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Air Quality

Allergy friendly rooms, air purifiers, smoke-free hotels, chemical sensitivities, volatile organic compounds. As travelers and workers demand clean air and a healthy environment to work and sleep in, hotels are finding new and innovative ways to provide it, and getting a marketing kick to boot. Got news or a story idea to share? Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

Air Quality

Home Air Quality
Allergy friendly rooms, air purifiers, smoke-free hotels, chemical sensitivities, volatile organic compounds. As travelers and workers demand clean air and a healthy environment to work and sleep in, hotels are finding new and innovative ways to provide it, and getting a marketing kick to boot. Got news or a story idea to share? Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

Air Curtains an Approved Alternative to Vestibules

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL.—The Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc. (AMCA International) recently announced that air curtains are an approved alternative to vestibules. Following tests with air curtains in accordance with ANSI/AMCA standards and manufacturers’ instructions, the 2015 version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) will contain this new provision.Specifying air curtains as an energy-saving, low-cost alternative to vestibules in new construction has already become a growing trend among engineers and architects. Air curtains work by creating an invisible sheet of air that bends and resists thermal exchange over an opening using the building’s internal pressure. Vestibules, on...

AH&LA Webinar on Carbon Monoxide Safety Set for August 21

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A webinar on carbon monoxide safety will be held for AH&LA members on Thursday, August 21, 2014, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (EST). The moderator will be Tony Mendez, corporate safety/security services, resort management, Bluegreen Corp. Speakers will include: Byron Briese, Rolf Jenson Associates; Tom Daly, The Hospitality Security Consulting Group; and Stacy Welch, PE, Senior Director, Fire Protection and Life Safety, Marriott International, Inc.Although incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning are rare, regular maintenance and equipment checks can help hoteliers protect both guests and employees. As with smoke alarms, there are no federal mandates or regulations governing...

How to Better Accommodate Travelers with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity

NATIONAL REPORT—Prior to one of her recent trips, Judy Smith* called the motel where she was going to be staying and requested that no chemicals, air fresheners or room deodorizers be used in her room. Unfortunately, housekeeping only got the message about not using cleaning chemicals and not the part about not using air fresheners or room deodorizers. Upon entering her $110 room, Judy said a flowery fragrance of artificially scented products hit her immediately and her throat began to close. “I became hoarse and had to leave the room, sit outside for an hour or longer while my...

Green Lodging News Adds ECOS Paints as Directory Partner

TAMPA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Tampa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes ECOS Paints as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. ECOS Paints have no odor, are non-toxic, generate zero VOCs, and provide exceptional coverage (up to 1.5x traditional paints). ECOS Paints are 12,500 times purer than traditional zero VOC paints. ECOS Paints are ultra hard-wearing, allowing quicker room renovations and improved customer comfort. ECOS Paints are factory tinted with European zero VOC colorants. The company’s cans are made from post-consumer recycled materials and are 100 percent recyclable. Call (864) 595-3840, e-mail lodging@ecospaints.net, or go to www.ecospaints.net for...

ASHRAE, Indoor Air Quality Association to Merge

ATLANTA—ASHRAE and the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) have agreed in principle to join forces, combining resources to improve indoor air quality in the built environment.Pending a three to six month period of due diligence, IAQA will become a part of the ASHRAE organization while maintaining its own brand and Board of Directors. IAQA will operate independently within ASHRAE’s organizational structure. Plans call for IAQA headquarters to relocate from Rockville, Md., to Atlanta, home of ASHRAE’s international headquarters. The agreement was reached between the leadership of both associations and confirmed at ASHRAE’s 2014 Annual Conference.“This merger is beneficial to...

Hilton Garden Inn in Nashville Area Adds PURE Rooms

NASHVILLE, TENN.—The Hilton Garden Inn Nashville/Franklin Cool Springs, a full-service hotel located 14 miles outside of Nashville, has recently upgraded 10 of its guestrooms to make them more comfortable for people with asthma and allergies. The rooms were installed by PURE Solutions, which provides allergy travel accommodations at nearly 300 hotels nationwide.PURE Rooms are treated according to a patented seven-step process that kills and protects against 98 to 100 percent of viruses, bacteria and other harmful irritants. PURE technology creates a room that is more accommodating of asthma and allergy sufferers and also provides a more refreshing and rejuvenating...

Zenith Electric Van First to Receive EPA’s Certificate of Conformity

WILDER, KY.—Zenith Motors LLC, an Alternative Fuel Conversion Manufacturer, announced that its Electric Vans have become the first electric commercial van to receive a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Certificate of Conformity. Mandated by the Clean Air Act of 1990, the EPA Certificate of Conformity is a required certification for vehicles to operate on U.S. roads and highways and certifies that vehicles conform to all EPA regulations and emission standards.“We are extremely pleased to have the first commercial electric van to have received EPA Certificate of Conformity,” said William Yung, CEO of Zenith Motors LLC. “This certificate allows our...

Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Airport North Adds PURE Rooms

PHOENIX—The Hilton Garden Inn Phoenix Airport North, a contemporary hotel with convenient access to the Phoenix metropolitan area, will add 10 allergy-friendly guestrooms by PURE Solutions to its list of offerings. PURE Rooms are treated according to a patented seven-step process that kills and protects against 98 to 100 percent of viruses, bacteria and other harmful irritants. PURE technology creates a room that is more comfortable for people with asthma and allergies and also provides a more refreshing and rejuvenating experience for all hotel guests.PURE technicians will begin installing the allergy-friendly rooms on June 27, making them available to...

RENSON Launches North American Operations

EL SEGUNDO, CALIF.—RENSON, a European developer and manufacturer of sun shading and ventilation system solutions, announces the establishment of its North American sales and distribution network. The company, which was founded in Belgium in 1909 and employs approximately 600 across the globe, is presently growing a North American distributorship for its products, which is initially being established in the Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Northwest, Southeast and Western regions of the United States.“With installations of our products around the world, we are excited to now be making a localized commitment to sales and distribution in the U.S. market,” said Paul Renson, the...

Indianapolis’ Alexander at CityWay Awarded LEED Silver Certification

INDIANAPOLIS—Buckingham Companies and The Alexander, a Dolce Hotel, announced that they’ve been awarded LEED Silver certification in LEED’s New Construction & Major Renovations category. The Alexander is the only hotel in Indianapolis with LEED certification and is part of the 10-acre CityWay neighborhood, located at South and Delaware streets, developed by Buckingham Companies.“Sustainability was central to the vision for The Alexander and CityWay,” said Scott Travis, Senior Vice President of Development at Buckingham Companies. “From construction through completion, environmentally-friendly practices were a priority.”LEED is the primary program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. More than 44,000...