BRADENTON, FLA.—At a time when energy costs have reached an all time high, savvy hotel and condo owners are finding highly effective ways to conserve energy and save money. By installing constant airflow regulators in bathroom and kitchen exhaust vents, owners and operators are able to accurately and automatically control the amount of heated or conditioned air that is constantly blown out of their buildings. While having the airflow automatically regulated improves the indoor air quality and enables the use of smaller high-efficiency fans, the greatest savings comes from the reduced load on a facility’s heating and cooling systems. Constant...

BARBADOS—From May 9 to 12, the 11th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism, otherwise known as the Sustainable Tourism Conference, will be held in Barbados. This year’s conference will be held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Center (formally Sherbourne Conference Center). The theme for this year’s conference is “Keeping the Right Balance: Creating Opportunities Through a World Class Sustainable Tourism Product,” and is being organized by the Caribbean Tourism Organization in collaboration with the Barbados Tourism Authority. Strategic heritage tourism planning will be the focus of the opening general session, and a panel of experts will examine the subject...

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK—Yellowstone’s newest gift store—“For Future Generations: Yellowstone Gifts”—has received a special sustainability award from the Association for Retail Environments (A.R.E.) in the category “Consumer Education & Outreach.” A.R.E. is a nonprofit trade association representing the retail environments industry. More than 800 member companies include store fixture suppliers, retail design firms, suppliers of visual merchandising products, and suppliers of materials and equipment for the retail environments industry. Conceived, designed and operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts, the store opened in 2009 and was dedicated in January 2010. Xanterra converted an existing gift shop in the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel...

TORONTO—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts across the globe will raise awareness and funds to protect endangered fish throughout the month of April. Chefs in Fairmont dining rooms will demonstrate to diners how good the alternatives can be by highlighting their favorite sustainable seafood entrees. Dining room guests will be invited to donate $1 (or local equivalent) to the National Geographic Society (NGS) in support of ocean conservation and the restoration of living marine resources. Fairmont’s commitment to ocean sustainability means working with reputable suppliers who purchase fish that are resilient to fishing pressure and harvested in ways that limit damage...

OAKBROOK, ILL.—1888 Mills LLC has launched its first socially sustainable luxury terry line for the hospitality industry through its exclusive partnership with the Cotton Made in Africa project (CmiA). 1888 Mills, a leading global manufacturer of home and commercial textiles, will pair CmiA cotton with Oasis, one of its top-selling hospitality terry programs. “We have had tremendous success with our environmentally focused brands like Green Threads and Whole Solutions,” said Jack Bray, president of the Commercial Products Division at 1888 Mills. “Adding CmiA to Oasis is a great way to broaden our progressive sustainability initiatives.” Founded in 2005, the CmiA project’s...

SAN FRANCISCO—Global sustainability consultancy Five Winds International, and sustainability hospitality consultants Business Evolution Consulting (BEC) have announced that BEC has been merged into Five Winds International. The addition of a San Francisco office expands Five Winds International’s geographic reach to nine locations worldwide. The merger also expands the firm’s service offerings within the hospitality sector, adding to its expertise within the consumer products, automotive, electronics, government/public, and building and construction sectors. Five Winds International works on behalf of clients to increase shareholder value and address key business drivers by enabling them to understand, improve, and succeed in their initiatives. The...

ANN ARBOR, MICH.—NSF International announced that its new draft standard for Commercial Furnishing Fabrics (NSF Draft Standard 336) is now open for public comment. The Commercial Furnishing Fabrics standard is one of eight sustainability standards and certification programs NSF International has developed. These standards provide manufacturers an independent, third-party means of demonstrating their commitment to the environment and avoiding accusations of greenwashing. NSF International has also developed standards and certification programs for sustainable carpet, flooring, business and institutional furniture (BIFMA e3), and green chemicals. NSF Draft Standard 336 for Commercial Furnishing Fabrics provides pathways toward sustainability by establishing measurable criteria...

ITHACA, N.Y.—The Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) has posted the proceedings of its inaugural Sustainability Roundtable. The proceedings, which are available at no charge from the CHR website, cover the roundtable’s examination of key points regarding the lodging industry’s efforts to operate sustainably, including such issues as the definition of sustainability, emerging regulations and laws, engaging guests, and the complexity of carbon neutrality. “When we issued highlights of the sustainability roundtable late last year, people were interested in learning more about the discussions,” said Rohit Verma, CHR executive director. “So, with the assistance of our panel members, we now...

CHICAGO—Coalesse, a new premium live/work furnishings brand, has received the prestigious Designs for Dignity 2010 Sustainability Award. Coalesse is committed to environmentally-responsible design practices and materials and has several products that have earned SCS (Scientific Certification Systems) certification for indoor air quality protection. Coalesse requires all wood veneers sourced from outside of North America and approved European partners to be FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified to ensure fair, safe and responsible methods are used to harvest and process the wood. Coalesse has eight accredited LEED professionals on its team as part of its ongoing effort to remain a leader in...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Valley Forge Fabrics, Inc., a leader in sustainable textiles for hospitality, announced the results of a 360 Degree Green Audit of the company conducted by MindClick SGM. Valley Forge, already known for its award winning FRESH fabric collections—including LIVING FRESH Bedding with Tencel+Plus Lyocell—looked to MindClick SGM for the next step in their sustainability evolution. Valley Forge Fabrics, recognizing customer demand for sustainable products, sought to further improve its service by establishing transparent, ongoing sustainability performance measurement. Going beyond the limitations of traditional sustainability evaluations which measure energy, water and waste only, Valley Forge Fabrics turned to MindClick...