NATIONAL REPORT—It will be at this year’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (November 20 to 22 in Philadelphia) that the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Environmental Design (LEED) v4 will be introduced. For the hospitality industry, the rollout will be significant. It will be the first time that there will be hospitality-specific adaptations of LEED: LEED Hospitality-New Construction, LEED Hospitality-Existing Buildings, and LEED Hospitality-Commercial Interiors. The adaptations are the result of many years of conversations and input from LEED stakeholders in the hospitality community. Some of that input can be found among the more than 22,000 comments...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, received The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY) Award from the Building Owners and Managers Associations of New Jersey for its corporate headquarters campus in Parsippany, N.J.The TOBY Award honors outstanding office buildings for excellence in building management, operational efficiency, emergency planning, tenant relations and community impact. Wyndham Worldwide's campus was honored for its achievements in the Corporate Facility category, and also took home the Grand Building of the Year Award for earning top honors among all winners. This is the first time the company received the awards.“A tremendous...

NEW YORK—The New York Convention Center Operating Corp., Empire State Development and the New York Convention Center Development Corp. joined November 11 with the Hotel Association of New York City, FXFOWLE, Epstein and Tishman Construction, an AECOM Company, in a celebration of the newly renovated Jacob K. Javits Convention Center of New York. From the installation of a new 240,000 square-foot glass curtain wall to the construction of the largest green roof in the Northeast, the Javits Center has undergone a comprehensive renovation. Located on Manhattan’s West Side in Midtown, the Javits Center is considered the busiest convention center...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Association opened attendee registration for its NRA Show 2014 and the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event. Attendees may register online at Restaurant.org/Show and/or WineSpiritsBeer.org. Members of the National Restaurant Association receive free registration for the NRA Show and a member-exclusive rate of $50 on IWSB registration at any time. NRA Show 2014 will be held May 17 to 20 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, along with IWSB 2014, May 18 to 19. Because of the International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event’s increasing popularity, it has expanded into the spacious Lakeside Ballroom. “Registering now provides an outstanding...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is finalizing a rule that will allow the agency to restrict imports of potentially harmful perfluorinated chemicals that could be used in carpets. The regulation will require companies to report to EPA all new uses, including in domestic and imported products, of these chemicals once used  for soil and stain resistance in carpets. These chemicals have been shown to persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in humans and animals. This action follows the U.S. chemical industry’s voluntary phase out of these chemicals and a range of actions by EPA to address concerns...

NEW YORK—Seven exhibitors received Editors’ Choice Awards during the Opening Ceremonies of the 98th annual International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) and 4th annual Boutique Design New York (BDNY), Sunday, November 10, 2013, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The awards recognize best new products within the categories of design, equipment & supplies, food & beverage, green, operations, tabletop and technology. From the seven winners, the Kenneth F. Hine “Best of Show” Award also was selected. The 2013 Editors’ Choice Award winners are:Kenneth F. Hine “Best of Show”—Phillips Collection (High Point, N.C.) for the Bicycle...

WESTPORT, CONN.—HVACR professionals attending the 2014 AHR Expo, January 21 to 23 in New York City, will have an opportunity to be immersed in the latest building automation and controls (BAC) technology. From learning about the latest trends during seminars to getting hands-on demos from leading manufacturers on the exhibit floor, AHR Expo is the go-to event to explore BAC solutions for every application. A variety of new educational sessions designed to provide attendees with insights into BAC trends and technologies will be offered by the industry’s leading associations and consultants during the three-day event. In addition to several BAC-focused...

NEW YORK—New York State Division of Tourism’s iconic “I Love New York” heart logo has had a green makeover to celebrate the launch of responsibletravel.com’s new guide to responsible tourism in New York State.The guide encourages travelers to escape the confines of the Big Apple and to discover an even bigger secret—the rest of New York State’s 11 regions. Searching out wilderness hiking trails connected to the city by mainline railways, motor-free lakes best explored by kayak and enthusiastic local New Yorkers dedicated to sharing and preserving their local environments, the guide highlights the best, most inspirational travel experiences...

NEW YORK—The 2013 Hilton Humanitarian Prize was presented to ECPAT at the annual Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Symposium at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City on October 23. The Hilton Symposium gathers policymakers and leaders in the humanitarian field to address the most challenging issues facing the billions of people who make up the world’s most vulnerable populations.“ECPAT is deeply honored to be selected to receive the prestigious Hilton Humanitarian Prize by its distinguished jury,” said Dorothy Rozga, executive director of ECPAT International. “Over the last 20 years the name ECPAT has become synonymous with action to stop...

NEW YORK—Underscoring sustainable hospitality and the importance of honeybees for the environment, InterContinental New York Barclay and The Center for Sustainable Design Strategies at Pratt Institute announced the launch of the Barclay the Bee comic series. Aiming to educate and sensitize children to the environment in a fun way, student artist Olga Andreyeva, a senior Illustration major at Pratt, has created sweet, savvy bees-in-the-city characters that playfully highlight the vital work of bees against the backdrop of their New York City home.Printed locally on 100 percent recycled paper using non-toxic inks and renewable wind-powered energy, the comics, starting with...