In attending the Hospitality Design Expo this weekend on behalf of The Frame Maker, we as a shop are trying to get a clearer picture of where the hospitality industry is headed, not just as it relates to our own contract framing services, but what’s happening for our professional client base, including many members of the San Diego chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers, who have a booth in the show tomorrow through Saturday in the Sands Expo center behind the Venetian.

Today I attended a few components of HD Expo’s “Green Day” event, which focussed on many specific developments in environmentally friendly practices & products for the hospitality industry. I was struck by several points today, and I’m going to start with the last one and probably most significant one, emphasized repeatedly by keynote speaker Danny Seo, is that so-called “green design” is not just another trend.

Rather, the realities of the global economy and our growing awareness of the impact of our activities on the environment, and what that means for our own heath and well-being (as well as that of future generations), are creating demand in the marketplace for green design and green products.

A lot of numbers got thrown around today, but a more significant and fundamental idea is that the consumer audience that cares about green issues is generally willing to pay more for an organic or green product. As this demographic grows and their demand grows, higher prices for ecologically sound practices and products should be met by increased supply as the more entrepreneurial of our citizens see economic and business opportunity in providing green services and products.

Of course, many of these new products aimed for the hospitality industry are featured at the Expo, so I will continue on this subject tomorrow.