LOS ANGELES—JL Furnishings (JLF)/Lone Meadow, the exclusively sustainable division of JL Furnishings and a leader in hospitality furniture design and manufacturing, has expanded its collection with the introduction of 14 new creations; from sleek, modern lounge chairs to elegant sofas with stylish patterns. The company featured the collection at the 2007 Hospitality Design Expo in Las Vegas. As with all JLF/Lone Meadow furnishings, the new collection exemplifies the firm’s commitment to bringing green sustainable practices and progressive designs to the hospitality industry. The company is at the forefront of the sustainable hospitality furniture design and is currently the...

LAS VEGAS—It was pretty easy to determine what vendors were selling green products at this year’s HD 2007 Expo and Conference. A separate vendor directory was created for them and green, circular markers sat within each participating exhibitor’s booth. A separate Green Room on the show floor also featured environmentally friendly products. Vendors had to pony up additional funds to have a presence there. There is no possible way to mention every company that introduced a green product at this year’s show but here are some noteworthy examples: Simmons Hospitality Group announced its EverNU mattress top to help hotels get the...

DALTON, GA.—Healthier Choice, a manufacturer of premium carpet cushion and acoustical underlayment, has introduced a new line of low-VOC commercial carpet cushions. The line, called Foundation Contract Carpet Cushion, has emissions nearly 50 times lower than the CRI Green Label limit. Specifiers may be able to use Foundation to obtain credit with several environmental rating systems or programs, including LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, based on the outstanding IAQ characteristics of the cushion. The official product launch is slated for May 10-12 at HD Expo 2007 in Las Vegas. Foundation represents a new focus...

LAS VEGAS—Like a professor teaching his students, Kip Richardson taught a little bit of Sustainability 101 during “Beyond Green: ‘The Talk,’” at the HD 2007 Expo and Conference. A packed room of attendees listened to Richardson, director of business development for Portland, Ore.-based Ankrom Moisan Architects. What is sustainability? Richardson said it is “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” “Sustainability touches everybody,” Richardson added. “This is not a political issue. It is a human issue. Almost every hotel brand is talking about it,...

MONTREAL—Groupe Germain announced a brand new concept for cheap-chic hotels that will be gradually introduced in Canada. A first in that country, ALT Hotels will offer the qualities sought by a growing range of consumers who want affordable accommodation without compromising on design and comfort. The hotels will feature a series of energy-efficient measures: heating and cooling with geothermal systems, recovery of heat from outdoor air and exhaust air leaving the building, recovery of heat from water used in commercial washers, energy-efficient lighting throughout, a main light switch for controlling all lights in the room when guests check out, geothermal...

PEORIA, ARIZ.—LG HI-MACS, a leader in premium acrylic solid surfacing, launched LG Eden, the industry’s first environmentally conscious acrylic product, in conjunction with Earth Day and the City of Chicago’s Going Green: Earth Month Kick-off. Like Chicago, one of the top U.S. cities for green building, LG HI-MACS is committed to raising awareness of the simple things—like transitioning to green building products—that individuals and businesses can do to help improve the environment. Highlights of Chicago’s Earth Month Kick-off included a speech by Mayor Richard Daley and a showcase of more than 25 organizations presenting a unique mix of...

LAS VEGAS—The HD 2007 Expo & Conference got off to a green start with the second annual Green Luncheon on Wednesday. The luncheon featured case study presentations by representatives of San Francisco-based design firm Gensler and by Larry Traxler, vice president architecture and design, Hyatt Hotels Corp. The three case studies included: Hyatt Regency Chicago, Lower Wacker Exhibit Hall and Riverfront Development; MGM Mirage City Center, Las Vegas; and Eagle Lodge Sky Resort, Mammoth, Calif. The Hyatt Regency Chicago is in the process of adding a zero-energy building addition to its Lower Wacker Exhibit Hall. Hyatt intends to...

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...