BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS—Barbados has copped the Green Destinations Story Award for Environment and Climate at one of the world’s largest travel trade shows, ITB Berlin. The nomination came from Barbados’ ambition to be the first island in the Caribbean to achieve a 100 percent renewable energy goal by 2030 and a 70 percent carbon neutrality goal by 2050. The strides taken thus far have landed Barbados its first milestone in this prestigious category, namely having the largest fleet of electric buses in the Caribbean. Minister of Tourism and International Transport, the Honorable Ian Gooding-Edghill proudly accepted the award in Germany March 7, 2023, expressing gratitude to...

COMMERCE, CALIF.—Nora Lighting, a leading provider of lighting solutions, announced the release of its latest catalog, showcasing the newest additions to its comprehensive range of lighting solutions. The catalog, titled “The Book,” features a selection of commercial and residential lighting fixtures, including LED downlights, track lighting, linear lighting, pendants, and more. Each product is designed to provide superior performance, energy efficiency, and style, making it easy for architects, interior designers, and contractors to find the perfect solution for their projects. “Our new catalog represents our commitment to providing our customers with the best lighting solutions in the industry,” said Jilla Farzan,...

CINCINNATI—Cintas Corp. is nearing completion of a multi-year companywide LED lighting transition project to help reduce facility-focused energy use and support the company along its Path to Net Zero. Cintas’ 475 facilities throughout the United States and Canada fulfill the needs of its four business divisions. These field locations, distribution centers and corporate facilities combine for about 23 million square feet of space that requires heating, cooling and appropriate lighting. Cintas identified an opportunity to decrease energy use by installing LED lights at its older, more energy-intensive locations, and initiated the company-wide LED transition project in FY’19. Cintas’ Quality and Engineering Team...

FRAMINGHAM, MASS.—Ameresco, Inc., a leading cleantech integrator specializing in energy efficiency and renewable energy, announced its Chicago Smart Lighting Program (CSLP) has been awarded the Inspiring Efficiency Impact Award by the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, a collaborative network advancing energy efficiency in the Midwest for sustainable economic development and environmental stewardship. Completed in 2022, CSLP is the largest city-led wireless smart streetlight program in the United States. The project transformed the city’s streetlight system, reducing energy consumption and increasing visibility for public safety. Ameresco replaced approximately 280,000 existing outdated High Pressure Sodium light fixtures with new energy-efficient LED lights and created a...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News has added Axxess Industries to its Green Product & Service Directory in the following two categories: “Energy Management/Guestroom” and “Lighting & Controls.” Hotel owners and operators are looking for a variety of ways to reduce the cost of running their hotels and attract more guests. Axxess Industries manufactures a comprehensive assortment of practical, tech-savvy products for the smart automation and control of hotels. The company’s guestroom control systems combine to save energy and staff costs while impressing guests with comfort and convenience. The electronic Do Not Disturb systems guarantee guest privacy while making staff more efficient. All...

ATLANTA—Acuity Brands, Inc. announced that its subsidiary Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc. has entered into an agreement with Biological Innovations and Optimization Systems, LLC to participate in the BIOS ILLUMINATED partnership program. In connection with this agreement, BIOS will sell to Acuity Brands certain human-centric LED lighting components for use in its architectural lighting fixtures for wellness. Acuity Brands will also have the worldwide right to use the BIOS trademark for marketing and promoting these lighting fixtures that include BIOS SkyBlue technology. “We continue to see a growing demand and business case for design strategies and technologies to promote wellness. Wellness lighting, and specifically in this...

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,...

COMMERCE, CALIF.—Nora Lighting introduces miniature 1” M1+ downlights without any housing needed. Each luminaire includes a pre-wired junction box, making installation simple. IC Air-tight downlights are a perfect solution for commercial and residential applications. M1+ is an upgrade to Nora Lighting’s first generation M1 1” downlights. The downlights are available from 12V to 120V input with Triac or ELV dimming and from 100 lumens to 600 delivered lumens in two color temperatures (2700K or 3000K) @ 90+ CRI. A square trim accessory can easily be installed in matte black, bronze, or matte powder white finishes. M1+ luminaires are cETLus listed for...

COMMERCE, CALIF.—Nora Lighting’s award winning 2” M2 downlights are now available in a trimless option, without any housing required. The patent pending trimless mud plate includes integrated magnets to hold the luminaire against the ceiling. These IC Air-tight downlights are a perfect solution for commercial and residential applications with shallow plenums. The M2 trimless downlights produce over 750 lumens in three color temperatures (2700K, 3000K, or 4000K) @ 90+ CRI. Each luminaire includes a pre-wired driver box with dimmable driver. Finishes include matte black or matte powder white to match any décor or hardware. M2 luminaires are cETLus listed for damp...

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...