The Refinishing Touch Blog

With new research working groups and resident fellowship awards, Colorado State is setting an example that other institutions of higher learning should take note of. Its School of Global Environmental Sustainability is already one of the top programs in the country on the subject, but with the moves, it is looking at new ideas for sustainability.

One area that particularly struck a chord when reading about it was the newly formed Regenerative Urban Environments Research Working Group. Its stated focus will be to create a framework for any group that is looking to develop a “living environment” – a new concept for how buildings, neighborhoods, buildings and artificial objects can have a symbiotic relationship with the natural environment.

The economy and the manufacturing plants, office buildings, and vehicles that drive it aren’t going to disappear anytime soon. People will always have a need for shelter and consumable goods. With that in mind, it is important to design policies and communities to better interact with the environment, to more efficiently use resources and to design structures which can reduce fossil fuel consumption. That is the goal of the group at Colorado State, and we are eagerly anticipating hearing more about what it describes as its “new, potentially significant idea and process.”

At The Refinishing Touch, we look forward to being part of the process of turning communities into environmentally sustainable ones, one piece of furniture at a time.

New York has always stood out as one of America’s largest and busiest cities. As such it’s also been a hub for forward thinking and innovation, not only on a business level, but also on a governmental one. In 2007, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced long term plans to improve the environmental sustainability of New York City. This plan is dubbed PlaNYC2030 because it targets sustainability for the population growth estimated by 2030.

It’s ambitious - covering more than 100 strategies to improve key areas such as air quality, climate change and transportation. In these areas, Bloomberg – and hence NYC - has made great strides. Bloomberg has worked with the City Council to draft legislation that will help reduce smog emissions, especially around areas with a high number of school children. He has also set a goal to reduce global warming emissions by more than 30 percent throughout the duration of PlaNYC2030 by making existing buildings more energy efficient and investing millions in research and planning to find more economical ways of meetings the city’s energy needs. Additionally NYC Transit has been brought on board to implement new plans to add more than 200 miles of bike lanes and block cars from high foot-traffic areas of the city.

New York City is setting the bar high with all of these innovative strategies. With any luck the rest of the world’s largest, and even the smallest, cities will take notice and follow suit.

One of the hottest topics in the news is President Obama’s plans for reducing America’s environmental impact. During his visit to Singapore, the president acknowledged that while he was optimistic for the future, the chance of a binding universal agreement on climate change before the end of this year is not possible.

His statement, although it may seem disappointing, is a realistic admission that reflects the difficulties in coming to an understanding with other countries. This is a global problem. Almost every president, prime minister, and world leader would agree the environment is an issue to be addressed, but not all see eye to eye on how and when this will happen. Leaders need to keep an open mind about the best way to go about preventing any damage done to the environment – and repairing damage done to date.

While not everyone approves of his opinions and policies, President Obama’s statement that the United States can improve its affect on the environment by “embracing the latest science, by investing in new energy, by raising efficiency standards, forging new partnerships and engaging in international climate negotiations,” is one that we can all get behind, and we all look forward to the progress that is to come.

Last week, the TRT team traveled to Washington D.C. for the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) Americas Investors and Leadership Conference. One of the world’s largest hotel groups, IHG’s portfolio includes household names such as Intercontinental Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts and Staybridge Suites.

Throughout the show we had the chance to discuss strategy and planning with peers in the industry and to participate in workshops and sessions with some fantastic guest speakers including General Colin L. Powell and David Gregory, Moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. Entertainment was provided by no other than Grammy-winner Gladys Knight.

The economic climate was still fresh on everyone’s mind, but those thoughts gave way to more optimistic discussions about sustainability and how renovations and refurnishing can help the hospitality industry move forward on improving furniture assets whilst saving money.

As ever, TRT loves to take part in events and discussions like these, and we’re looking forward to the next time we can engage with our peers to spread new ideas and learn new ways to improve and innovate.

We’ve previously written about the College Sustainability Report Card and how colleges rank with regards to their environmental impact. This year’s report card features 17 Canadian universities that have made great strides in lowering their carbon footprints.

The report card, released by the Sustainable Endowments Institute, focuses on several initiatives such as improving administrative policies, purchasing food from local vendors, recycling efforts, “greening” buildings, and investing in renewable energy.

At the top of the “most improved” category is Ottowa’s Carleton University, which improved its score from a D-minus last year to a B-minus this year by adding a sustainability officer to its staff and creating a environmental issues committee. Additionally, the university purchases food locally from sustainable sources, composts waste, and doesn’t use trays in its dining halls.

Carleton University should be proud of the excellent progress it has made towards improving its environmental sustainability. The university is another great example that no matter your actions in the past, it’s never too late to adopt eco-friendly strategies.

The economy is still in a state of recovery. Yet challenging times present business managers with the opportunities to innovate and think creatively.

Last week our founder, Mario Insenga, wrote in Hotel Interactive about how furniture asset management benefits organizations. In the article, Mario highlights how the hospitality industry has been challenged by the economic climate to change the status quo and look for new and alternate solutions. He pinpoints the industry’s search for alternatives to automatically buying new furniture assets and thinking of more creative ways to preserve existing assets and protect their bottom line – with the twin benefit of driving sustainability issues.

Read the article here, and while you’re there take a look at some other great industry tips and articles from Buyer Interactive.

The largest hotel in Manhattan, the Hilton New York, has begun implementing a new waste disposal program with some unique scientific innovations. Using a new organic waste decomposition system that employs microorganisms, the hotel is dissolving food waste and reducing the total amount of garbage throughout the hotel by about 400 bags every day.

This new program is part of a trio of innovations being introduced by the Hilton to celebrate the two years it's been using fuel cell technology to produce clean power. In addition, the hotel was recently awarded the “Green Street” Award by the Avenue of the Americas Association for its green technology initiatives.

Along with the organic waste disposal system, the Hilton has implemented a new water purification system created by Natura Water, which purifies water using two different filters and UV light, and a biodegradable guestroom access key card program, which uses a bioPVC film that allows the cards to break down in as little as nine months.

These innovative programs are inspiring examples of how the hospitality industry is constantly pushing the envelope to find newer and more effective ways to reduce their impact on the environment - and right in the middle of America's biggest city.

It’s no secret that governments and organizations throughout the world have deep concerns regarding the environment and sustainability practices for the future. Now, one city is making sure that they have a system in place to ensure their contribution to a future that embraces sustainability.

Charleston, South Carolina has announced the naming of Brian P. Sheehan as the state’s first-ever director of sustainability. This position was established to determine short- and long-term objectives and the development of programs to encourage environmental sustainability within the community. Sheehan will also be responsible for leading current eco-friendly initiatives that the city has already begun.

Despite budgetary concerns, the city created the position on the recommendation of Charleston’s Green Committee that recommends strategies for reducing the city’s carbon footprint. Sheehan is well prepared for the position as he holds a master’s degree in city and regional planning and is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.

We congratulate Sheehan on his new job and are excited to see how the strategy of appointing a director of sustainability will further advance green initiatives in Charleston.