NATIONAL REPORT—Items that plug into the walls of your hotel using a three-pronged plug can eat up energy in three ways: while operating, while using standby power, or even while they are off. Yes, some electronic devices draw some power even when they are turned off. This is commonly referred to as vampire power. Other than waiting for your monthly utility bill, how do you really know how much energy plugged-in items are consuming? At least two companies—P3 International Corp. and ThinkEco, Inc.—are making it easier to not only measure electricity consumption in real time but also control it...

WEST CHICAGO, ILL.—CFR, a leading manufacturer of recycling carpet extractors, has introduced the next generation of one of its best-selling machines, the ECO-500. The new machine, part of the ECO-500 AW Series, is powered by an all-new vacuum motor engineered with a number of advanced features that improve cleaning performance, reduce energy needs, and make the machine quieter than earlier models. Most importantly, the new unit is specifically designed for foam- and moisture-laden applications. “New moisture shields protect the motor’s bearings, the cooling fan has been repositioned to improve airflow, and the machine’s electronic system has been re-engineered to help improve...

NIANTIC, CONN.—The Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa recently upgraded its guestroom temperature control system to a networked energy management system utilizing the Deep Mesh Network (DMN) architecture from INNCOM. Since the 1,310-room property converted to this wireless environment nearly eight months ago, energy consumption has dropped by 21 percent without requiring the 40-year-old facility to undergo an extensive or costly installation effort. “Over the past few years we have witnessed the need for a robust and reliable wireless architecture that is available at a lower installed price than traditional wireless systems, and that has the capability of adapting to...

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Telkonet, Inc., developer of the EcoSmart energy management platform incorporating patented Recovery Time technology, announced that New York City’s Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhattan has become the latest hospitality leader to select Telkonet’s cloud-based EcoSmart energy management platform. This 770-room, full service hotel located on Broadway in Times Square is one of New York’s leading and most successful hotels.The Crowne Plaza Times Square selected PAC Consultants to deploy Telkonet’s EcoSmart System throughout the property to optimize guest comfort while reducing energy consumption and operating costs.“We installed a number of test rooms and Telkonet performed exceptionally well throughout the...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.—Verve Living Systems, developer of wireless, battery-less room controls and one of the brands of Masco Corporation, announced that they have signed a preferred vendor agreement with Hospitality International, a privately held company that has offered inexpensive franchising alternatives for hotel owners and developers since 1982. The new agreement establishes Verve Living Systems as the preferred supplier of energy saving room controls for Hospitality International’s franchisees. Hospitality International hotel brands include Red Carpet Inn, Passport Inn, Scottish Inns, Master Host Inns, and Downtowner Inns across the United States, Canada and the Bahamas. The network of 300 hotels will now...

ATLANTA—Atlanta Marriott Marquis has implemented several high-tech energy saving management systems. Beginning this month, all 1,569 guestrooms and 94 suites will feature a door switch and a motion detecting thermostat that are tied into the central energy management system server (EMS). Upon door switch activation, the motion detector looks for movement. Once movement is detected, the room goes into occupied mode and the guest has full control of the guestroom heating and cooling. When the door switch is activated upon the guest leaving the room, the motion detector automatically searches for movement and if none is detected, the temperature...

COMMERCE, CALIF.—With the addition of a new 4-inch fixture, Nora Lighting now offers a complete line-up of LED retrofit recessed downlights for new construction, remodels or retrofits. Known as the Diamond Series, the fixtures include 4-inch (10W), 5-inch (12W) and 6-inch (12W) models. The Series is Energy Star-rated and offers up to 50,000 hours of performance. The 5-inch and 6-inch fixtures are backed by a seven-year Nora limited warranty. The 4-inch model has a five-year Nora warranty. The downlights can be installed in existing Nora (or other manufacturer) housings and present an energy-efficient LED alternative to incandescent light sources. All...

NATIONAL REPORT—The hospitality industry is no stranger to green initiatives and has been committed to sustainability programs for a long time. With the 24/7 nature of their operations, hotels, restaurants, and related businesses have a huge impact on the Earth’s resources, making the conservation of water, energy, and raw materials a top priority that also makes good business sense for owners. According to the EPA Energy Star Program, U.S. hotels spend close to $4 billion on energy costs each year and are the fourth most intensive users of energy in the commercial sector. Lighting accounts for nearly 25 percent of...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a little more than a year, 34 corporate customers have installed, deployed or purchased more than 250 fuel cell power systems and hundreds of backup power units, totaling more than 30 MW of power, plus more than 1,000 fuel cell-powered forklifts. “The Business Case for Fuel Cells 2011: Energizing America’s Top Companies,” a new report released by Fuel Cells 2000, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., profiles 24 new corporate fuel cell customers and revisits 10 companies that have installed or ordered additional systems for several North American locations since last year. One of the installations...

RYE BROOK, N.Y.—American DG Energy Inc., a leading on site utility offering clean electricity, heat, hot water and cooling solutions to hospitality, is now operating a 375 kW combined heat and power (CHP) system at Doral Arrowwood Hotel and Conference Center in Rye Brook, N.Y. The company estimates the total revenue from this project to be approximately $10 million over the term of the agreement. “As a premier hotel in Westchester County, N.Y., we are dedicated to providing our guests with the highest quality experience; we believe this includes delivering an eco-friendly approach our guests can feel good about,” said...