BLOOMFIELD HILL, MICH.—Verna Vélin—the premier embossed wall covering manufacturer utilizing cutting-edge technology to produce unmatched designs—announces the launch of its Signature Collection. It is inspired by the rich dimensional brush strokes of dynamic paintings and the deckled edges of handmade paper. “At Verna Vélin, we believe design should be bold, thought-provoking, and innovative. Our wall coverings use the latest innovations in printing technology to deliver rich textures previously unimaginable,” says Shauna Ryder, CEO of Verna Vélin. “These embossed wall coverings will inspire high-end residential and commercial designers to add richness and texture to their designs in ways that could not...

FRANKFURT, GERMANY—Scandic has opened its newest hotel in one of Frankfurt’s top locations just steps from the Main River and minutes from the European Central Bank. Scandic Frankfurt Hafenpark, which has 505 hotel rooms and event space for up to 570 people, has been designed to offer “meetings in the park” as a continuation of the Hafenpark park outside its doors. The hotel is part of the new Hafenpark Quartier Frankfurt development designed by Hamburg-based architect Hadi Teherani. Balancing individuality, a wealth of green space and Nordic style, it takes a whole new approach to the future of travel and...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that registration for the 2023 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo is now open. This year, Greenbuild will take place in USGBC’s hometown of Washington, D.C., from September 26 to 29 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. With new education, events, partners, and experiences, the Greenbuild conference will mark a significant milestone in the green building movement, as the site of USGBC’s 30-year anniversary celebrations. “We have a lot to commemorate at Greenbuild—not only is it USGBC’s 30th anniversary, we also plan to debut the next version of the LEED green building...

NATIONAL REPORT—Water is a lifeforce, essential for humans to exist. However, when it comes to construction water is both friend and foe. When water is harnessed and contained it enables modern plumbing, facilitates cleaning and maintenance activities on jobsites and once a building is operational, can serve as a source of art and entertainment. The added value of water is multi-fold when it is utilized to enhance the design aesthetic of a structure and the well-being of the people who use the building. There is a reason that humans crave spending time in the mountains, near streams, waterfalls, lakes, and...

CROSSVILLE, TENN.—Crossville Inc. announced aggressive carbon reduction goals affecting its tiles’ global warming potential with a goal of achieving a 30 percent reduction in manufacturing embodied carbon by 2030. The company’s short-term goal is equally aggressive as it seeks to achieve an additional 10 percent reduction by 2024 as compared to its 2019 measurements. From its founding, Crossville has recognized that a product that comes from the earth should have minimal impact on the earth. In 2014, Crossville completed its first energy usage assessment, which led the company to develop its Environmental Product Declarations. Five years later, Crossville achieved a...

THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS—Encina Development Group, a producer of ISCC+ circular chemicals from end-of-life plastics, announced a new recycling partnership with Shaw Industries Group, Inc., a global flooring manufacturer. Under the agreement, Shaw will provide Encina with more than 2 million pounds of waste materials from its carpet manufacturing processes annually. This effort will reduce Shaw’s greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint while contributing to its long-standing sustainability commitment, which encompasses its Cradle-to-Cradle design programs that have been in place for more than 20 years. Nearly 90 percent of the products Shaw produces are Cradle to Cradle Certified, meaning they have been...

For me, one of the must-attend trade shows during the year is the HD Expo + Conference. This year it will be held May 2 to 4 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. I will be attending this year’s show. Hundreds of exhibitors will be there including more than 80 that identify themselves as being in the Sustainability/Sustainable Products category. Some examples include Tangent Sustainable Lumber, a maker of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic lumber; PureWellness, which offers a variety of products to make a guestroom as clean and air-pure as possible; GrassTex, a synthetic turf maker that saves hotels...

MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.—Room & Board and Room & Board Business Interiors, the home furnishing brand’s commercial arm, announce the expansion of the Urban Wood Project—their groundbreaking national initiative that sources wood otherwise destined for landfills and reclaims it into unique furnishings. The brand is now partnering with Brooklyn-based millwork and design operation, Tri-Lox, to upcycle wood culled from decommissioned New York City water towers and salvaged local trees for an exclusive line of sustainable offerings suitable for hospitality and office spaces. This collaboration, their sixth in the country, builds on Room & Board’s diversion of 200 trees annually from the waste stream, delivering on...

MASAI MARA NATIONAL RESERVE, KENYA—JW Marriott, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s global portfolio of 30 hotel brands, announced the opening of JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge, marking the company’s highly anticipated debut in the luxury safari segment. Sitting within the Masai Mara National Reserve in Southwestern Kenya, one of Africa’s most renowned wildlife and wilderness conservation regions, the lodge is a sophisticated sanctuary from which to discover animals and vistas in harmony. Guided game drives offer guests the opportunity to observe the “Big Five” that Masai Mara is home to, including lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinoceros, and elephants. Between June and September,...

IRVINE, CALIF.—Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering, the sustainably minded and innovative manufacturer of textiles and wallcoverings for the commercial design industry, has launched the colorful new Paradiso Collection for Spring 2023. Distilling natural forms—like cacti and birds of paradise—down to their essential elements, the collection features three energizing and inviting patterns. Paradiso’s intense durability is matched by rich textures and a soft hand evocative of residential fabrics. With its modern and bold interpretation of botanical motifs, the Paradiso Collection brings a playful, yet practical, sensibility to commercial settings of all sectors. “We are thrilled to expand our biophilic design offerings with...