INDUSTRY, CALIF.—Bentley Prince Street, a leading manufacturer of stylish floor coverings for nearly three decades, launched Mystic Journey, a collection of five carpet patterns designed by New York-based designer Joanne De Palma. All five styles—Falling Rain, Vortis, Future Connections, Intuitive Impulse and Journey’s Path—are available in broadloom. Falling Rain is also offered in 18” X 18” carpet tile. “As part of our Mission Zero goal of eliminating any negative impact our company has on the environment by the year 2020, Bentley Prince Street is constantly seeking opportunities to partner with designers who share our sensitivity to our vulnerable planet and...

LAS VEGAS—About 400 people, including hotel developers, designers, architects and others were in attendance on the first day of the UNLV & JMBM Hotel Developers Conference here in Las Vegas. The event at the Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa was packed full of educational sessions and networking opportunities—all geared toward helping attendees understand the true cost of green hotel development, as well as the ins and outs of the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. The conference began with a keynote speech by Dan Esty, Director, Center for Environmental Law...

LOS ANGELES—This spring, Los Angeles will have an artful new sanctuary to showcase Southern California’s eclectic cultural landscape. Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, the leading boutique hotel company, is preparing for the debut of its latest project, Hotel Palomar Los Angeles. Located in Los Angeles’ upscale Westwood neighborhood, adjacent to Beverly Hills at 10740 Wilshire Blvd., the sophisticated boutique hotel will boast an art theme, environmentally-friendly focus, 268 guestrooms and sweeping city views. The Hotel Palomar brings Kimpton’s award-winning environmentally responsible practices to Los Angeles. Beyond paying lip-service to the green trend, Kimpton sees its eco-friendly efforts as integral to its...

NATIONAL REPORT—When the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced revisions to its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Existing Buildings Rating System late last year, it was good news for hotel owners and operators. Now called LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance (O&M), the system is a better fit for hotels and is attracting the interest of many of the leading hotel companies. There are now approximately 200 hotel projects registered with USGBC. Most are seeking LEED for New Construction (LEED-NC) certification but the number of U.S. building owners pursuing LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M is...

NORTH WALPOLE, N.H.—Len-Tex Corp. announced that the entire line of its Surface iQ non-vinyl wallcovering has earned the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Certification at the Silver tier for healthy and sustainable product design from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC). Surface iQ is the only printed commercial grade wallcovering to have earned this certification. In order for products to be certified under Cradle to Cradle guidelines, both the product and all components must pass rigid material requirements for environmental and human health. Additional criteria for certification include product and material reutilization, energy and water usage during production as well as social...

ANDERSON, CALIF.—Just south of the town of Redding, Calif., a new 122-room green hotel is nearing completion in the town of Anderson. Gaia at Anderson, built for $14 million and scheduled to open in March, is the latest project from Wen-I Chang, creator of America’s first LEED Gold certified hotel—the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa in American Canyon, Calif. Maintaining his high standards for the ultimate in an eco-friendly hotel, Chang has directed the construction crew to use state-of-the-art green building practices. Scraps of wood, cardboard and metal left over from the nearly completed construction are recycled. The contractor...

LAS VEGAS—Travelworm, a leading provider of casino and leisure travel, recently announced a marketing strategy designed to aid in raising awareness of the issues affecting the state of the environment. The 15-year-old travel company plans to do this by launching a promotions campaign focused specifically on ecologically sustainable travel, starting with earth-friendly accommodations, or green hotels. To be labeled a green hotel, a business must be able to prove a commitment to the ideals espoused by the green movement. Evidence of this commitment may be presented through participation in a state-sponsored program such as the Green Lodging Programs initiated by...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Building project teams pursuing certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System now have the opportunity to view the Innovation & Design Credit Catalog—a listing of proven green building strategies that have been submitted and utilized by LEED Certified projects. Building projects earn Innovation & Design LEED credits by demonstrating quantifiable environmental benefits through new strategies and techniques not specifically specified in the LEED Rating System—innovative strategies and techniques that go above and beyond. Points, or credits, are awarded to projects that develop innovative solutions, employ new technologies...

LAS VEGAS—Last July, when Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. announced its approximately $1 billion expansion of Caesars Palace—an addition that includes a new 665-room hotel tower and 263,000-square-foot meeting and convention center—it did not talk about one important element of the project: its pursuit of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. According to Eric Dominguez, Director of Energy and Environmental Services for Harrah’s, the LEED initiative is just one of many of the company’s efforts to build and operate in an environmentally responsible fashion. The new Caesars Palace hotel addition—named Octavius Tower for the...

CHERRY HILL, N.J.—Harbor Linen, a leading manufacturer and distributor of quality linen for the hospitality and cruise line industry, has gone green with its new Orchid Towel Collection made with Bamboo. Bamboo is one of the most eco-friendly textiles available. Bamboo thrives naturally without the use of pesticides. This natural cellulose fiber is converted into yarns without the addition of chemicals, and is 100 percent biodegradable. “This is an extremely luxurious, soft and rich, absorbent towel,” said Dennis Doucette, hotel manager of The Biltmore in Coral Gables Fla., which recently upgraded its entire resort and spa with the Orchid...