LAGRANGE, GA.—InterfaceFLOR is previewing new products that represent the first commercial carpet made from post-consumer, recycled nylon 6,6 fiber. InterfaceFLOR has formed an exclusive, international alliance with an Italian-American company to introduce a patent-pending technology that allows for effective and affordable reclamation of nylon 6,6 in order to recycle it for use in the commercial market. Through the new technology, InterfaceFLOR will now be able to reclaim all types of carpet from both the commercial and residential marketplaces, regardless of the type of face fiber or backing used, thereby reducing waste sent to landfills and further reducing...

DES PLAINES, ILL.—Bedding manufacturer United Feather & Down will unveil some of its newest “Natural Treasures” during the New York Home Fashions Market Week, August 6-10. The company will showcase its latest products, with a focus on natural and eco-friendly materials. These will include: • Eileen West Collection—New looks from top designer Eileen West.• Joseph Abboud All-Natural Collection—New designs, featuring organic and all-natural product. • Proneem®—A patented, natural, non-chemical, anti-microbial treatment for down and down-alternative products, for those who prefer the organic lifestyle. • 360° Fiber Technology—Previewed in MicroMax and SilverFill, United Feather & Down’s proprietary process that transforms down alternative fibers into fiber ball clusters....

LOS ANGELES—Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro LLP (JMBM), one of California’s foremost full-service law firms, announced that its Global Hospitality Group closed the senior debt portion of the capital stack on one of the largest single hotel mixed-use projects in the country—the Hollywood W Hotel & Residences. The complex construction loan transaction was for JMBM client, HSH Nordbank AG, a leading credit institution headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, and particularly renowned for very large construction loans on luxury hotel projects. “This is going to be one of Hollywood’s flagship developments,” says attorney Guy Maisnik, lead counsel specializing in hospitality transactions. “This...

ASHLAND, ORE.—DreamSacks Inc. has launched a line of bedding made from 100 percent bamboo fiber. Often compared to silk or very high thread count cotton, bamboo is extra gentle next to the skin and wicks moisture away from the body. Bamboo is a fast growing grass that regenerates quickly in the wild, free from chemicals and fertilizers. It can grow up to a foot a day, making it a highly sustainable resource that is completely biodegradable. Using a process similar to making paper, the bamboo pulp is refined so it can be spun into fabric. ...

SAN FRANCISCO—The Orchard Garden Hotel has been awarded Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). San Francisco’s first hotel to earn this honor, the Orchard Garden is only the fourth hotel in the United States to earn this certification. LEED is the USGBC’s leading edge system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, energy-efficient, high performing buildings. The 86-room hotel is set in the heart of San Francisco—one block from Union Square, steps away from the Chinatown gate and adjacent to the Financial District. Inspiration for the hotel comes from its 83-year-old...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Sterling Sleep Hospitality, Garden Grove, Calif., as a Green Product Directory partner. Sterling’s unique modular mattress systems save money by allowing one to replace any of the interchangeable parts like zippered pillow tops and other components instead of replacing the entire bed. Their environmentally friendly system reduces waste while extending mattress life. All six models come completely apart for proper cleaning. Sterling Sleep Hospitality is a registered EPA WasteWise endorser. Hotels and others that purchase modular mattress systems from Sterling are eligible to become EPA WasteWise Partners. Sterling will...

CLEARWATER BEACH, FLA.—The Sandpearl Resort, slated to open in August, has been designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) certification requirements. JMC Communities, the resort’s developer and owner, is resolute in following the specific LEED requirements, which include elements that preserve the beauty of Clearwater Beach so that it can be shared with generations to come. A prime example is the resort’s salt bromine pool filtration system, which, while costing twice as much as a standard system to install, was a required element of the owner. The Sandpearl resort is passionate about not putting chlorine waste into...

VANCOUVER, B.C.—A green facility since it opened in 1987, the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre (VCEC) is on track to triple its size in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The addition to the existing building will be a dramatic one and will include a six-acre green “living” roof, seawater heating and cooling, a fish habitat built into the building’s foundation, and an on-site water treatment facility. Forty percent of the addition will sit over the water, creating a striking contrast to the famous fabric roof sails that are part of the original building. According to Catherine Wong, vice president...

BUFFALO GROVE, ILL.—Profitability of America’s corporations will be closely tied to proactive sustainability practices and green building principles, according to findings from the new McGraw-Hill Construction (part of The McGraw-Hill Companies) SmartMarket Report: Greening of Corporate America commissioned by Siemens Building Technologies Inc. and Siemens USA. The study shows that most U.S. corporate leaders are interested in sustainability, with the majority looking at proactive ways to make it a consistent part of their mission. According to the study’s findings, 18 percent of responding corporate leaders are in the upper—or market transformational stages—with 15 percent viewing sustainability as a...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that it will commit $1 million to green building research. These funds will be targeted at increasing research in areas such as energy and water security; global climate change prevention; indoor environmental quality; and passive survivability in the face of natural and man-made disasters. “Our pledge to invest $1 million in research is a reflection of USGBC’s commitment to its vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation,” says Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. “The industry needs to take giant steps forward in construction,...