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...

EMERYVILLE, CALIF.—Biotechnology company MycoWorks announced that it has partnered with high-end, design-forward furniture company Ligne Roset, to bring MycoWorks’ flagship Fine Mycelium material, Reishi, into luxury furnishings. High demand for Reishi, a new category of luxurious, natural materials first adopted by the fashion industry, has driven expansion into new markets including automotive, and now home decor and furniture. Reishi offers the hand feel and performance of the finest leathers, but is made from mycelium, the root structure of mushrooms. “Ligne Roset is a global leader with a legacy of forward-thinking, contemporary furniture design,” said Matt Scullin, MycoWorks CEO. “Today it becomes...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Vinyl Sustainability Council (VSC), a self-funded business council advancing sustainability in the vinyl industry, officially released the 2022 edition of its annual Sustainability Report, titled “Connecting Our Industry to Reach Our Potential.” The report chronicles the ongoing adoption of +Vantage Vinyl verification across the industry. The +Vantage Vinyl sustainability initiative drives improvements by jointly identifying the most relevant potential performance improvement areas for companies operating within the vinyl supply chain and having company commitments verified by an independent third-party program. “Since 2016, the Vinyl Sustainability Council has focused its efforts on bringing the vinyl industry’s supply chain together for the...

NATIONAL REPORT—Evaporative cooling towers play an important role in green buildings by significantly reducing energy consumption when they supplement or replace traditional air conditioning systems, thereby reducing carbon footprint and operating costs. Although evaporative cooling is great at saving energy, it does consume some water but the benefits on energy savings outweigh the water usage, which in some places is a scarce resource. Water conservation is therefore a high priority in designing and operating water-cooled equipment and plays an important role in USGBC’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and other sustainability programs. LEED assigns credit points to...

SOLON, OHIO—Allergy Standards Limited (ASL), an independent global certification company, and the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), the leading patient organization for people with asthma and allergies, have deemed Tarkett Powerbond RS flooring as CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly—the world’s first soft surface flooring to receive this designation. “Powerbond was introduced in 1967 and, decades later, is still ahead of its time,” said Roxane Spears, Vice President, Sustainability for Tarkett North America. “Health and wellbeing are important topics for our customers. Powerbond RS was specifically developed to address potential problems associated with indoor air quality and building-related illness. This...

RICHMOND, B.C.—Ocean Legacy, a Canadian nonprofit organization that develops and implements worldwide plastic pollution programs, with the goal to end ocean plastic pollution, announced that they have produced the first commercially available plastic pellet in North America, called Legacy Plastic. Legacy Plastic is made from high-grade 100 percent post-consumer processed recycled plastic recovered during ocean, shoreline, and marine equipment cleanups. With the introduction of Legacy Plastic, companies can use recycled marine plastics in their products, continuing to close the loop on plastic management systems. “We soft launched Legacy Plastic in 2021 and we are thrilled with the amount of interest...