ATLANTA—To reduce the building design industry’s impact on the environment, key leaders in that sector are collaborating to establish carbon-neutral buildings by the year 2030. The American Institute of Architects (AIA), the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), Architecture 2030, the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), supported by representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy, finalized an agreement of understanding, establishing a common starting point and a goal of net zero energy buildings. “This agreement allows the building design sector to move forward with...

WEST BLOOMFIELD, MICH.—In Crypton’s ongoing effort to provide cleaner, greener and better textiles to the marketplace, the company announced that going forward, all Crypton Fabrics, not just Crypton Green, will now be finished with its new, low-emitting, optimized formulations for stain, moisture, bacteria, and odor resistance. By June 2007, all fabrics processed at Crypton’s Kings Mountain facility will be using the same recalibrated chemistry that was developed for Crypton’s greenest product, Crypton Green. Crypton Green leads the company’s “Green” initiative, a combination of optimized chemistry and basecloth requirements. However, the company came to the conclusion that to be...

BUENA VISTA, COLO.—You can huff and you can puff but you will never be able to blow down the walls of the Las Manos Bed and Breakfast in Buena Vista, Colo. The walls are made of straw. Well, mostly. They are actually constructed from bales of straw and covered with concrete stucco. They are solid, fire proof, and have an energy efficient insulation value of R-50. The unique exterior wall structure is just one of the fascinating elements of the B&B set within view of Colorado’s majestic 14,000-foot peaks. The 2,600-square-foot home, which includes two large suites ranging from 600...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced that projects seeking certification under the LEED Green Building Rating System can now earn “Innovation in Design” points by using the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) program for certified building products, as well as products certified by other established systems. C2C assesses products on a number of criteria, such as the use of safe and healthy materials; design for material reuse and recycling; efficient use of energy and water throughout production; and instituting strategies for social responsibility. The C2C design paradigm was developed by William McDonough and Dr. Michael Braungart,...

NEW YORK—Greenhouse 26, the first green boutique hotel in New York City, will open at 132 W. 26th St. in Spring 2008. Blending first-class amenities with progressive environmental initiatives, Greenhouse 26 will apply for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status, establishing that hotels of all sizes can be successfully green. Sustainability has been an integral part of the development and design process for developers Jack Ancona, who has been in the New York City real estate industry for over 50 years, and Flatiron Real Estate Advisors LLC. With the belief that outstanding design is inherently...

TUALATIN, ORE.—Hartmann & Forbes, fabricator of sustainable handcrafted window coverings, announces the launch of the ErtheWeave Collection, the company’s first line of textile window coverings. The European-inspired collection includes more than 70 natural textiles with more than one-third being handwoven. “Handcrafting natural textiles is the logical next step for Hartmann & Forbes,” says Michael Jones, Hartmann & Forbes’ founder and CEO. “We searched exhaustively throughout Europe for the finest natural materials and wove them into a collection that will provide designers with high-end, environmental sensitivity they won’t find anywhere else.” The ErtheWeave Collection captures the texture and...

LAS VEGAS, CHICAGO—The HD 2007 Expo & Conference, to be held in Las Vegas at the Sands Convention Center from May 9-12, and the National Restaurant Association Show, to be held in Chicago at McCormick Place from May 19-22, will both feature myriad green events for attendees—everything from a green luncheon at the HD 2007 Expo & Conference to a Green Restaurant Products Pavilion at the NRA Show. In Las Vegas, HD Expo & Conference green activities will kick off on Wednesday, May 9, with the second annual Green Luncheon. Three case studies will be presented, each of which involves...

LAS VEGAS—Empire Resorts Inc. and the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe announced that they are exploring ways of making the proposed St. Regis Mohawk Casino at Monticello Raceway in Sullivan County (N.Y) the first such facility in the Northeast to be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. Empire Resorts is the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe’s development and management partner in the $600 million project. Steven Winter Associates will be guiding the developers through the LEED certification process. “Empire Resorts looks forward to working with the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe in exploring the possibility of building...

PLANO, TEXAS—EnviroGLAS announced a significant expansion and the reapportionment of sales regions to meet the rapidly increasing demand for recycled glass and porcelain counters, floors, wall panels and landscaping mulch. EnviroGLAS has added 14 architectural representatives in the last year, and EnviroGLAS products are now carried in at least 30 showrooms across the country, many of which are new green building supply stores. The expanded sales team can be viewed at www.enviroglasproducts.com/reps.asp. The number of EnviroGLAS dealers is expected to double in 2008. “Earth Day is this weekend,” says president and founder Tim Whaley. “It’s the perfect...

LOS ANGELES—Bentley Prince Street has taken another step in its Mission Zero sustainability commitment through a unique partnership with the Asset Network for Education Worldwide (ANEW) Foundation, a charitable 501 (c)(3) organization that collects and repurposes surplus furniture, fixtures and equipment for groups in need. Their goal? Create a program that unites environmental sustainability with social responsibility—keeping carpet out of overflowing landfills while, at the same time, helping community learning programs that can benefit from repurposed carpet. Through this partnership, Bentley Prince Street will work with ANEW to identify and assess surplus carpet—carpet that for one reason or...