MAMMOTH LAKES, CALIF.— Britannia Pacific Properties, a Lewis Trust Group company, announced that the town of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., has granted entitlements to build an innovative hotel and residences project called “Handmade Hotel Mammoth View.” With an extensive portfolio of properties, Britannia Pacific Properties has now set their sights on driving business and providing jobs to the town of Mammoth Lakes with their latest initiative, a 5.51-acre project which will feature geothermal heating for purposes of encouraging conservation of natural resources. Handmade Hotel Mammoth View will be an entirely new concept for the hospitality market in the small but...

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Telkonet, Inc., developer of the EcoSmart energy management platform which incorporates patented Recovery Time technology, announced that the Waterfront Hotel has become the latest hospitality leader to deploy a networked EcoSmart energy management system. In partnership with Ecology Action, a nonprofit consulting firm, Telkonet helped the Waterfront Hotel, located in Oakland, Calif., take advantage of the LodgingSavers utility ratepayer funded program. Telkonet installed a fully networked EcoSmart Energy Management System (EMS), replacing the hotel’s existing thermostats with the Telkonet EcoInsight intelligent thermostat. Because the thermostats are ZigBee-enabled to create a mesh network, they develop a facility-wide wireless network dedicated...

WESTBURY, N.Y.—When Westbury, New York’s Viana Hotel & Spa was in its design stage, it was shortly after Hurricane Katrina pummeled the Gulf Coast. Oil prices shot up and the United States’ dependence on foreign oil was in the spotlight. It was within this climate of energy uncertainty that Alan Mindel and his team at Samar Hospitality decided to build the most energy-efficient hotel possible. Designed to achieve LEED-NC Silver certification, the 116-room Viana Hotel & Spa on Long Island features a closed-loop water-source heat pump system for heating and cooling as well as an 11-kilowatt photovoltaic system on...

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.—Cogenra Solar, a provider of distributed solar cogeneration systems and renewable energy service solutions, announced that Kate Sherwood has joined the company as vice president of U.S. sales. Sherwood brings a proven sales and business development track record in the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, including leadership positions at SunPower, SunLink and Recurrent Energy. She joins Cogenra to meet the company’s growing demand for its hybrid solar solution, applying her solar background to the rapidly developing market. “Kate Sherwood has consistently demonstrated the talent and drive to grow revenues and evolve sales teams in the solar space,” said Cogenra...

NIANTIC, CONN.—By adding INNCOM’s Integrated Room Automation Systems (IRAS) to Intelity ICE (Interactive Customer Experience) Touch on iPads, guests can now control room temperature, lighting, drapes and alarm clock directly from their iPad tablet computers—even when they are not in their rooms. INNCOM is an industry leader in advanced guestroom automation systems for hotels and resorts. IRAS is INNCOM’s customizable multi-purpose platform for in-room guest controls. Intelity is the hospitality software developer of ICE, the award-winning integrated, customizable, branded interface that enables hotel guests to request all services instantly via in-room tablet, TV, laptop or mobile device. “By placing the INNCOM...

SPOKANE, WASH.—Prestyl USA is launching a line of far-infrared Radiant Artwork heating panels—panels of customizable thin-film artworks that provide heat to any room in a residential or commercial setting. Prestyl’s heating panel products are based on a highly efficient and reliable French thin-film technology that has been used in aircraft, ships, trains, homes and public buildings overseas for nearly 16 years. But now Prestyl has successfully incorporated this film into ultra-thin panels, printed artworks and decorative ceiling modules. The Prestyl far-infrared technology does not heat the air; the energy is reflected by some surfaces and absorbed by others, thus creating...

DALLAS—VingCard Elsafe, part of the ASSA ABLOY Group, has launched a new combined corporate website. The newly designed site is meant to replace the current individual sites for the company’s brands, which include VingCard, Elsafe, Orion and Polarbar. VingCard Elsafe is a leader in developing locking systems and electronic in-room safes for the hospitality industry, offering security systems that meet the operational needs of hotels and resorts. Additional product lines include Orion energy management systems and Polarbar minibar systems, which are offered in selected regions of the world. This newly launched VingCard Elsafe website unifies the company’s comprehensive hospitality product range...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.—Verve Living Systems has introduced a new line of energy-saving automation products developed specifically for the needs of the hospitality industry. The products combine radio frequency and energy-harvesting technologies and incorporate wireless room controls. The products include an assortment of sensors and control devices that can be combined to work together in an organic network to determine the occupancy state of the room, set back temperature, and turn off lights and miscellaneous electrical loads to help hotels manage energy costs. The new portfolio of products uses highly efficient radio frequency technology in an attractively designed family of temperature and electrical...

SASKATOON, SASKATCHEWAN—Believing that there is a moral obligation to conserve the natural environment is one thing; taking action towards green lodging practices and addressing eco issues head on is another. Proving it’s serious about the environment, Travelodge Hotel Saskatoon has taken strides forward to minimize its carbon footprint. With the help of local alternative energy company WSE Technologies and guidance from parent company Airline Hotels as well as the NRCAN/SRC, Saskatoon’s longest-standing north end business has installed a series of 57 solar collectors on its roof to capture the sun’s energy as thermal heat, which is then transferred indoors to...

NATIONAL REPORT—Bathroom ventilation systems recently introduced by leading suppliers are making it easier than ever to save energy and money while still keeping bathrooms free of odors and moisture. There was a time when fans were noisy and consumed up to 144 watts. Today they are almost as quiet as a mouse and can use as little as 4 watts—a dramatic difference. Motion sensors are now available with some models and turn off fans left running by guests. With some fans, a humidity sensor is included. This ensures that the fan continues to run until the humidity reaches a...