LOLEBEZI CONCESSION, ZAMBIA—Nestled atop the fabled Zambezi River banks on five hectares of remote wilderness in the eastern region of Lower Zambezi National Park sits Lolebezi, a new luxury safari camp from African Bush Camps (ABC) conceived and designed in partnership with Fox Brown Creative. With 3,300 feet of river frontage, the lodge and its modernist design follow the river’s undulating twists and turns. Developed cooperatively with a local family with a strong passion for Africa’s wildlife, culture, and future, Lolebezi has begun welcoming guests for immersive safari experiences. The camp sits in a striking location vibrant with wildlife and drawing from...

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Dynamic City Capital (DCC) recently announced the completion of construction and opening of the Element by Westin Milpitas San Jose hotel (Element San Jose). “Construction of the Element San Jose started before COVID-19, the global pandemic. We are grateful we could work through the host of unusual circumstances, complete construction, and open this beautiful hotel,” said Cory Turner, DCC’s Co-Managing Partner. “Consistent with the Element brand, this LEED Silver hotel was designed and constructed using some of the latest sustainable technologies, is eco-friendly with generous natural lighting, cleaner air, and purified water in every room. This environmentally conscious,...

NATIONAL REPORT—U.S.-based RegenoPlast Materials LLC is distributing Storm Board, a replacement for plywood and wood fiber boards. Storm Board, comprised of 100 percent post-consumer and post-industrial mixed plastic waste, is currently made in the U.K. by Storm Board LLP. According to RegenoPlast Materials’ Chuck Mills, Storm Board was first introduced in Europe in 2011 and is comparable in size to plywood—a little larger than 4’ by 8’. Storm Board excels in wet environments, unlike wood-based products, and is impenetrable to rain and moisture. It will not rot, is resistant to microbial action, and is tough and versatile with a lower...

CALHOUN, GA.—Mannington Commercial announced that new and refreshed products launched in 2022 across its carpet, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), rubber and resilient sheet lines will be 105 percent carbon offset. This means customers will have the assurance of knowing the products they specify will be carbon negative, or carbon neutral at the least. From raw material extraction through manufacturing (known as “cradle-to-gate”), the products will not contribute to the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, a key driver of greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, more than a dozen new and refreshed products are being carbon offset. With many more products...

MAUMEE, OHIO—Fiberon, a leader in wood-alternative cladding, announced that its Wildwood PE composite cladding was featured as one of Green Builder’s Top 50 Sustainable Products of the Year. Green Builder is the leading voice in sustainable construction, and products included on the Top 50 list represent today’s most innovative products that make buildings more resilient, intelligent, efficient, healthy, and safe. Wildwood PE composite cladding is made from 94 percent mixed recycled wood fiber and plastic content destined for landfills and incinerators. It is perfect for architects who want a long-lasting, maintenance-free, sustainable alternative to traditional wood cladding, offering a solution...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the recipients of its 2022 USGBC Leadership Awards. The annual awards recognize leadership and commitment to the green building industry and spotlights exemplary work that has been influential in the expansion of sustainable, higher-performing buildings. USGBC has selected six individuals and organizations that have demonstrated vision, leadership and commitment to the evolution of the green building industry. “USGBC’s mission relies on the commitment of its members and the broader green building community,” said USGBC interim President and CEO Peter Templeton. “The USGBC Leadership Awards are an opportunity to spotlight those who have gone...

NATIONAL REPORT—Ask a child to draw you a house and you’ll get something made up of rectangles and triangles. It’s still recognizable as a house you’d see on any street, but there’s nothing soft about it. Sharp edges and harsh lines dominate the majority of human architecture. It’s an effective form of construction, but it has left us decidedly disconnected from the natural world. This disconnect isn’t harmful, but as the world shifts toward a greener and more sustainable future, we’ve started taking more inspiration from nature. What is biophilic design and what are the benefits of this type of design...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News has added The Mitchell Group as a Founding Sponsor at the Bronze level. The Mitchell Group was established in 2004 and is a converter of PU, PVC, and Silicone products manufactured in Asia. Its capabilities to decorate products include release paper, embossing, post-processing, and two-stage printing effects. Sta-Kleen Silicone is coated with 100 percent silicone on a polyester textile substrate. The manufacturing process does not use any solvents and very little water which is recycled. There is no VOC released and no air pollution. Sta-Kleen Silicone is approved for both indoor and outdoor use. Sta-Kleen Silicone...

Treehugger and other publications such as GREENROOFS.COM recently reported that Montparnasse in the south of Paris has a new mixed-use project designed by French-Brazilian firm Triptyque Architecture: Villa M. It includes a hotel, coworking space, and a “dynamic healthcare-focused center.” For the project Triptyque won the Building of the Year 2022 award from ArchDaily. According to GREENROOFS.com, the hotel’s 67 rooms and six suites each bear the first name of a woman or man who has marked the history of medicine or science. The building is dramatically covered in plants. “We designed Villa M as a naturalist architectural manifesto: that is,...

LOS ANGELES—Mogul Hospitality, a venture-backed startup, has announced the launch of Mogul Hotels and Residences, an (ESG) brand powered by a trailblazing elite talent engine. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are 11.5 million job openings in the U.S., with an unemployment rate of 3.6 percent. Few industries are suffering the consequences of this labor crisis more than hospitality with 3 to 4 million annual job openings, 70 percent annual turnover, and a 6 percent quit rate. With rising labor costs and customer satisfaction at record lows, hotel CEOs agree that labor is the number one, long-term issue...