GreenTag Showcases "Conscious Luxe" Future of Hospitality at NoVacancy 2025

At this year's NoVacancy Hotel + Accommodation Expo (17–18 September 2025, ICC Sydney), Global GreenTag International made a striking impact, placing sustainability, health and design front and centre. The organisation not only curated a flagship room installation with celebrated designer Greg Natale but also programmed two panel sessions and featured in an industry podcast — amplifying the message that luxury need not come at the expense of people or planet.

The Conscious Luxe Suite: Where Ethical Design Meets Elegance

The star attraction of GreenTag's presence at the NoVacancy Hotel + Accommodation Expo in Sydney was the "Conscious Luxe Suite", a six-by-six-metre room installation created in collaboration with award winning designer Greg Natale composed of Global GreenTag–certified materials and products.

From carpeting and soft wall panelling, to a custom bedhead and curated accessories, most products that were used in the Luxe Suite were independently verified under GreenTag's rigorous certification programs — including GreenRate™, HealthRATE™ and the GreenTag PHD™ program, LCARate™and also the Global GreenTag EPD™ program — addressing a range of assessment criteria, including ingredient safety, life-cycle impacts, circularity and take-back potential.

Designer Greg Natale noted that working on the project offered NoVacancy delegates with a powerful example of how sustainable materials don't require compromise:

"This isn't just about avoiding trends ... it's about designing with a conscience. The Conscious Luxe Suite shows that when we build for longevity, we also reduce waste and leave a positive impact on our environment."

Tyann Scott, who led the project for Global GreenTag, explained the goal was to "bring both areas together" — combining design excellence with certified product selection to foster healthier, lower-impact interiors.
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A Certified Products Showcase

Beyond the installation, the GreenTag team also proudly continued to showcase examples of certified and declared materials at the nearby GreenTag stand – together with clients and material displays to educate visitors about the benefits of progressive products. For example, Tarkett Australia provided a pop-up display to illustrate the circular designed carpet tile products that were on the floor of the stand and the Conscious Luxe Suite – demonstrating how products under Tarkett's Desso label are designed for ongoing life, long after they are used and disposed of (when they are responsibly taken back by the manufacturer at end of life, recycled and upcycled to produce new carpet tiles and other products).

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Featured sustainable product designs within the Conscious Luxe Suite installation were provided by Autex Acoustics, AH Beard, Tarkett/Desso, Porta, Kaolin Tiles, Muuto, Made Retail Systems, Living Edge- amongst others.

The suite collaboration pulled many of these into one cohesive dramaturgy of certified luxury. GreenTag gratefully acknowledges our manufacturing and supply partners for going "above and beyond" in bringing products into the exhibit and also to the GreenTag stand.

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Presenting educational sessions with industry specialists

GreenTag also asserted thought leadership across the expo conference program.
steering two panel sessions during the expo, positioning themselves at the heart of conversations around sustainable design, certification pathways and procurement.

• The panel conversation 'Industry Leading Approaches to Green Procurement', led by Nana Bortsie-Aryee , GreenTag's Program Director, brought together perspectives from Travis MacLachlan, Commercial Solutions Manager of Flow Power who manages a portfolio of large, complex customer retail contracts with a deep understanding of the wholesale and renewable electricity markets. Travis is dedicated to transforming the energy industry and shifting the conversation from net zero to true zero – consulting on holistic energy strategies and helping businesses navigate the evolving energy landscape. Travis and Nana were also joined by specialist Alistair Coulstock – a Director of Coulstock Consulting and Action Sustainability Asia Pacific. Alistair is an author and leading expert on sustainability, Social Impact and Sustainability Strategies, including advising human rights, supply chain, sustainable procurement, and climate change related issues.

A highlighted message from the session was: 'start early in your green procurement journey because it allows you to finesse it to find the balance between cost, guest expectations in the hotel industry and sustainability.'

• The second panel, moderated by Tyann Scott, Global GreenTag's Sales and Business Development Manager, tackled the topic: 'The Hidden Revenue Drivers of Eco-Certified Hotels'.

This session was very lively with a lot of questions from the audience.

Speakers were Ellissa Keenan, CEO of Ecotourism Australia, Paul McGrath CEO of YHA- Youth Hostels Australia and, Mei McNamara, ESG Manager of Salter Brothers.

