For the environment, design decides better to act than to talk
As if it were a first-rate need, green products and solutions for the hospitality industry took over the latest HD exhibition in Las Vegas, at the Sands Convention Center between May 9 and 12. Attendees of the event had the opportunity to come across a product line with an obvious green focus illustrated with elements ranging from textiles and rugs to lingerie. Meanwhile, the seminars on sustainable design and the session on green construction were the favorites of the attendees.
An additional lounge with green products and special signage for companies with solutions in this segment helped visitors identify those companies that can help them in their attempt to design and decorate hotels that respect the environment. "The rug and fabric business is already doing it," said Kajsa Krause, CEO of DNA Strategic Design + Development.
Recycling is reigning supreme
Rugs, decorative finishes, fabrics and green furniture are now available thanks to environmentally friendly processes and materials. Rugs made from tires or plastic containers is one of the strengths of Durkan Hospitality. "We are the largest recycling company in the hospitality industry," said Stephanie Euler, public relations officer for Durkan. About 25% of plastic bottles produced in the U.S. are recycled through this program. "If you have a Coke there's a good chance you'll be walking around in its packaging in a while," he added.
Fabrics also star in the new segment. Valley Forge Fabrics officially presented during the event its FRESH line (Fabrics Redefining Environmental Stardars (for) Hospitality. This product line is composed of either 100% recycled polyester or 100% virgin polyester that goes through a process to be recycled. "We also enable hotels that after 4 or 5 years of using their furniture we go and collect it for the recycling process," said Moisés Fogel, sales director for Latin America at Valley Forge Fabrics.
Delayed reaction?
Contrary to what you may think many of the companies that are now recognized for offering special products in this line are not new to the scene. Milliken Hospitality is one of them. "We've been doing it forever but nobody gave us credit for it," said Andy Bjornson of Milliken Hospitality During the process of making its rugs this company has been using alternative energy since 1999.
The same story tells MTS, a chair manufacturer. "While we've been doing it for a couple of years, we're now putting it on a clearer message," said John Menas, vice president of sales at MTS Seating, referring to its environmentally friendly products. "Our SinerGreen line unites comfort and preservation," explains Mr. Menas. It is an environmentally friendly philosophy that seeks to make continuous improvements in processes and products without compromising the company's business principles.
"This is an opportunity for a change in what constitutes good design and the change is given by the sum between design and sustainability," said Kip Richardson, architect who was in charge of the academic presentation Sustainable Design 1, Beyond green, in which he presented examples of sustainable design, some of them in Latin America such as Loreto Bay in Mexico and Morgan's Rock in Nicaragua. "You have to look at the world holistically," he concluded.
