SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS—Travelers are often weary, and the lodging industry knows it. That’s why promising a quality night’s sleep has become a key marketing advantage touted by many of the top hospitality players. Yet beyond thread count, branded mattresses and customizable pillow menus, some hoteliers are overlooking the basics for creating a better sleeping experience for guests. With allergy and humidity seasons now arriving, the need to increase guest comfort is as obvious as the nose on a face. Thanks to new technology introduced by Friedrich Air Conditioning Co., a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of heating, cooling and other air-conditioning products, the issue...

MOLINE, ILL.—Element Hotels, part of Marriott International, and Ctwo Hotels, announced the opening of Element Moline, marking the debut of the eco-conscious, extended-stay brand in Illinois. With the support and inspiration of the Moline Historic Society, Element Moline offers guests eco-friendly and wellness-focused amenities within the historical surroundings of one of Moline’s oldest buildings. Part of the hotel is housed in the O’Rourke Building, a warehouse that was originally built in 1916. “We are thrilled to be bringing Element Hotels to Illinois for the first time with the opening of this landmark property,” said Marlon Whyte, Senior Global Brand Director...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added Clear Pool USA to its Green Product & Service Directory in the “Pool/Mineral Algaecide & Sanitizer” category. Clear Pool USA offers two choices to manage pool algae problems. The blue cylinder (at left) kills algae and reduces scaling. The other is an automatic water purifier that kills algae, reduces scaling and kills bacteria and pathogens including E.coli, pseudomonas, legionella pneumophila (Legionnaires Disease), staphylococcus, steptococcus, salmonella and others, some of which have been proven to be resilient to high levels of chlorine. Both products will help balance...

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA—University of Melbourne research reveals that one in four Americans report chemical sensitivity, with nearly half this group medically diagnosed with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS), suffering health problems from exposure to common chemical products and pollutants such as insect spray, paint, cleaning supplies, fragrances and petrochemical fumes. The research was conducted by Anne Steinemann, Professor of Civil Engineering and Chair of Sustainable Cities from the University of Melbourne School of Engineering, and published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Professor Steinemann is an international expert on environmental pollutants, air quality, and health effects. Professor Steinemann found the prevalence of...

NORCROSS, GA.—ChlorKing has reduced scheduled manual-cleaning requirements for its NEXGEN on-site chlorine generators with the introduction of five new models with self-cleaning capability. The upgraded NEXGENs automatically begin a cleaning cycle every three hours to remove calcium deposits from the electrically-charged plates that convert a mild saline solution to chlorine to sanitize swimming pools. The new models have daily chlorine-production capacities of 10, 20, 40, 60, and 80 pounds, respectively. “This is a feature our customers have requested,” said Steve Pearce, Executive Vice President, ChlorKing. “Depending on their pool sizes and volume of use, many pool and waterpark operators need...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Saving energy can reduce the number of asthma attacks and other harmful health effects of air pollution from power plants, according to Saving Energy, Saving Lives: The Health Impacts of Avoiding Power Plant Pollution with Energy Efficiency, a pioneering new report released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and Physicians for Social Responsibility that looks at the impact of energy efficiency on U.S. states and cities. In fact, reducing annual electricity use by 15 percent nationwide would save more than six lives every day, prevent nearly 30,000 asthma episodes each year, and save Americans up...

The American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA) reports there are about 50,000 hotel properties in the United States, providing 5 million rooms, and creating 2 million jobs. In a recent year, guests spent $2.5 billion a day, $105.8 million per hour, $1.8 million per minute, and $29,398 a second. (1) In a competitive market, successful hotels strive to meet guest expectations; including providing a clean, healthy environment. In a survey of 1,495 American travelers conducted by research firm TNS (2), 86 percent cited cleanliness as very important when seeking a place to stay, and 80 percent would rather give up Internet...

BUFFALO, N.Y.—PURE Rooms has named Jill Dean Rigsbee as Vice President, Business Development. Rigsbee will be responsible for the leadership of the PURE sales and business development team, managing new business opportunities and customizing solutions to meet hotels’ needs and guest demands. Rigsbee is a well-known trusted advisor in the hospitality industry with over 30 years of experience. She began her career working in hotels with various management companies for over a decade. For six years, she focused on hotel room operation supplies, FF&E and innovative products with Guest Supply. Rigsbee joins PURE Rooms from Avendra, a leading hospitality procurement and services company,...

LOS ANGELES—VivoAquatics, a leader in providing innovative and sustainable aquatic solutions, has just announced the publication of the first data driven assessment of water safety and management: “State of Market - Recreational Water Safety in Commercial Facilities”. The report, the result of analyzing over 7 million data points and surveying hundreds of commercial hotels, waterparks, apartment buildings, fitness clubs and municipalities is the first publication of its kind to provide detailed analysis of water safety and management practices in commercial properties. The State of the Market report also provides insights into emerging regulations, trends and technologies that properties are using...

NATIONAL REPORT—Airfree introduces its air purifiers that are effective against bacteria, viruses, mildew, mold, dust mite allergens, pet allergens, pollen, and tobacco odors. SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, and dozens of other international laboratories have proved the effectiveness of Airfree air purifiers at reducing the amount of microorganisms and harmful substances from the air. The TSS technology used is an exclusive and patented technology used in Airfree’s air purifiers, is established in over 50 countries worldwide, and is completely silent. There are no fans or turbines. Airfree air purifiers do not require any maintenance or...