KOHLER, WIS.—Kohler Co. has earned its fifth consecutive Sustained Excellence Award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Kohler, the leading manufacturer of kitchen and bath plumbing products in the United States, has partnered with the EPA’s WaterSense program since 2007 and was recognized again in 2017 for its leadership in water-saving product innovation and consumer advocacy. In 2008, the EPA named Kohler the first recipient of its WaterSense Manufacturer Partner of the Year Award. In each year since, Kohler has earned additional recognition from the EPA, including the agency’s first Sustained Excellence award in 2013. “Kohler is honored to be recognized...

MUSKEGON, MICH.—EarthTronics introduces the new IC-Rated LED Recessed Downlight Fixture Series to provide interior downlight illumination for commercial, residential and municipal facilities. Available in 4- and 6-inch diameters, in both 3000K and 5000K color of light, the new EarthTronics IC-Rated LED Recessed Downlight Fixture Series can be easily installed in finished drywall or architectural tile ceilings in facilities such as schools, hospitals, office buildings and other commercial and residential applications. Each of the EarthTronics IC-Rated LED Recessed Downlight Series accepts 120 volt AC power supply. The downlights provide more than 77 lumens per watt with a high 80+ CRI for improved...

WALPOLE, N.H.—Len-Tex Corp. announced the publishing of new Health Product Declarations (HPDs) utilizing Version 2.1 for its Clean Vinyl Wallcoverings. “Publishing HPDs is a key facet of our commitment to promoting safer, healthier indoor environments,” says Don Lennon. “Full product transparency is the one true measure of a company’s commitment to healthier living spaces and work environments.” The HPD Open Standard provides a rigorous, standard methodology for detailed reporting of product contents and associated health information for building products. While over 2,500 published HPDs are available to the public in the HPD Public Repository, Len-Tex Corp. remains the only contract...

SAN DIEGO—Eldorado Stone, manufacturer of architectural stone veneer, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on September 26, to announce the commencement of operations for its new, state-of-the-art manufacturing and distribution facility in Greencastle, Pa. The 432,000-square-foot facility will consolidate activities from two preexisting locations—an aging manufacturing facility near Greencastle and a distribution facility in Hagerstown, Md.—into one central hub for the region. The facility will incorporate a new system designed to improve productivity and reduce waste materials by repurposing wastewater and other wet waste. “By consolidating operations into a single facility and upgrading equipment, our team will be able to increase...

GRANT, MICH.—When Greenbuild convenes next month in Boston, Porous Pave, Inc. will mark another environmental milestone: surpassing 10 million pounds of recycled rubber used in applications of its permeable paving material. An eco-friendly green building product made in the U.S.A., Porous Pave is a highly porous, durable and flexible paving material. The controlled shredding and processing of discarded tires produces the 1/8-1/4-inch, fine-cut chips of recycled rubber incorporated into Porous Pave. Porous Pave installations retain storm water on site, decreasing runoff into storm drains and storm sewers. Porous Pave XL is the company’s strongest and most durable formulation for hard-wearing...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added a ClearWater Tech case study to its website. The case study focuses on the Holiday Inn Express in Atascadero, Calif. and its implementation of an EcoTex™ ozone system from ClearWater Tech. The system is saving the inn substantial amounts in gas, water, and other expenses. “The ClearWater representatives thoroughly covered how the process worked, how the installation would proceed and how much money I would start to save, primarily in gas for hot water,” explained the hotel’s General Manager, Amar Sohi. “Right away, I could see savings...

WOODRIDGE, Ill.—Danze and Gerber, both leaders in the decorative plumbing fixtures category, have announced the addition of Mike Walleck as their Director of Sales for the Western Region. Walleck brings more than 20 years of experience to the Danze and Gerber teams. He was most recently Sales Director at Ward Manufacturing, where he honed his management skills overseeing a sales team that included manufacturer representatives in more than 10 states. Prior to joining Ward, Mike spent time at well-known plumbing, HVAC and building products companies, including TOTO USA, American Standard and Mohawk Industries, among others. In his role with Danze and Gerber,...

SAN FRANCISCO—Smith & Fong Co., manufacturer of Plyboo bamboo architectural panels and flooring products, announced the launch of The Living Hinge Collection  a new line of flexible acoustical panels made from carved bamboo plywood. “The Living Hinge Collection was developed to tackle design challenges with walls that don’t conform to right angles,” Smith & Fong President Angus Stocks said. “Utilizing CNC technology, these panels can literally bend around a corner to provide visual continuity—and sound-reducing performance—for non-standard interior walls.” By definition, a “living hinge” is a thin flexible hinge (flexure bearing) made from the same material as the two rigid pieces it connects. Utilizing the enticing movement...

JASPER, IND.—Indiana Furniture announced that Chad Nord has joined their leadership team as Vice President of Manufacturing, Engineering and Quality. Nord is charged with fostering Indiana Furniture’s culture of high performance while leading sustainability efforts across multiple facilities with nearly 300 employees in southern Indiana. “I’m pleased to welcome Chad to the Indiana Furniture family,” said President and CEO Max Verkamp. “He has extensive experience and a deep understanding of every aspect of operations: lean manufacturing, project management, strategic planning, employee training and development, management coaching and process design.” “I have such respect for everything Indiana Furniture’s accomplished—like their level-certified product...

SAN MATEO, CALIF.— Brilliant announced that it has created the Brilliant Control, a smart lighting solution that gives anyone in a hotel room or vacation rental the ability to access music, climate, and other common smart home devices with just a simple touch or voice command—no smartphone required. Replacing existing light switches, the Brilliant Control installs in minutes and features a touchscreen that is intuitive to operate. “We created Brilliant Control so that anyone in any room could adjust lighting, music, and climate control as easily as flipping a light switch, making it perfect for hotels, B&Bs and vacation rentals,”...