HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLO.—It’s no secret that eco-friendly initiatives and sustainability efforts are the core of adoba ecotel’s existence. The brand aims to not only continue internal efforts to reduce their carbon footprint but also continue to expand on these initiatives and grow their campaigns and eco-friendly programs even further. This desire to continue to grow and evolve has led the adoba ecotel team to a new partnership with Refresh Glass, a unique company that creates glassware and art pieces from recycled wine bottles. Refresh Glass was created just a few short years ago by Ray DelMuro. DelMuro spent five years...

STAMFORD, CONN.—Officials of the Sheraton Stamford Hotel recently announced the completion of the hotel’s next step to achieving its sustainable goals to improve environmental efficiencies that help the hotel as well as its community. The Sheraton Stamford Hotel just completed a $200,000 project, in which they upgraded their lighting to LED throughout the hotel. According to a study from the Connecticut Energy Efficient Fund, over the life of the fixtures, the hotel’s increase in LED usage will have saved an estimated 7,412,770.00 kWh. This is equivalent to 3,755,988 pounds of coal not burned, 308,755 gallons of oil not burned,...

BRANSON, MO.—The Branson Convention Center recently launched a task force of employees to investigate how the facility could lessen its environmental impact through green initiatives. After several months of research and planning the task force has begun implementing their recommendations with a new sustainability plan.“SMG has a long history worldwide of conducting business with a focus on being environmentally friendly,” said Branson Convention Center General Manager Marc Mulherin. “When SMG transitioned into the management role with the Convention Center we knew launching this task force would be one of our first priorities.”The initiatives of the Branson Convention Center’s sustainability...

NEW YORK—Atlanta-based Interface, Inc., the world’s largest modular carpet manufacturer, announced at the 2014 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Annual Meeting, its commitment to expanding Net-Works in partnership with Zoological Society of London (ZSL). Net-Works is an innovative, cross-sector collaboration designed to tackle the growing environmental problem of discarded fishing nets in some of the world’s poorest coastal communities, while at the same time supporting one of the company’s ambitious Mission Zero goals to source 100 percent recycled nylon. Today, the program is established in rural coastal areas in the central Philippines (including the Bantayan Islands and Danajon Bank, one...

DALTON, GA.—J+J Flooring Group is launching the Counterbalance Collection, its second offering of award-winning Kinetex textile composite flooring. Kinetex textile composite flooring, introduced last year, is an effective and efficient alternative to hard surface flooring. Constructed of knitted polyester fabric and cushioned polyester felt backing, it provides the durability of hard surface flooring, the comfort and warmth of soft surface flooring and better acoustics and safety than either. The flooring is virtually unaffected by common stains and resists crushing, withstanding more than 5 million foot traffics. Named one of Environmental Building News’ Top 10 Green Building Products of 2014,...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Viridian Reclaimed Wood announced it has launched a line of paneling derived from reclaimed cedar and redwood fencing, according to Viridian co-owner Pierce Henley.“Robert Frost’s musing verse, ‘good fences make good neighbors’ was the inspiration for our newest product,” Henley said.  “Our pet project to keep old fence boards from going to the landfill has grown into an extensive recycling operation and a gorgeous new paneling line called Good Neighbor.”Available in Weathered Redwood, Fresh-Sawn Redwood and Multi-Toned varieties, Good Neighbor paneling is lightweight and easy to work with.  Good Neighbor Weathered Redwood has been exposed to years of...

DALTON, GA.—Tandus Centiva, a Tarkett Company, has been Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver (v3) for its ethos modular soft surface products from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. The Cradle to Cradle design principles provide for continual improvement and innovation around the economic, environmental and social issues of design and use of products. The purpose of the product certification program is to improve the way we design, make, use and reuse products.Tandus Centiva’s ethos is a backing option for Tandus Centiva modular soft surface product platforms. It was developed in 2010 from recycled PVB, which is an abundantly...

DEATH VALLEY, CALIF.—In keeping with its “pillars of sustainability,” the AAA Four Diamond Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley National Park has enacted a series of initiatives designed to minimize the impact of its operations and of its guests. The resort has put in place programs to reduce waste and water usage, generate electricity and offer sustainable choices to its guests.Those efforts are working as the resort reports solid waste has been reduced by 44 percent, water usage has dropped 19 percent and electricity use is down 18 percent since 2010. In that same time period sustainably sourced food...

NEW YORK—The American Hotel & Lodging Association’s Sustainability Committee has added a session entitled, “Measuring Hotel Carbon Footprints Using HCMI Methodology,” to the lineup of sessions at the Hospitality Leadership Forum which leads up to the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS). The session will take place from 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. on Saturday, November 8 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. IHMRS will take place at the Javits Center from Sunday, November 9 through Tuesday, November 11.Pat Maher, partner, The Maher Group, LLC, will moderate the panel discussion that will include:...

KA‘ANAPALI, MAUI, HAWAII—Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa is celebrating its LEED Silver EBOM (Existing Building Operations and Maintenance) certification, awarded as a result of a long term commitment to environmental sustainability. This certification is the first of any building in the state of Hawaii. The property recently completed renovations throughout the resort, including the pool area, Drums of the Pacific Luau, and dining outlets. Throughout the renovation process members of the Hyatt Regency Maui operations team worked closely with property owner Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. and with third-party consultants Green Building Hawaii to make the necessary environmentally...