NEW YORK—HOK, a global design, architecture, engineering and planning firm, announced that architecture and interior design firm BBG-BBGM’s New York and Shanghai employees have joined the company. BBG-BBGM’s primary business has been hospitality design, with a focus on luxury hotels and resorts.“The addition of a premier hospitality design firm to our already strong hospitality group provides immediate benefits for HOK’s clients worldwide,” said Bill Hellmuth, AIA, HOK president. “We have tremendous mutual respect for each other and share a passion for exceptional design and project delivery. We each are committed to creating great spaces that respect their communities, delight...

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J.—LG Electronics USA, an industry leader in hotel- and guest-centric display solutions, is helping hotel operators transform the in-room guest experience with the next generation of interactive TVs that interface seamlessly with guests’ smartphones and tablets for a personalized big-screen viewing experience.LG’s new commercial-grade LP870H series LED Smart IPTVs (Internet-protocol televisions) are built around the advanced Pro:Centric platform designed to deliver an enhanced, interactive guestroom experience.“Hoteliers want technology that gives their guests choices—whether it’s using social media or watching a movie from their personal multimedia library,” said Richard Lewis, senior vice president, research and technology for LG’s...

SAN FRANCISCO—Smith & Fong Co., manufacturer of Plyboo bamboo architectural plywood and flooring, announced the launch of a new line of bamboo dimensional lumber, according to company founder Dan Smith.“Our Plyboo dimensional lumber was developed in response to market demand for an interior grade lumber that’s both substantial and decorative,” Smith said. “It takes all the colors and textures of plywood and flooring we offer and makes them available in a versatile lumber product that can be used for furniture, fixtures, door and window jams and other decorative applications.”Plyboo lumber is available in amber and natural, edge and flat...

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—In celebration of the Fairmont San Jose hotel’s newly renovated on-premise laundry, the hotel’s leadership hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this year, complete with a special cake—a model of one of the new Milnor washer-extractors. Attending the ribbon cutting were the Fairmont’s General Manager, Kelley Cosgrove, Executive Laundry Manager, Jason Lustbader, and Chief Engineer, Larry Wick, along with the hotel’s laundry staff and representatives from the commercial laundry experts, Western State Design (WSD). To cap off the celebration, the hotel’s pastry chef surprised guests with a cake for the ceremony, which was a detailed replica of one...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes umf Corp. as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. The company’s PerfectCLEAN patented color coded, ONEperROOM system of high performance textiles, wipers, sponges, tube mops, flat mops and ergonomically designed hardware achieve a healthier guest environment and are proven to support increased guest satisfaction scores.PerfectCLEAN combines performance, increased productivity and waste reduction with significant cost savings. Developed for hospital infection prevention programs, PerfectCLEAN’s training and expertise has now been adopted by all leading hotel brands. PerfectCLEAN supports sustainability programs, including LEED certification—ensuring a safer guest and...

ANN ARBOR, MICH.—NSF Sustainability, a division of the global public health organization NSF International, has partnered with Sustainable Waste Solutions to provide companies with effective waste management solutions without utilizing landfills for their waste disposal. By providing landfill-free verification, NSF International and Sustainable Waste Solutions will assess companies to document that all wastes generated are reused, recycled or processed as waste to energy.Achieving landfill-free status is a significant accomplishment. Giving companies the opportunity to demonstrate their environmental leadership by verifying their environmental claim through reputable, independent third-party organizations is essential.Sustainable Waste Solutions provides a broad range of reuse, recycling...

EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO—The first downlight of GE’s Lumination LED Luminaires, the DI Series, offers easy customization through an ideal ambient lighting solution for high-end retail applications and other settings with high ceilings. Featuring the design of GE Lighting’s Infusion technology, users can easily select their preferred lumen output and color temperature to illuminate key products or focal points with the simple switch of an LED module.Offering greater flexibility and future-proof versatility than CFL and PAR downlights, the GE Lumination LED DownLight modules can be quickly and effortlessly removed and upgraded in seconds through a twist-fit design that doesn’t require...

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—SWITCH Lighting, maker of the LED A-Lamps, announced that the SWITCH100 is now Energy Star certified. The SWITCH100 is SWITCH’s 100 watt-equivalent LED replacement A-Lamp. Customers who purchase the SWITCH100 are now eligible to receive the accompanying price rebates offered by utility companies across the country.“Home owners and commercial building customers are quickly recognizing the importance of using Energy Star certified appliances in their homes and other commercial properties,” said EC Sykes, CEO of SWITCH. “The Energy Star name represents quality, reliability and efficiency, and we’re honored that the SWITCH100 meets the Energy Star Standard A-Lamp qualifications.”Established...

ATLANTA—Major revisions for design and measurement of comfortable spaces are included in a newly published 2013 standard from ASHRAE. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2013, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, combines the 2010 standard and 18 published addenda into a consolidated standard. The core of the standard in Sections 4 and 5 specifies methods to determine thermal environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, air speed and radiant effects) in buildings and other spaces that a significant proportion of the occupants will find acceptable at a certain metabolic rate and clothing level.Section 7 of the standard includes new requirements for the measurement and evaluation...

DEARBORN, MICH.—In the chic, historic Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Mich., Adoba Hotel is looking to create a better customer experience through their focus on sustainability and corporate responsibility. Among the myriad elements in this evolution are 10 allergy-friendly guestrooms from PURE Solutions, which reflect Adoba’s emphasis on wellness and healthy travel.PURE Rooms are treated according to a patented seven-step process that kills and protects against 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria. By virtually eliminating surface and airborne irritants, PURE Rooms create a hypoallergenic space that is not only more comfortable for allergy-sufferers, but also more refreshing and rejuvenating for...