HELSINKE, FINLAND—Scandic Helsinki Hub recently opened its doors in the Finnish capital. Located in downtown Helsinki, the hotel is housed in a 1920s printing house that has been transformed into a large 352-room hotel. Along with unique loft-style rooms, the hotel features inspiring event, meeting and coworking spaces along with a trattoria and bars. Scandic Helsinki Hub is strategically located at the crossroads of downtown Helsinki and the charming Helsinki south district. Vestiges of the former printing house have been elegantly preserved in the design throughout the building, and guests can choose accommodations that offer a variety of special features...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Vinyl Sustainability Council (VSC), a self-funded business council advancing sustainability in the vinyl industry, welcomes Trusscore as the newest member of the council. VSC membership is reserved for organizations taking a leadership role to advance sustainability throughout the vinyl industry. “With their focus on developing products that outperform what they replace, Trusscore joins more than 55 other VSC members demonstrating a commitment to sustainability efforts in their business practices,” said Jay Thomas, VSC Executive Director. “Trusscore is dedicated to driving innovation in the commercial and residential construction industry. We’re proud to have them join us.” Trusscore makes a range of products...

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CALIF.—If you think you see a tree while walking along the outdoor deck of Maggie’s Restaurant at the Desolation Hotel in South Lake Tahoe, you are not imagining things. The outdoor deck of the restaurant is wrapped around a live pine tree. It is just one example of how Desolation Hotel founder and owner Chet Pipkin attempted to leave the site of his eco-luxury micro resort as unscathed as possible. Trees that had to be harvested from the site where a motel once stood were repurposed for the hotel’s construction. Additional lumber from offsite came from...

ATLANTA—ASHRAE and the International Code Council announced joint development of a standard to assess carbon emissions across the entire building life cycle. Proposed ASHRAE/ICC Standard 240P—Evaluating Greenhouse Gas (GHG) and Carbon Emissions in Building Design, Construction and Operation, will provide a whole life carbon approach to support emissions reductions in buildings. The proposed standard establishes how to measure and verify the greenhouse gas (GHG) and carbon emissions of a building, or group of buildings, over the entire life cycle. The goal is to provide consistent procedures and data to be referenced by policies, codes, and other standards that address new and...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The JW Marriott Washington, DC announced, during Environmental Awareness Month, that the hotel has been awarded a Gold level LEED certification for Building Operations and Maintenance. LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence in green building. The JW Marriott Washington, DC is also expected to receive the Energy Star award in late September. The LEED Certification achievement, along with JW Marriott Washington, DC’s energy conservation awards, achievements, and efforts, such as using solar energy,...

TAMPA, FLA.—Masonite International Corp., a leading global designer, manufacturer, marketer and distributor of interior and exterior doors, announced a $4.9 million investment in the Circular Innovation Fund L.P. (“CIF”), a venture capital fund dedicated to advancing the circular economy by investing in growth-stage companies across North America, Europe and Asia, which have the potential to solve complex supply chain problems and minimize environmental impact. With this investment, Masonite joins CIF’s original investor L’Oréal and its network of global partners and co-investors in supporting the transition to a lower carbon economy. Masonite was founded nearly 100 years ago on sustainability principles...

With its late 1970s vibe, Marriott’s previous headquarters was “like a cave,” Rado Ivanov told me this past week. Ivanov is Vice President, Global Design, U.S. & Canada for Marriott International. Marriott’s associates were located on just six floors. I spoke with Ivanov about Marriott’s all new headquarters in downtown Bethesda, Md. The 21-story, 785,000-square-foot building, which just had its official opening, is light years from a cave and probably one of the most advanced headquarters buildings in the country. It is LEEDv4 Gold-certified (for Core & Shell), is aiming for LEEDv4 Gold for Commercial Interiors, and has earned a...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI) has reported that the Arc performance platform is now tracking more than seven billion square feet of project space in nearly 140 countries, an increase of 1.4 billion square feet over the last 12 months. This makes Arc among the largest databases of building performance in the world. “Reaching seven billion square feet of space using Arc is a significant milestone,” said Peter Templeton, interim President, and CEO, GBCI and Arc. “This underscores the rapidly growing commitment of building owners and operators worldwide to tracking, reporting, and verifying performance as critical steps towards minimizing...

NEW YORK—Material Bank, the world’s largest marketplace for architectural, design, and construction materials, announced its commitment to The Climate Pledge. Material Bank has transformed the architecture and design industry by allowing members to search from more than 450+ brands on a single website, order samples until midnight ET, and receive all materials in a single box by 10:30 a.m. the next morning. Built with sustainability at its core, the platform reduces massive amounts of waste in the sampling process. By signing The Climate Pledge, the company takes its commitment to sustainability a step further, going beyond industry standards to place...

BETHESDA, MD.—Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., the nation’s largest lodging real estate investment trust, released its 2022 Corporate Responsibility (CR) Report, which details the Company’s CR program and responsible investment strategy along with its environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance, progress and industry-leading accomplishments. Additionally, the 2022 CR Report introduces the framework for the Company’s 2050 CR vision. “It was a milestone year for Host’s social initiatives—especially our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging—and we continued to lead on the environmental front,” said Joanne Hamilton, Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Corporate Responsibility. “While we continue to make significant...