KAUAI, HAWAII—1 Hotels, the mission-driven luxury lifestyle hotel brand founded by hospitality visionary Barry Sternlicht, announces the opening of 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, its flagship nature-and-wellness-focused island oasis overlooking a storied stretch of Kauai’s North Shore. Guests seeking solace and serenity at this sustainable sanctuary can swim, snorkel, bike, paddle, kayak, soak up the sun and surf off a legendary beach where Native Hawaiians lived in harmony with nature for generations and a laidback surf scene still thrives. The dramatic peaks of the Namolokama and Mamalahoa mountains loom over a verdant valley whose iconic waterfalls capture the breathtaking bounty and beauty of Hawaii’s famed “Garden Island.” “Hanalei Bay...

I recently had an opportunity to visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium (MBS) in Atlanta. It is the home of the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta United Football Club (soccer). I went on a tour of the stadium and was very impressed by the steps the owners of the building are taking to minimize its environmental impact. In fact, the stadium was just certified to TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) Platinum for its zero waste efforts in January. MBS is the first professional sports stadium worldwide to achieve TRUE Platinum certification for zero waste. Ninety percent of the waste from the...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has released its 2023 Trends Outlook report, examining societal shifts and economic trends impacting the design profession and the role of design in addressing issues in our world. In 2023, ASID’s research finds that health and wellness continue to be top priorities in both residential and commercial design, with an emphasis on design solutions for the changing lifestyles and needs of older Americans. ASID’s research also explores how design is being impacted by the global mental health crisis, consumers’ demands for sustainability, and a new wave of technology that brings with it the need for...

DULUTH, MINN.—Loll Designs announced updates to their distribution model in the contract channel. Effective April 1, 2023, Loll Designs will be available for purchase in the commercial space as an open line offering and will no longer be distributed by MillerKnoll Ancillary. In anticipation of the change, Loll Designs is expanding its contract team to include a combination of in-house business development representatives and multi-line rep groups. Through this channel, Loll’s commercial customers will receive the highest level of hands-on customer service for their creative projects. All dealers will continue to have the option to source and specify Loll Designs...

NEWARK, N.J.—Ware Malcomb, an award-winning international design firm, announced Erica Godun has been named Director, Sustainability. In this newly created position, Godun will be responsible for developing and supporting the firm’s sustainability-focused service offerings and be a resource for clients and team members on the application of project-appropriate green integration. She will create tools that enhance the firm’s internal training platform and delivery of environmentally responsible design solutions. Godun brings more than 25 years of experience in various phases of architecture and design to Ware Malcomb and has been passionate about environmental sustainability throughout her career. She is a LEED accredited...

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL—Six Senses Tel Aviv Hotel will open in late 2025. The property will meet LEED Platinum standards. The project was initiated by Tidhar Group & joined by Ziv Aviram, one of Israel’s leading entrepreneurs, in 2020. On the sandy shores of the Mediterranean Sea, Tel Aviv is a city of contrasts, blending vibrant nightlife and classic art, Bauhaus and skyscrapers, and heritage and innovation, the latter ranking second only to Silicon Valley in terms of its start-up ecosystem. Nowhere else, therefore, will Six Senses Tel Aviv feel more at home, with its mix of five 110-year-old preservation buildings...

CHICAGO—The Mitchell Group introduces three new Sta-Kleen Silicone Digital Print upholstery fabrics. The digital print collection offers the same environmental, performance, and cleaning qualities as the award-winning Sta-Kleen Silicone fabrics, says Bill Fisch, president. The three new patterns: Bloom, Fleur, and Song have been designed for the healthcare, hospitality, contract, and other commercial markets. The Sta-Kleen Silicone collection now consists of 10 digital print patterns and three solid patterns. “Sta-Kleen Silicone is produced in a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. It was conceived, planned, and constructed under the direction of an environmentally driven team that’s trained in and remains dedicated to fuel...

RALEIGH, N.C.—Paneltech, manufacturer of PaperStone recycled paper composite panels for countertops and cladding, recently invested in the creation of an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). The EPD process requires full transparency into the product’s life cycle to determine environmental impacts. The analysis covers a “Cradle-to-Grave” scope of the product, meaning that environmental impacts are assessed from the extraction and processing of the raw materials used to manufacture the panels to the end of the panels’ life. Products covered by the EPD are PaperStone Solid and Designer Collection Countertop Panels in colors Charcoal, Graphite, Gunmetal, Pewter, Sand, and Slate. The document is...

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the urgency for companies and individuals to act to protect the wellbeing of the planet, their communities, their employees, and in the case of hotels, their guests. As such, environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives have accelerated. The hotel industry’s commitment to ESG initiatives, while somewhat nascent, is increasing. Rising energy costs, which have increased electricity costs by 10 percent since May 2021, are likely to accelerate the industry’s focus on sustainability, particularly given the shift in traveler preferences toward more sustainable tourism and green accommodations and the growing demand for disclosure around climate risk....

NEW YORK—Nassimi—a leading textile manufacturer and pioneer in sustainable performance upholstery materials—continues to lead the industry toward higher product standards with a move to eradicate Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from all new production. Staying true to its ethos, Nassimi’s commitment to 100 percent removal of PFAS is characteristically bold. As the first textile company to produce phthalate-free faux leather in the early 2010s and remove flame-retardant chemicals from its upholstery materials in 2017, Nassimi has always prioritized self-motivated product improvements. Now, the company has reformulated the last of its textile lines containing PFAS, Resilience TX, to create a...