made of recycled and recyclable polyester, with no added backings or finishes. KnollTextiles has engineered this trio for high durability (between 80K and 100K Wyznbeek double rubs) while keeping it earth-friendly, without adding materials to the face or back of the fabric which can prevent it from being recycled into its component parts. Knoll, as a corporation, takes environmental issues seriously, from a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas, to making sustainability an integral part of its business, and KnollTextiles has long been a leader in environmental textiles....

Name: Wen-I ChangTitle: Founder and PresidentCompany: Atman Hospitality Group, Inc., South San Francisco SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO—Wen-I Chang, founder and president of Atman Hospitality Group, Inc., based here in South San Francisco, is a lodging industry groundbreaker. He is not only talking about building green hotels, he is doing it. In fact, his first environmental property—the 133-room Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa in American Canyon, Calif.—opened in October. Chang also is developing the 133-room Atman Hotel in Anderson, Calif., a 141-room Merced Center Hotel in Merced, Calif., and a property in Mt. Shasta, Calif. Each of Atman Hospitality Group’s properties will...

KENNESAW, GA.—In a significant step to reduce the carpet industry’s environmental footprint, The Mohawk Group introduces Encycle, a patent-pending, PVC-free (polyvinyl chloride) modular carpet backing system. A model of sustainable design, Encycle is the only carpet tile designed with three thermoplastic layers and zero water-based components, enabling complete recyclability back into itself without separation. The innovative new backing system also incorporates 35 percent pre-consumer recycled content by total product weight and utilizes 28 percent less virgin raw materials. “The Mohawk Group’s investment in the development of revolutionary products like Encycle underscores our commitment to sustaining a healthy...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—Oasis West Realty, LLC, the owner of The Beverly Hilton, and Hilton Hotels Corp. announced the first new west coast Waldorf=Astoria hotel as part of their $500 million long-term plan to revitalize the nine-acre hotel property at the corner of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards in Beverly Hills. “Bringing two legendary hotel brands together in Beverly Hills will create a new legacy of luxury for The Beverly Hilton property,” says Beny Alagem, chairman of Oasis West and owner of The Beverly Hilton. “Together, The Waldorf=Astoria Beverly Hills and The Beverly Hilton will create a one-of-a-kind hotel property that...

MILL VALLEY, CALIF.—Opening in June 2007 in Napa Valley, Solage Calistoga will prove that pampering guests and sustainability can go hand in hand. The first property from Auberge Resorts’ fresh new luxury brand will reflect a philosophy of eco-consciousness that focuses not only on environmental stewardship, but also personal health and wellbeing. “Solage Calistoga will give us an exciting opportunity to put our environmental beliefs into action,” says Mark Harmon, CEO and managing partner, Auberge Resorts. “We think it’s possible for a resort to operate sustainably without sacrificing style or luxury. We’re confident that our guests and staff...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Phase one of the Hope Lake Lodge in Cortland, N.Y., is scheduled to begin construction within the next 60 days. The year-round family resort will include the renowned Greek Peak Ski Resort, a new 106-room Lexington Resort and Villas, an indoor water park, restaurant, and a Cascades International Spa. The Lexington Resort and Villas is being designed to comply with U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards and will include geothermal heating and cooling elements. “This is a very exciting time for us,” says Sam Kryger, vice president of Peak Resorts Inc.,...

Congratulations to the City of Vancouver, Wash., Hilton Hotels Corp. and Fletcher Farr Ayotte (FFA) Architects for successfully obtaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the Hilton Vancouver Washington hotel. The 226-room property, owned by the City of Vancouver, was designed by FFA and is managed by Hilton Hotels Corp. Only a few other properties in the United States have reached LEED certification status. The Hilton Vancouver Washington earned a LEED-NC rating because it adhered to guidelines established for new construction. I recently spoke with Gerry Link, general manager of the hotel, and he was...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Milliken Hospitality as a Green Product Directory partner. Since 1990, Milliken has reduced its environmental footprint by more than 85 percent while setting new benchmarks in green manufacturing. All of the company’s manufacturing plants have recorded zero waste to landfill since 1999. Milliken Hospitality’s numerous product lines reflect the company’s environmental concern. All Milliken Hospitality modular carpet collections are PVC-free, chlorine free, 100 percent renewable, 100 percent recyclable, meet stringent green certifications and reduce packing waste. Bio-based TractionBack adhesive-free installation improves indoor air quality by...

VANCOUVER, WASH.—The Hilton Vancouver Washington—one of the country’s first green, environmentally sustainable hotels—has been certified under the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system, the nationally accepted benchmark for green buildings. This coveted certification recognizes buildings’ superior performance in areas such as water savings, low-impact landscaping, reduced energy use and indoor air quality. The Hilton Vancouver Washington is the first LEED-certified Hilton in the world and one of only a handful of LEED-certified hotels in the United States. “We are obviously very proud to have a hotel in America’s Vancouver receive this prestigious certification,” says Mayor Royce Pollard. “It is...

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Fortune magazine announced that Milliken & Co. has once again been ranked on the tenth annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, coming in at No. 93. Milliken also ranked No. 36 on the Best Medium-Sized Company list. The complete list and related stories appears in the January 22 issue of Fortune, available on newsstands January 15 and now at www.fortune.com. “Milliken’s incredibly talented workforce has demonstrated again that quality of work-life goes hand in hand with quality of product, environmental excellence, and social responsibility,” says Dr. Ashley Allen, Milliken’s president & CEO. “We will continue...