MAUMEE, OHIO—Testament to the company’s innovation in wood-alternative siding, Fiberon Wildwood composite cladding has earned two prestigious awards: a Good Design Award from The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design, and a Product Innovation Award from Architectural Products magazine. “These awards validate the commitment we have made to producing beautiful, high-performance building products that are sustainable and kind to the environment,” said Kate Haws, Director of Brand Marketing for Fiberon. The Good Design Awards program honors “both products and industry leaders in design and manufacturing that have chartered new directions for innovation and pushed the envelope for competitive products in the world...

FRANKLIN, TENN.—Southall Franklin, a farm-based resort, has officially opened its doors. Set on a working farm dedicated to education and exploration, Southall encompasses over 325 acres of Middle Tennessee hillside, creating a unique escape dedicated to saluting the agricultural heritage of the region, while advancing innovative practices for a sustainable future. Southall features 62 guestrooms and suites, along with 16 stand-alone cottages; a spa; a wealth of farm, wellness, and adventure activities, and a signature restaurant and culinary program led by Executive Chef Andrew Klamar and Senior Vice President of Culinary and Agriculture Tyler Brown. “The first seeds for Southall...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its annual ranking of U.S. states leading the way on green building, with Massachusetts topping the list. The USGBC ranking is based on LEED-certified gross square footage per capita over the past year. The LEED rating system is the world’s most widely used green building program and was created by USGBC as a leadership standard defining best practices for healthy, high-performing green buildings. “It was a strong year for LEED certifications across the U.S. as companies and governments embrace LEED as a tool for meeting ESG goals and organizational commitments to climate...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News has added Renegade Plastics to the “Fabrics/Textiles” section of its Green Product & Service Directory. Renegade Plastics is providing a recyclable fabric solution that is free from lead, phthalates, dioxins, PFAS, VOCs and heavy metals as an alternative to PVC-coated fabrics for the hospitality industry. The outdated unsustainable flexible PVC plastics are used in numerous industries from billboards to sports equipment. Renegade has exclusive rights to a polypropylene-based replacement for PVC-coated fabrics that can improve the environment from farms to school bus seats to fabric structures. By replacing these materials now, Renegade is establishing the foundation...

AMSTERDAM—Skynest is a delicate lamp that nonetheless also has great stage presence, and it marks Marcel Wanders’ return to the theme of the suspended dome. Skynest has the typical pendant light shape, with a central core and with what, at first glance, looks like a lampshade. The light, however, is not emitted by a bulb or by an LED board, but by the elements that form the structure of the lampshade: LED strips covered in fabric. Skynest is in fact composed of 24 LED light sticks covered with a two-tone textile texture. The light is emitted from one side only,...

PUNTA MITA, MEXICO—A luxury tented resort as unique as nature itself, Naviva, A Four Seasons Resort, Punta Mita, Mexico is now welcoming guests to a world where the deep, green jungle is the backdrop for a personalized retreat. With just 15 luxury tents surrounded by 48 forested acres (19 hectares) on the edge of a private peninsula, Naviva is an adult-only sanctuary that harnesses nature to create an environment that fosters community, personal growth and appreciation for local heritage. Naviva awakens the intrinsic bond that humans have with nature through biophilic design—an architectural approach that immerses people in their natural surroundings. The transformative journey...

BANGKOK—Six Senses will open its first Australian property at Burnham Beeches, the heritage mansion and 22-hectare estate designed by architect Harry Norris in 1933 for the Nicholas “Aspro” Family. Located 40 kilometers from Melbourne in the fern glades and forested hills of the Dandenong Ranges and neighboring Alfred Nicholas Memorial Gardens, the mansion is one of the finest examples of domestic Art Deco in Australia. Romance Reborn Led by the brief to capture “fresh air, sunshine and an outlook of command, yet under control,” the original three-story Art Deco Streamline Moderne mansion is reminiscent of an ocean liner. Named after the...

SAN FRANCISCO—The two historic boutique hotels in the Presidio of San Francisco, Inn at the Presidio and Lodge at the Presidio, were recently honored with the 2022 Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion Award in a ceremony in Point Clear, Alabama. Granted by Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the award is presented to a hotel that best implements and practices innovative green initiatives and programs, demonstrating historic preservation is the ultimate green. Inn at the Presidio also earned this award in 2017. “We’re honored to accept this award from our peers, as a recognition...

LOUIS, MO.—KAI announced the hiring of Andrew Kerr-Grant, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C as its newest Senior Project Architect at its St. Louis office. Kerr-Grant boasts more than 30 years of experience as a Senior Project Architect and Project Manager. He has served as the lead architect for the design, documentation, and implementation of projects for higher education, K-12 schools, government, research and development, commercial, corporate, and industrial facilities. His projects have ranged in scope from an $87 million Armed Forces Readiness Center to small repair and renovation projects and everything in between. His experience includes programmatic design, preparing construction documentation drawings...

The idea for the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system was hatched almost 30 years ago in 1993. Today, there are more than 100,000 buildings participating in the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) certification program. Approximately 1,000 of those buildings are lodgings located around the world. According to USGBC, “LEED certified buildings are proven to save money, improve efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and create healthier places for people. They are a critical part of addressing the climate crisis, meeting ESG goals, enhancing resilience, and supporting more equitable communities.” The most recent version of LEED is LEED...