HELSINGBORG, SWEDEN—Gaia Biomaterials has developed a compostable drinking straw material. The new material is a grade of the company’s limestone based Biodolomer material. Biodolomer does not leave any microplastics and is certified compostable by BPI in the USA as well as European certification bodies. The new grade has been developed with hot drinks, such as Irish Coffee and hot chocolate, in mind. It can handle temperatures over 80ºC without any substantial loss in rigidity and stability. Several tests have been conducted with drinking straw manufacturers in Europe and the USA. The material works well in machines, and the properties are according...

CHICAGO—Air wellness pioneer Blueair unveiled its most advanced and powerful air purifier to date—the Classic Pro. Building on the award-winning Classic family of air purifiers, the new model is re-engineered with first-of-its-kind multi-layer filtration technology to deliver 40 percent more performance than before and cleanse the air in rooms up to 1,413 square feet in as little as 30 minutes. Blueair artfully engineered Classic Pro to provide long-lasting, advanced protection against indoor air pollutants that can adversely affect consumers’ quality of life. Equipped with Blueair’s proprietary HEPASilent dual filtration technology, the Classic Pro can quickly capture 99.97% of particles as small as 0.01 microns...

NEW YORK—Carnegie, a leader in authentically sustainable textiles and acoustical management solutions, has expanded its line of Biobased Xorel products, the world’s first bio-based, climate-positive, commercial textile. As part of the Conscious Collection, the new patterns, Nexus and Dash, enhance Carnegie’s award-winning Biobased Xorel brand, which was first introduced 10 years ago. Biobased Xorel is made from rapidly renewable sugarcane with self-powered production that uses zero water. For every ton of material produced, 2.5 tons of carbon is sequestered, making Biobased Xorel a climate-positive innovation. Rising above the greenwashing noise amidst an abundance of misleading claims and use of vague...

SWORDS, IRELAND—Trane Technologies, a global climate innovator, has been recognized in TIME’s inaugural rankings of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies. The list, published in collaboration with market research company Statista, celebrates companies that advance sustainable practices and promote corporate responsibility and social stewardship. “It’s a tremendous honor to be included on TIME’s inaugural list of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies,” said Paul Camuti, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, Trane Technologies. “Sustainability is at the center of our strategy and is integrated into every aspect of our business. The urgent need for climate action is clear and so...

MINNEAPOLIS—Tennant Company, a world leader in designing, manufacturing, and marketing solutions to reinvent how the world cleans, has released its annual Sustainability Report. The report, detailing achievements for the 2023 fiscal year, also marks the first year of reporting on the company’s Thriving People. Healthy Planet. sustainability framework. “Our Thriving People. Healthy Planet. framework is rooted in our daily activity to integrate sustainability into every aspect of our business,” said President and CEO Dave Huml. “We’re proud of the work we’ve accomplished and of the bold goals we’ve set—ambitions that will create shared value for our company, people, communities, and the planet.” Launched in 2023, Tennant’s...

DARIEN, CONN.—Nuveen Green Capital, a leader in sustainable commercial real estate financing solutions, announced that it has closed on both the Thompson Hollywood and the tommie Hollywood in Los Angeles, for a combined total of $90.4 million in C-PACE financing to recapitalize both properties. C-PACE (Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy) is a flexible financing mechanism that provides commercial property owners and developers access to low-cost, long-term, fixed-rate financing for properties under construction, recently completed, or undergoing rehab. These improvements are centered around providing energy efficiency, water conservation, renewable energy, and resiliency measures to these commercial real estate projects. C-PACE, available...

NOTTINGHAM, U.K.—Environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting headaches could be a thing of the past, after Ideagen, a leader in regulatory and compliance software, announced a new strategic partnership to create Ideagen Carbon Accounting set to be a disruptor in the complex world of greenhouse gas emissions measurement. Using ​​generative artificial intelligence (AI), the solution dramatically streamlines the complex requirements of carbon accounting, helping businesses to deliver on emissions reporting to the highest regulatory standards. Ideagen already has more than 16,000 customers globally, many of whom already use their environmental, health and safety and financial reporting solutions. Clients have shared that...

DANBURY, CONN.—Employee empowerment has always been a key operating principal for Meyer Jabara Hotels (MJH). To take its Journey culture to new heights this year and boost employee engagement, the owner and operator of 32 hotels has partnered with Beekeeper, the leading app for frontline teams. Beekeeper features an intelligent dashboard that connects property leaders and the corporate management team with all frontline employees to improve internal communication, support HR teams, and streamline business processes. Secure, relevant information is readily distributed, searchable, and measurable in one central hub for an efficient digitized workflow. “We’ve only been using Beekeeper for 30 days, and it has quickly...

ATLANTA—With ongoing credit market dislocations, Peachtree Group originated a $40 million retroactive CPACE loan to BLG SAN DIEGO, LLC (BLG) for its recently opened 147-room AC Hotel San Diego Downtown Gaslamp Quarter in Calif. The Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE) financing was amortized over 30 years and required no payment for a year, followed by five years of interest-only payments. Also, the proceeds allowed BLG to pay down its senior loan with California-based Preferred Bank and E.Sun Commercial Bank, Ltd. to under $20 million, thereby mitigating the banks’ exposure. “This innovative capital structure significantly alleviated the immediate financial pressures, enabling the hotel to...

NORTON SHORES, MICH.—EarthTronics, dedicated to developing innovative energy-saving lighting products that provide a positive economic and environmental impact, announced the promotion of Bill Liberto to Vice President Sales for Commercial Accounts. In his new role, Liberto will be responsible for growing and strengthening the company’s business position with commercial, industrial and municipal customers, contractors, builders and energy management companies across the United States. “His background has been invaluable in helping EarthTronics quickly make inroads with many key customers, as well as in new markets,” said Kevin Youngquist, Executive Vice President of EarthTronics. “Throughout his career, Bill has demonstrated his ability to...