ATLANTA—LX Hausys America Inc., an innovative manufacturer of building and decorative materials, announced that its entire portfolio of HIMACS Solid Surface and Viatera Quartz Surface products has achieved Declare label status. Issued by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), Declare labels provide an important level of transparency by disclosing all product ingredients, enabling customers to see the “nutritional” information of a product in order to make informed purchasing decisions. “Adding the Declare label to our family of surface products is another step to fulfilling our vision of creating human-friendly and eco-conscious living spaces,” said LX Hausys America President KJ Kim. “Product...

CHICAGO—What will hotels of the future look like and how will they function? The Hotel of Tomorrow Project (HOT Project), a global think tank of industry leaders, seeks to answer that question. After an eight-month collaborative effort, which included regular and virtual reality meetups on a custom-built HOT airship in the metaverse, a team of more than 200 including representatives from Hilton, IHG and Marriott hotels, along with technology experts and hospitality school students has unveiled seven future hotel visions. “When you gather and collaborate with many of the most innovative minds in the hospitality industry from owners to operators to...

SOLON, OHIO—Tarkett, a worldwide leader in innovative and sustainable flooring and sports surface solutions, announces the expansion of its LinoFloor xf2 and LinoWall xf2 collections, with new patterns and expanded color palettes. Made entirely of natural raw materials and enriched by more than a century of heritage, Tarkett’s LinoFloor xf2 is a modern solution to the challenges of contemporary interior design. The collection is now available in five patterns and 106 colorways, including the Originale series’ expanded offering of 16 colors made from all-natural dyes. Ideal for healthcare, education, and hospitality spaces, LinoWall xf2 protects walls from daily wear and tear and helps soften acoustics...

Barry Sternlicht’s Starwood Capital Group is at it again with its 1 Hotels brand. This past week the Group announced the opening of 1 Hotel San Francisco. The hotel joins six other 1 Hotels currently open in South Beach, Manhattan, Brooklyn Bridge, West Hollywood, Sanya (China), and Toronto. 1 Hotels are in development in Nashville, Hanalei Bay (Hawaii), Cabo San Lucas (Mexico), Paris, London, Mission Bay (Calif.), Elounda Hills (Crete) and Melbourne. 1 Hotels is certainly one of our industry’s greenest brands. Its website describes its hotels as a place “where architecture adopts the natural curvature and fluidity of its...

ELIZABETH ISLAND, BAHAMAS—Ushering in a new era for Caribbean vacation home communities, Silent Resorts and EcoIsland Development announce Club Ki’ama Bahamas, the world’s first equity club to offer ultra-sustainable solar residences and carbon neutral solar yachts. Club Ki’ama is located within the new Ki’ama Bahamas enclave on Elizabeth Island, minutes from Great Exuma. It represents a one-of-a-kind co-ownership opportunity that combines luxurious solar-powered, oceanfront homes with a fleet of solar-powered and crewed yachts, as well as electric day boats, a beach club, spa, and restaurant. Construction begins in May 2022, and, upon completion, Club Ki’ama will have the lowest environmental impact of any development in the...

RALEIGH, N.C.—CaraGreen, a trusted source for healthier building materials, announced a new partnership with Arbor Wood Co., provider of thermally modified woods to the building industry. The partnership will introduce the thermally modified wood portfolio to architects and designers as a sustainable alternative to other standard wood products. Arbor Wood Co. uses high heat and a nitrogen rich environment to alter the cellular structure of wood and bring the moisture content to an optimal level. The result of this process is a product resistant to the elements with an increased durability and lifetime. Arbor Wood Co., based in Duluth, Minn.,...

MERIDA, MEXICO—Earth Day is every day at WAYAM Mundo Imperial, where every inch of the hotel is carefully designed to offer guests the perfect balance of wellness and tranquility. As the first LEED-certified property in historic Mérida, WAYAM welcomes guests to coexist with nature and celebrate the lush landscape of its historic backdrop. From aromatherapy in common areas to a water tasting menu offering guests select local waters to sample, the amenities at WAYAM complement the hotel’s strategic location and green facilities. In addition to solar paneling, all the windows at WAYAM face east, generating a high solar reflectivity and therefore...

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (Shaw) and the Shaw Cushion Program for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have been named the 2022 Halo Award Silver winner in the Consumer Activated Corporate Donation category by Engage for Good. For every square yard of cushion sold through the program, 18 cents is donated directly to St. Jude—nine cents from Shaw that’s matched by the retailer when the consumer upgrades their cushion purchase. Since 2013, the program has been extremely successful, amounting to more than $7 million in donations to support the life-saving mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children. “As we celebrate our 10-year...

Utilizing breakthroughs in design and technology, hotel owners and designers around the world are establishing new benchmarks for what it means to be a “dark” green hotel—one that has gone far beyond investing in easy low-hanging fruit. As published previously on Green Lodging News, Hotel Marcel New Haven, Tapestry Collection by Hilton just opened within the last two weeks in Connecticut. It is believed to be the first net-zero hotel in the United States. It will utilize renewable solar power sources on site to generate the electricity needed for its common areas, restaurant, laundry, meeting rooms and 165 guestrooms and...

CHICAGO—With more than 400 companies showcasing thousands of new products, programming from the industry’s top thought leaders, and more, the 2022 edition of NeoCon (June 13 to 15) will be jam-packed with innovation and opportunities to experience the future of commercial interior design firsthand. A hub for community and connecting within the industry, this year’s NeoCon will offer a wealth of engaging installations, as well as on-site activations and events that will provide invaluable moments to gather, learn from each other, and share ideas. “We are thrilled by all the excitement and buzz around NeoCon 2022,” says Lisa Simonian, Vice...