ORLANDO, FLA.—Violet Defense Technology, an Orlando-based startup that incorporates the proven germ-killing power of UV light into its patented technology, announces the launch of its first product from the Surface & Air Germ Elimination (S.A.G.E.) product line. S.A.G.E. UV is a new anti-microbial line of germ-killing products that combines a broad spectrum of UV and violet blue light with motion sensor technology and artificial intelligence to automatically kill germs whenever a room is unoccupied. The patented S.A.G.E. UV System effectively kills up to 99.9 percent of the most common germs, including MRSA, E. coli, Salmonella and Norovirus, from as far...

WALPOLE, N.H.—Len-Tex Corp. announced the publishing of new Health Product Declarations (HPDs) utilizing Version 2.1 for its Clean Vinyl Wallcoverings. “Publishing HPDs is a key facet of our commitment to promoting safer, healthier indoor environments,” says Don Lennon. “Full product transparency is the one true measure of a company’s commitment to healthier living spaces and work environments.” The HPD Open Standard provides a rigorous, standard methodology for detailed reporting of product contents and associated health information for building products. While over 2,500 published HPDs are available to the public in the HPD Public Repository, Len-Tex Corp. remains the only contract...

ODESSA, FLA. & SINGAPORE—September 18, 2017—Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, and Greenview, a leader in advancing hotel sustainability, have released the Green Lodging Trends Report 2017. The second annual report details the results of the Green Lodging Trends Report Survey and is available at no cost by clicking here. The report is based on data from 2,093 hotels in 46 countries and provides industry trends on topics ranging from energy management to communication to—for the first time in its own category—Health & Wellness. The report includes results of 110 best practices in 12 categories. Sponsors this year...

GATLINBURG, TENN.—The last thing a hiker wants to encounter is a haze of smog that diminishes the view from atop a picturesque vista. With more than 11 million visitors annually, Great Smoky Mountains National Park strives to maintain its pristine natural beauty by adopting practices that reduce the park’s environmental footprint. “At Great Smoky Mountains National Park we have implemented a comprehensive strategy to limit our environmental impact and reduce carbon emissions,” said Brian Bergsma, Deputy Chief of Facility Management. “Biodiesel and Bioheat are front and center in that effort.” In 2016, the park used 43,085 gallons of biodiesel (B20) resulting...

BUFFALO, N.Y.—PURE Solutions, a leading provider of asthma and allergy-friendly hotel rooms, has recently seen a strong uptick in demand for its services. This year, the company has already installed more than 520 rooms at 31 hotels across the United States. PURE Rooms utilize state of the art treatments and advanced purification technology to create an environment that is more comfortable for people with asthma, allergies and other respiratory conditions. PURE Rooms CEO Brian Brault described his company’s expansion as “a key opportunity to help make travel easier for this growing segment of the population.” “With 1 in 4 Americans experiencing symptoms, chronic respiratory conditions...

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS–Industry awards continue to stack up for Friedrich Air Conditioning Company’s VRP (Variable Refrigerant Packaged) Heat Pump system. Most recently, Friedrich’s VRP system was named a Silver Award Winner for Excellence in the Indoor Air Quality category by The Air Conditioning Heating & Refrigeration News (ACHR News) magazine. Friedrich was honored as part of the magazine’s 14th annual Dealer Design Awards Program, as judged by an independent panel of contractors. Unlike other systems, VRP is earning notoriety as a total HVAC solution that utilizes a Precision Inverter compressor that gives it exceptional performance, increased efficiencies of up to...

LONG GROVE, ILL.—Fresh Wave IAQ announced the launch of its innovative Smoke Away Air & Fabric Liquid eco-friendly odor-control solution, which is specifically designed to safely and effectively eliminate severe cannabis and tobacco smoke odors without the use of harsh chemicals. Ideal for commercial environments where smoke odors can be an issue—hotels, resorts, casinos, and vehicle rental companies—Fresh Wave IAQ Smoke Away Air & Fabric Liquid is a new proprietary solution that is natural, non-toxic, biodegradable, and completely safe to use around staff and guests, including pets. Without masking odors with synthetic fragrance, this new solution instantly bonds to and eliminates...

DURHAM, N.C.—Global solar energy production is taking a major hit due to air pollution and dust. According to a new study, airborne particles and their accumulation on solar cells are cutting energy output by more than 25 percent in certain parts of the world. The regions hardest hit are also those investing the most in solar energy installations: China, India and the Arabian Peninsula. The study appears online June 23 in Environmental Science & Technology Letters. “My colleagues in India were showing off some of their rooftop solar installations, and I was blown away by how dirty the panels were,” said...

TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS—Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa has been awarded eco-burner’s very first Carbon Savings Certificate. Beaches Turks and Caicos are the first recipient of this carbon saving award for their dedication to saving the environment and making a difference for future generations. The resort, located on the islands of Turk and Caicos, has been using eco-burner for the last two years, changing from traditional chemical chafing fuel methods to eco-burner’s safer, cleaner and greener solution. In this time they have made the colossal saving of 79 tons of carbon emissions saving the same amount...

Dumping toxic waste. That is what most of our industry has been doing for years with partially used cans of chafing dish fuel gel. I wrote about the problem two and one-half years ago. According to industry experts, that is still happening. Most chafing dish fuel gels found today are made from corn-based ethanol, methanol and other additives to help the product burn hotter. Methanol is added to make it too toxic for consumption. Fuel gel using methanol and other additives is considered hazardous waste and should be treated as such. Methanol gel is poisonous and contains dioxin and...