GREENVILLE, S.C.—Windsor/Aughtry Company announced an agreement with FLS Energy to provide solar hot water technology for the new Courtyard Marriott hotel at the intersection of Main and Broad Streets in downtown Greenville, S.C. This marks the first Marriott property in the United States to boast a commercial-scale solar hot water system. The plan includes 60 solar panels that have been installed to heat 2,900 gallons of hot water a day for the hotel. The hotel is scheduled to open late this month or early May. According to Paul C. “Bo” Aughtry, III, principal with Windsor/Aughtry Company, this environmentally sustainable venture represents...

BLOOMINGTON, IND.—A new, more sustainable adhesive has been developed for use on carpet tiles that, according to initial reports, is as effective as conventional adhesives and holds up well when cleaned with professional carpet extraction methods. Adhesives are typically used to bind the layers of carpet tiles together. However, some adhesives in use today make the carpet tiles difficult to recycle. Because of this, it is estimated that in Europe more than 154 million pounds of carpet tiles end up in landfills each year. Although the data were not broken down by type, the nonprofit Carpet America Recovery Effort estimates...

NEW YORK—Carnegie, a manufacturer of textiles, has introduced X-Protect Barrier Backing for its Xorel line of textiles. Technologically advanced, environmentally sound and inherently anti-microbial, Xorel has been widely trusted as a problem solving material by architects and designers since its introduction in 1981. This new protective backing is engineered specifically for Xorel fabrics to protect and prevent stains and other substances from reaching the foam, thereby increasing cushion protection and enhancing Xorel’s performance attributes. This new protective barrier can be applied to any Xorel fabric approved for upholstery use and meets ASTM resistance to blood and...

STOWE, VT.—Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont has received the Sustainable Community Certification from Audubon International, becoming the first ski resort in the United States to earn this environmental achievement. Members of Audubon International’s Sustainable Communities Program are eligible for certification, which recognizes dedication to the process of becoming a more sustainable community and beginning to act on a sustainability plan. The plan covers 15 focus areas, and members must choose timelines and measurable goals. Once progress is documented, members become certified. “As the first Private Sector Track member to receive the Audubon International Sustainable Community Certification, Stowe Mountain Resort has...

DES PLAINES, ILL.—Bedding manufacturer United Feather & Down recently made a difference for two Chicagoland homeless shelters, donating much-needed bedding, including pillows and comforters, as part of the United Relief Foundation’s (URF) Project Restoring Hope program. Project Restoring Hope is dedicated to easing the suffering of homeless individuals and families, especially veterans, in America. United Feather & Down’s donation enabled URF to kick off the Project Restoring Hope program sooner than expected. Company co-president Stephen Palmer was on hand to deliver the comforters, which have been given to two Chicago area shelters: the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton,...

WINCHESTER, VA.—Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP), a leader in innovative, solutions-based products, announces the newest addition to its line of indoor recycling receptacles. New Element Indoor Recycling Stations provide stylish, centralized collection for multi-stream waste and recycling sortation. “Faced with increasing sustainability regulations and the rise of green building, facility managers and building owners need products that not only satisfy corporate and government requirements, but are also an aesthetically pleasing solution to their recycling program needs,” said Victoria Ciupak, senior product manager—Decorative Receptacles at Rubbermaid Commercial Products. “The attractive design of Element Recycling Stations makes them especially suitable for end-users...

ORLANDO, FLA.—RezHub.com has launched its Hotel Green Audit, a fully validated self-auditing system allowing hotels within its system to list and manage their environmentally friendly amenities. The Hotel Green Audit by RezHub.com allows hotels and other properties to list and manage their sustainable and environmentally friendly practices to become a part of the Green Travel Hub’s green hotel directory. “Hotels have a strong desire to be listed as eco-friendly on RezHub.com due to its unique tools and marketing capabilities to the traveling public,” says Erik Folgate, social media and marketing coordinator. RezHub.com was the first online travel agency (OTA) to identify...

CLEARWATER, FLA.—Save Your World L.L.C., the first company in the United States to launch a personal care product line infused with organic yerba maté and organic aloe vera, has announced two new amenity lines of products—“Oasis Fruit,” a citrus delight, and “Rainforest,” a warm berry and spice—both of which are scented with pure essential oils and packaged in recyclable PET bottles with aluminum caps. These are being added to the company’s hotel partnership program, which launched in late 2008 with a line of paper-bottled products designed to reduce after-use waste by more than 92 percent, in response to demand for...

TROY, OHIO—Hobart announced that the patent-pending Energy Star qualified AM Select Ventless warewasher is the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) Product of the Year for 2010. FCSI presented the award following a tally of votes gathered from professional consultants at its recent annual conference in Minneapolis. FCSI is a prominent, globally recognized organization of more than 1,400 members who design foodservice installations and specify a broad range of equipment ranging from commercial ovens and storage refrigerators to dishwashers and cleaning systems. At its annual conference FCSI members vote on the most innovative products among 10 finalists selected in the...

LAGRANGE, GA.—Milliken & Company, a privately-held, technology-based company serving textile, chemical, and floor covering markets, has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2010. Out of a record number of nominations for the award, Milliken secured a spot on the list by implementing upright business practices and initiatives that benefit the company, the community, and that raise the bar for ethical standards within its markets. “Being recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the ‘2010 World’s Most Ethical Companies’ tops a long list of things in which our associates take great...