The discussion effectively highlighted: the importance of elevating sustainability as a live, practical business priority for hotel operators and designers.

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Pictured above: Greg Natale and Tyann Scott

Podcast Feature with GreenTag and Greg Natale

As part of the expo's media programming, GreenTag's Tyann Scott and designer Greg Natale separately did a podcast together for the show, titled a 'Conscious Conversation: How to Design Luxe Spaces with Better Product Choices' Greg and Tyann discussed the outcomes of the Conscious Luxe Suite room scene created for the show and set to unlocking their insights into sustainable material selection. Conversation high points included:

• How sustainability is becoming integral to luxury design – and no longer an optional add on.
• Growth in certified products, responsible brands and more transparent supply chains.
• Expanding responsibility for designers and architects to guide and integrate sustainability into decision making to ensure every material choice carries weight in terms of environmental impact and human wellbeing.
• The importance for designers to champion materials that are demonstrating responsible product design, e.g., recycled composites, sustainable timbers and GreenTag certified finishes to send a strong signal to the broader market.
• GreenTag's value in supporting sustainable benchmarks for the Hotel market, through independent product certification and transparent product information for designers to given them more space to focus on creativity, instead of verifying environmental claims.
• Expectations for hospitality design to produce more story driven designs that are also holistic and work with integrity in material and finish selections to elevate brand reputation and guest experience.

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Response, Insights & What's Next

Overall, the reception from the industry to all of the exhibits and talks was warm and inquisitive. Expo visitors — particularly procurement, design and development professionals — showed strong interest in distinguishing genuinely certified products from greenwash. GreenTag's Product Health Declaration (PHD) was a frequent talking point, revealing how transparency around chemical /ingredient composition matters for health concerns when making product selection decisions.
GreenTag's more expansive footprint at this year's NoVacancy enabled deeper engagement with professionals and industry bodies.

We thank Terrapinn the organisers of NoVacancy - for expanding our space and presence this year, effectively positioning GreenTag as a strategic partner for hotel and accommodation stakeholders looking to credibly embed sustainability into design and procurement.

With Greg Natale's design sensibility and the technical strength of certified product partners, GreenTag's Conscious Luxe Suite set a new benchmark for what hospitality spaces can aspire to — combining elegance, comfort and environmental integrity.

As NoVacancy continues to evolve, GreenTag's leadership role in shaping what "responsible luxury" looks like in the accommodation sector is likely to strengthen. The question going forward is how many operators will take the leap to adopt sustainable, certified products - not just for public image - but as foundational elements of their guest experience, operations, and carbon footprint?

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Pictured above, the GreenTag team at NoVacancy joined Greg Natale on the set of the Conscious Luxe Suite (from left to right) Silvana Goldbach-Eggert (Technical Sales), Emma Mulholland (Client Relations), Greg Natale (Designer), Tyann Scott (Sales & Business Development Manager) and Yasmin Kelly (GreenTag's Product Assessment Leader)

We are very proud of the work of the GreenTag team, led by Tyann Scott in bringing this presence at NoVacancy together, and especially extend our heartfelt thanks to Greg Natale and his team in Sydney who brought us a brillant design.

GREG NATALE

Greg Natale is a multi-award-winning Australian designer and the founder of his eponymous firm, established in 2001. Celebrated for his layered, meticulously curated interiors, Greg Natale has become one of Australia's leading voices in design, with projects spanning residential and commercial sectors. His practice offers a complete service across architecture, exterior and interior design, and decoration, tailoring every project to the individual client. Celebrated for his innovative use of colour, texture, and geometry, Greg weaves classic and contemporary references into spaces of enduring sophistication.

Natale's work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Vogue Living, Elle Decoration and Vanity Fair. His accolades include Belle Interior Designer of the Year (2011, 2014), House & Garden's Room of the Year (2021) and High Point Market's Luxury International Designer of the Year (2016). He is the author of three internationally published books: The Tailored Interior (2014), The Patterned Interior (2018) and The Layered Interior (2022). He continues to expand his practice with a product line available worldwide through leading retailers including David Jones, Bergdorf Goodman and Lane Crawford, as well as his flagship Sydney store.