SILVER SPRING, MD.—For Earth Day this year Choice Hotels International issued a press release that included an update on its more than two-year-old Room to Be Green program (see article). Room to Be Green is an optional program for Choice licensees that gives them an opportunity to receive marketing recognition—a green leaf icon—on the Choice website based on their commitment to implement at least three green programs at their properties in the areas of energy conservation, water conservation, and recycling. Green Lodging News recently spoke with Christopher Schrader, project director of brand programs for Choice, to get more details...

NASHVILLE—Gaylord Opryland Resort and The Land Trust for Tennessee announced a partnership aimed at reducing energy and water consumption while promoting the conservation of land in the local community. As part of the company’s towel reuse program “Choose to Reuse,” Opryland has made a donation to The Land Trust for Tennessee to support implementation of Nashville’s Open Space Plan. “Choose to Reuse” builds on Gaylord’s recently announced corporate sustainability program, GET Green. GET Green, which is designed to integrate within the overall business strategy, focuses on reducing Gaylord’s impact on the environment while improving its interactions with all of its...

SAN FRANCISCO—The InterContinental San Francisco property, recently awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for its operational efficiency and minimization of environmental impact, will feature a ParkPod charger in support of a Zipcar Hybrid Electric Vehicle, to be stationed full time at the hotel’s downtown San Francisco location. Tom Brigham, ParkPod’s vice president of business development—North America, commented on the partnership. “We’re thrilled to play a part in the InterContinental San Francisco’s initiative and offer our congratulations to them on achieving LEED Gold certification. ParkPod is committed to helping our partners generate real business value from the...

OURAY, COLO.—If Karen and Richard Avery could save another therm, they would. They certainly are trying. The couple, who own the 39-room Box Canyon Lodge & Hot Springs in Ouray, Colo., have reduced the lodge’s natural gas consumption by more than 70 percent in the past four years. The Averys have wisely invested in a geothermal system that utilizes the natural hot springs on their 2.6-acre property. Once used by the Ute Indians many years ago and last century for a sanitarium, the hot springs are used to heat the guestrooms and all of the hot water for the...

MILPITAS, CALIF.—The Z-Wave Alliance, an open consortium of leading global companies dedicated to establishing Z-Wave as the standard in wireless home control, announced the addition of Evolve Guest Controls as its newest principal member. Evolve Guest Controls, a leading provider of energy management solutions, joins a list of industry leaders on the Z-Wave Alliance board of directors including: 2Gig Technologies, Cooper Wiring Devices, Danfoss, Fakro, Ingersoll Rand, Leviton and Sigma Designs. Evolve offers a comprehensive solution to its hospitality customers via Z-Wave energy and device management tools for in-room control options, including: lighting, TV, electronics and thermostat products. To date,...

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Switch Lighting announced the first ever 100 watt-equivalent LED bulb. The bulb was unveiled at the 2011 LIGHTFAIR International Trade Show in Philadelphia. Using their “City of Light” technology, the bulb creates a self-cooling environment inside, allowing maximum brightness with fewer LEDs. “Nobody in the LED space can produce this incandescent-quality light,” said Boris Lipkin, CEO of Switch Lighting. “The brightest LED you can see on the shelf is a 60 watt-equivalent. We announced our 75 watt-equivalent last month, now we’re announcing the 100-watt equivalent.” All Switch Lighting bulbs offer incandescent quality light, are dimmable, and can be used...

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.—Cogenra Solar, a provider of distributed solar cogeneration systems and renewable energy service solutions, announced that its solar cogeneration modules have become the first solar energy solution to pass requisite third-party standards for both concentrating solar thermal and solar electric certifications established by the independent certification bodies Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), respectively. These industry evaluations enable customers of Cogenra’s solar cogeneration solution to benefit from significant financial incentives for renewable energy installations throughout the United States. Cogenra is the first concentrating solar collector to receive OG-100 certification for meeting the...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program has launched the 2011 National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. Teams from 245 buildings around the country are going head to head to improve energy efficiency and determine who can reduce their energy use the most. Nearly 5 million commercial buildings in the United States are responsible for approximately 20 percent of both the nation’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion annually. Through energy efficiency improvements, competitors are working to save energy, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and protect the...

ATLANTA—Acuity Brands, Inc., a provider of energy-efficient lighting and control solutions, is expanding its LED Outdoor PARK portfolio with the introduction of three new LED luminaries—the Tersen Ratio PG, Lithonia Lighting VAP and the Lithonia Lighting ALX. All three products provide uniform light and maximize visibility for drivers and pedestrians in open and enclosed parking facilities. Tersen Ratio PG is a contemporary, architectural-styled LED luminaire for parking garages. Designed to meet IESNA RP-20 standards, it delivers up to 100 lumens per watt in multiple lumen output packages. Its modern “finned” housing serves as an efficient heat sink, achieving 25 percent...

HEALDSBURG, CALIF.—h2hotel, a progressively-designed hotel located just off the historic town plaza in Healdsburg, announced that it has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification and is the first LEED Gold certified hotel in Sonoma County. “Green design was a necessity and a natural progression for us,” said managing partner Paolo Petrone, who also co-owns Hotel Healdsburg. “Designed to use 27.8 percent less energy than the standard hotel in California, we have created an environmentally-conscious hotel without sacrificing comfort and style. h2hotel is a hotel that Healdsburg can be proud of. We continuously strive to be...