TEMPERANCE, MICH.—MTS, a leading manufacturer of premium seating for the hospitality industry, announced that Bart Kulish has been named president of the company. Kulish, who joined the company in 1985, most recently served as vice president and general manager.

NATIONAL REPORT—For those who specify and/or purchase fabric for items such as furniture and draperies, options that include recycled content have been around for a long time. Over the last year, however, fabric suppliers have increased the number of “green” options they offer. Today, it is easy to find polyester fabric made from yarn derived from recycled plastic bottles. Sustainable fabric made from natural fibers is also quite common. While the price point for some sustainable fabrics can be higher, some vendors are able to offer sustainable lines at the same price as traditional fabrics because of the high volume of yarn that they purchase.

TRINITY, N.C.—Sealy Global Hospitality has created a new line of Sealy Posturepedic sleep systems with convertible pillowtops. They were created specifically for hospitality environments looking to balance the demand from customers for greener practices without compromising cost or comfort.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Grosvenor, the international property development, investment and fund management group, is embarking on a $35 million renovation and re-branding of an old Holiday Inn hotel in Chevy Chase, Md. It closed earlier this year and will reopen as a Courtyard by Marriott in the spring of 2009. Grosvenor is seeking a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the newly renovated hotel. The renovation will include expanding the hotel from 214 to 226 rooms and creating 1,500 additional square feet of retail space just north of Saks Jandel with direct access to Wisconsin Avenue. Saks Jandel and other existing retail tenants at the adjacent Chevy Chase Plaza.

CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels & Resorts has announced the January 2009 launch of its second property under its new brand, Andaz. Located on Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip—the site of the Hyatt West Hollywood—Andaz West Hollywood will reflect the cosmopolitan feel of its surrounding neighborhood while showcasing the brand’s friendly and caring service, relaxed ambience and vibrant social spaces.

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Valley Forge Fabrics has appointed Kimberly Roeser vice president of the company’s worldwide sales force. Kimberly’s successful career in hospitality spans 20 years. She graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science degree.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that its flagship Element hotel—Element Lexington—is the first Starwood hotel to earn Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and the first hotel in Massachusetts to achieve this prestigious rating.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual Greenbuild conference welcomed nearly 30,000 attendees in November at its show in Boston, the most robust crowd in the show’s seven year history. Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building, and convenes the building industry for three days of educational sessions, renowned speakers, green building tours, seminars and networking events. This year’s show offered a slate of educational offerings, covering a diverse array of current topics, from green jobs, green building technologies, to biodiversity and social equity.

LOUISVILLE, KY.—LSI Wallcovering announced it will pick up freight costs to bring used vinyl wallcovering back to its Second-Look Recycling Center in New Castle, Ind. The Louisville, Ky.-based wallcovering manufacturer made the move to ensure that rising fuel costs don’t discourage specifiers from recycling wallcovering.

CAMBRIDGE, MD.—Cambridge Architectural introduces Solucent, an energy-saving and daylighting mesh shading system for building exteriors and interiors. Solucent, “Where the Sun and Shade Mesh,” has been developed to meet the ever-increasing sustainability needs facing architects today.