CANON CITY, COLO.—Fremont Economic Development Corporation, a 501c6 private not-for-profit focused on economic development in Fremont County and central Colorado, announced the opening of The Industrial Hotel, a 4-unit hotel in Florence, Colo.,, built from upcycled shipping containers. Located in an industrial section of south Florence, the project’s business partners, Barna Kasa, owner of KDevelopers, and Wyatt Reed, owner of Fire Age Designs, reclaimed a dilapidated lot on the bank of Coal Creek for a building site. To be billed as Fremont County’s most sustainable Airbnb, The Industrial showcases building design and furnishing principles based primarily on salvaged, recycled, and...

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.—The California Energy Commission (CEC) took a major stride toward zero-carbon emissions buildings in the 2022 update of the statewide building energy code it just adopted. Energy use in buildings is responsible for a quarter of California’s climate pollution, and seven times more toxic nitrogen oxide air pollution than all the state’s power plants. CEC’s new code follows the lead of the 48 California Cities and Counties that have so far adopted local building energy codes that transition new homes and other buildings off fossil fuels. The state building code sets energy requirements such as minimum efficiency of walls, windows, and heating and...

TORRANCE, CALIF.—LEDtronics announces its latest series of Slim LED Flood Lights that put out a surprising amount of light for their compact size and low power consumption. The high efficacy, multiple mounting options, and sleek design make the light fixtures an ideal and easy installation in various applications. The area lights are offered with a choice of angular adjustable brackets with multiple mounting options for various lighting situations indoors or outdoors, such as in pole-mounted area and building security lighting, wall washing building exteriors, sign lighting, landscape lighting, tennis courts, parks, playgrounds, parking lots and structures, as well as driveway...

NEW YORK—(re)x, an eco-design company founded by Los Angeles-based designer Paulina Quintana, is introducing at NY NOW a new hanger made from 100 percent recycled plastic that is gathered from the ocean or intercepted before entering the ocean. The (re)x hanger was named “Best in NY NOW Show” in the sustainability category by the New York chapter of the International Furnishings and Design Assn. “We need to change people’s relationship to plastic,” said (re)x CEO Quintana. “Our mission is to create sustainable solutions for everyday products and turn them into an opportunity to remove plastic waste from the environment. The...

SOLON, OHIO—Tarkett North America, a worldwide leader in innovative and sustainable flooring and sports surface solutions, has introduced two new ways for providing even greater transparency in the sustainability specifications of its products. Termed the Tarkett Floorprint, a set of 12 documents has been created—one for each major category of the manufacturer’s product collections—detailing all pertinent data and certification information in one convenient location. According to a recent survey conducted by the The American Institute of Architects, 79 percent of architects (97 percent of millennials) would like to specify more sustainable materials than they do today, but 43 percent said they...

TORONTO—1 Hotels, the mission-driven, sustainable, luxury hospitality brand has opened 1 Hotel Toronto, the sixth property in its portfolio, in partnership with Mohari Hospitality. To mark its Canadian debut, the hotel hosted a ceremonial tree planting with Tree Canada whereby 2021 native trees will be planted throughout the city. “1 Hotel Toronto sets a new standard for responsible luxury hospitality and serves as a city escape where guests can connect with nature,” said 1 Hotels Founder and CEO & Chairman of Starwood Capital Group, Barry Sternlicht. “1 Hotels embraces the idea that living well includes protecting the natural beauty around us...

CORK, IRELAND—Johnson Controls, a global leader for smart, healthy and sustainable buildings, announced OpenBlue Net Zero Buildings as a Service. Johnson Controls will provide a one-stop shop for companies looking to achieve net zero carbon and renewable energy goals. The offering recognizes customers’ need for assistance in making these goals easier to plan, execute, track, and achieve. “The need for making net zero leadership easier to achieve is immediate and greater than ever. Buildings represent about 40 percent of global emissions and Johnson Controls is uniquely positioned to help customers around the world pursue their net zero carbon goals,” said...

NEW YORK—The State of California officially reopened on June 15 and with that announcement Informa Connect, a division of Informa plc, and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the Greenbuild International Conference + Expo will take place in-person with virtual packages also available, September 21 to 23, 2021, in San Diego. The return to an in-person experience ensures expanded networking and sourcing opportunities in addition to hands-on learning experiences. Global audiences can attend the live event either virtually or in person as well as three virtual themed summits preceding the event, taking place August 12, August 26, and September 9 to...

EMERYVILLE, CALIF.—SCS Global Services (SCS), a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability certification services, announced that Welspun Flooring Limited has become the first company to achieve certification under SCS’ new Zero Waste Standard. This new global certification standard enables companies to demonstrate the degree to which their waste streams are prevented, reused, or diverted from the landfill. SCS’ independent certification audit, including on-site inspection, confirmed that Welspun Flooring’s Telangana, India manufacturing facility has achieved 98 percent diversion of waste from landfill through a combination of recycling, waste reclamation, co-processing (including waste-to-energy), composting and storage. The resulting certification captures the...

NATIONAL REPORT—Green Lodging News recently reached out to our industry’s amenities companies, giving them each an opportunity to highlight one of their latest products. Not every company responded but here is a roundup of what each company sent to me—in no particular order and in their words: Kure Kure’s stainless brackets and aluminum cylinders offer a more sustainable, elegant alternative to plastic dispensers. Catering to luxury hoteliers and discerning guests, Kure dispensers stand out for their sophisticated beauty, customized designs, and ease of use. Sleek aluminum and stainless design; no plastic bottles Fully customizable digital printing; Stock designs also available Easy...