ATLANTA—New research from Oxy-Gen Powered, a leader in innovative odor eliminating solutions, demonstrates that lapses in odor control can be a detriment to an organization. According to their survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll from January 9 to 13, 2020 among 2,013 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, a majority of Americans (93 percent) say a foul odor would negatively impact their perception of an organization. The poll also offers a closer look at the types of businesses most affected by unpleasant smells. “No building occupant or visitor wants to be greeted with an unpleasant smell in a lobby, restroom or anywhere else in a facility,” said Andy Piucci, Vice President of Sales—North America, Oxy-Gen Powered. “This research highlights the risk organizations take when they fail to properly eliminate indoor odors caused by urine, feces, kitchens, mold, mildew, pets and more.” The Harris Poll found that 79...

MINNEAPOLIS—When it rains on the 1.6 million square foot Minneapolis Convention Center, that water is collected in an underground rainwater storage area that holds up to 250,000 gallons of water. According to Jessica Klimisch, Marketing Manager for MCC, that water is used for irrigation around MCC and diverts an estimated 5.4 million gallons of runoff annually from the Mississippi River. The rainwater collection system is just one of many green initiatives at the LEED Certified MCC. For example, kitchen areas and restrooms have been upgraded with fixtures that use 50 percent less water. Atop the center are 2,613 solar panels...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Violet Defense Group announced that it has raised an additional $2 million in funding for its germ-killing business, Violet Defense and its agricultural lighting business, Violet Gro. This round of capital was led by Kirenaga Partners, an early-stage venture capital firm with offices in New York and Orlando, Fla. “This infusion of additional capital will enable us to take both companies to their next level of growth, including further build-out of our management team and the product inventory necessary to accelerate the rich pipeline of opportunities that are developing for our products,” added Terrance Berland, CEO of Violet Defense Group. Violet Defense...

ORLANDO, FLA.—The expensive and marginally successful traditional methods of cleaning HVAC cooling coils are now becoming outmoded due to the introduction of an innovative coil restoration process that returns coils to like-new performance and offering a simple payback of as little as six months. Provided by AQUIS, a premier name in air handling unit (AHU) refurbishment, this new coil restoration process utilizes a unique probiotic technology to clean coils at a microscopic level, unlocking like-new system performance along with energy savings that users can literally calculate. “Traditional coil cleaning, which typically utilizes pressure washers and steam cleaners, fails to treat entrenched...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., a global leader in water, food safety and public health technologies and services, has been named to Bloomberg’s 2020 Gender-Equality Index (GEI). The GEI tracks the financial performance of public companies committed to supporting gender equality through policy development, representation and transparency. Ecolab is one of 325 companies across 50 industries to be included in the 2020 index. “Our diverse teams are helping us fuel greater innovation, drive stronger performance and accelerate our growth,” said Chairman and CEO Douglas M. Baker, Jr. “We’re working hard to ensure Ecolab is a place where everyone can create, contribute...

ATLANTA—Washington, D.C. is ringing in the new decade as the number one city on Orkin’s Top 50 Bed Bug Cities list. Meanwhile, Baltimore fell to the second spot after three years as the frontrunner, and Indianapolis joined the top of the list. The list was not broken down by cities with the most problematic hotels. Flint saw the biggest jump moving 16 spots to number 31 after only joining the list in 2018. Pittsburgh and Champaign both broke into the top 20, and Myrtle Beach and Toledo joined the top 50 list for the first time. The list is based on...

NATIONAL REPORT—In a recent article, Green Lodging News highlighted two companies that offer different types of steam cleaning systems. One company not included in that article was Advanced Vapor Technologies. The company takes a different approach with steam—it relies on steam vapor and its proprietary Thermal Accelerated Nano Crystal Sanitation (TANCS) technology to disinfect and clean. The company offers machines appropriate for both residential (Ladybug Systems) and commercial environments (MondoVap and VaporJet Systems). Machines made by Advanced Vapor Technologies carry a yellow sticker indicating they qualify as a disinfection device by the EPA. TANCS is a factory installed internal component...

One of the most read articles on Green Lodging News, with almost 10,000 views, is “How to Better Accommodate Travelers with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).” It is proof of the great interest in the topic. When I wrote that article in 2014, it was estimated that MCS affects about 12 percent of the U.S. population, but more than 30 percent of the population is fragrance sensitive. As much interest as there is in MCS, not enough has been done in our industry to accommodate travelers with MCS. If you google “chemical free hotels,” you will not find much. I spoke...

KENMORE, WASH.—When planning for her four-bedroom Enliven Bed and Breakfast in Kenmore, Wash., owner Teresa Molitor Luttrell decided to create a haven for people with chemical sensitivities. Luttrell suffered from Lyme disease for many years and understands the needs of the chemically sensitive. “I turned my house into a place for people with chemical sensitivities. Over the years I have really finetuned it,” Luttrell says. Millions of Americans suffer from multiple chemical sensitivity. According to the Chemical Sensitivity Foundation, “Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a medical condition characterized by a heightened sensitivity to chemicals. People who have MCS become ill when...

ATLANTA—Oxy-Gen Powered, a leader in innovative odor control solutions, has unveiled TerminOdor, an odor eliminating spray that harnesses the power of the company’s proprietary malodor eliminator, Neutra-lox, to quickly neutralize odor molecules rather than mask them. “TerminOdor knocks out a variety of odors that can negatively impact people’s perception of a facility and its level of cleanliness,” said Chris Whiting, Executive Vice President—North America, Oxy-Gen Powered. “Fast and effective odor control makes TerminOdor ideal for a variety of environments, such as offices, hotels, hospitals, schools, fitness centers and more.” Available in 22-ounce spray bottles—sold individually or in cases of six—TerminOdor features a...