AMERICAN CANYON, CALIF.—The Gaia Napa Valley, a hotel incorporating environmentally friendly building design and technology, has opened here. The 133-room hotel, set on four acres, was designed to appeal to ecotourists. The hotel is pursuing gold LEED certification. The hotel will use solar power, water-saving techniques and certified wood, harvested with the long-term health of forests in mind. A mural by world-renowned artist Yuan Lee reflects on the spirit, beauty and resources of nature in the Napa Valley and surrounding areas. The hotel’s half-acre lagoon has its own ecosystem and is surrounded by a lush garden with...

ATLANTA—InterfaceFLOR Commercial introduces TacTiles, a new installation system designed to enhance the flexibility and efficiency of InterfaceFLOR modular carpet. TacTiles are patent-pending 3-by-3 inch adhesive squares made from a chemically inert polymer, the same polymer used to make soda bottles. They are affixed to the backing of adjoining InterfaceFLOR carpet tiles, bonding the tiles to each other to create a “floating floor.” Because TacTiles contain no liquid components, their use virtually eliminates the issue of volatile organic compounds, so they can be installed almost anywhere at any time, even in an occupied space. TacTiles allow installers to...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starwood Capital Group, led by Barry Sternlicht, announced the launching of “1” Hotel and Residences, the first luxury, eco-friendly global hotel brand. The concept will combine the best of environmentally sustainable architecture and interior design with luxury service and comfort. “1” will adhere to green construction and operating principles and commit to environmentally sensitive consumption of natural resources. “1” will demonstrate that green principles can coexist and enhance a luxury hospitality experience and healthy residential lifestyle. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has agreed to be an environmental advisor on “1” with the initial goal of...

KENNESAW, GA.—Reinforcing its commitment to providing customers with an expansive collection of sustainable carpeting for contract interiors, The Mohawk Group announces that numerous product platforms have achieved SCS (Scientific Certification Systems) Sustainable Choice Platinum and Gold/Environmentally Preferable Product (EPP) certification. Platinum and Gold are the highest levels of achievement recognized under the new national Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard, NSF-140-2005. The standard is the industry’s new sustainability benchmark for ensuring environmentally and socially responsible carpeting products. “Providing our customers with high quality sustainable products has always been a driving force in The Mohawk Group’s design and manufacturing processes,”...

EXCELSIOR, MINN.—Sustainable Lifestyles introduces its line of natural fiber rugs and carpet. The flooring products do not off-gas like those made from synthetic materials. The raw product for the company’s flooring is sustainably harvested. Sustainable Lifestyles offers a large variety of Sisal, Seagrass, Mountain Grass and Sisal Wool styles. The rugs come in standard and custom sizes, shapes and borders. Wall to wall carpet is available. The company will be exhibiting at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York, November 11 to 14, at booth No. 4011. Go to Sustainable Lifestyles.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. unveiled its new extended-stay hotel brand: Element, a brand extension of Westin Hotels & Resorts. The Element name, new logo and website were unveiled last week at the 2006 Lodging Conference in Phoenix. “With Westin, we recreated the upper-upscale segment in the hotel industry,” says Starwood’s Chief Executive Officer Steven J. Heyer. “Strategically, Element fits into this mold. It is about creating a new category from the ground up. We know that Starwood’s guests are hungry for a new kind of extended-stay experience, and Element fills this white space in our portfolio...

AMERICAN CANYON, CALIF.—Imagine a hotel with the sound of birds chirping on a green roof, swans gliding across a half-acre lagoon and koi swimming in a pond. Designed to appeal to eco-tourists who want luxury and comfort, Napa Valley’s first environmentally sustainable hotel, Gaia Napa Valley, will open next month. Cutting-edge, environmentally friendly technology was used in its construction and will be applied in the daily operations. Gaia Napa Valley will offer the ultimate experience of harmony with nature. The hotel is pursuing gold LEED certification. The lagoon has its own eco-system, is surrounded by a lush...

OTTAWA, ONT.—The EcoLogo Program, an environmental certifying and labeling program, is about to launch its “EcoLogo USA Campaign 2006-2007.” The EcoLogo Program certifies products and services as Green and environmentally preferable in a variety of fields and industries. This includes everything from cleaning chemicals, building materials and agricultural products, to automotive and boating tools and equipment. According to Kevin Gallagher, EcoLogo vice president who is heading the program, the goals of the EcoLogo USA Campaign—which will begin September 6, 2007—are twofold: to help U.S. consumers better understand the value of using environmentally preferable products and to promote the...

The term “green building” can have a wide variety of meanings. One person may say it includes water conserving bathroom fixtures, solar panels, recycling, or nontoxic cleaning agents. Another person may say linen and towel reuse programs, lighting controls and organically grown foods. All these items (and many others) are green, as each item supports the basic 3Rs of green business practice: reduce, reuse and recycle. Many hotel operators have already incorporated very specific cost-saving and ultimately green strategies in their daily housekeeping and engineering programs. Embracing green operations is only one piece of the puzzle that makes today’s truly...

LOS ANGELES—Bentley Prince Street has been featured in a new report by Environment California Research & Policy Center. Titled “Greening the Bottom Line: California Companies Save Money by Reducing Global Warming Pollution,” it demonstrates how cutting global warming pollution can be good for California businesses. The company is among a dozen businesses and institutions profiled in the report that have collectively reduced their global warming pollution by more than 100 million pounds per year while saving $21 million each year in operating costs. “As California’s largest commercial carpet manufacturer, we take our responsibility to our environment and our...