ALBANY, N.Y.—A bill proposed by state lawmaker Ken Zebrowski (A08371) would ban smoking rooms within lodging establishments in New York. Zebrowski announced the legislation during a press event last week at the Crowne Plaza in Suffern—Mahwah, N.Y. He was joined by the general manager of the Crowne Plaza as well as by a representative of the American Lung Assn. The American Lung Assn., POW’R Against Tobacco, American Cancer Society and the American Heart Assn. have all expressed support of the legislation.Zebrowski told Green Lodging News that he was inspired to act because of his own experiences staying at hotels...

ROCKVILLE, MD.—Choice Hotels International announced that Comfort Inn will join Comfort Suites in implementing a 100 percent smoke-free policy beginning July 1, 2016, making Comfort the largest hotel brand in the United States to do so with more than 1,700 properties across the country. Becoming the largest hotel brand to provide a smoke-free environment reinforces the Comfort brand’s commitment to wellness and helping travelers feel refreshed while on the road.“This smoke-free initiative is the latest in a series of bold steps the Comfort brand is taking to enhance the guest experience and deliver the needs of today’s business and...

STOCKHOLM—Blueair, a leading indoor air purification specialist, will use the upcoming IFA Berlin 2015 electronics trade show running September 4 to 9 to unveil new smart connected appliances to help pollution-wary consumers efficiently tackle hidden airborne threats at home or work.“We will present a stellar lineup of new technologies, products and design bringing people the very latest and best of indoor air purification technology geared to enhance health and wellness,” says Karin Kruse, Blueair Head of Global Product Marketing.Kruse said Blueair’s new technologies embrace a number of clever functions that will warn consumers when their indoor air is becoming...

ATLANTA—With 12 confirmed dead and more than 120 cases of infection due to legionellosis, New York City Council last week adopted legislation that requires adherence to part of ASHRAE’s newly published Legionella standard.The legislation addresses registration and inspection of cooling towers. It requires owners to create and file a plan to maintain equipment to comply with Section 7.2 of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems.The standard provides minimum Legionellosis risk management requirements for the design, construction, commissioning, operation, maintenance, repair, replacement and expansion of new and existing buildings and their associated water systems and components.“Standard...

ATLANTA—Long awaited industry guidance on legionellosis is now available in a new standard from ASHRAE. The document establishes minimum legionellosis risk management requirements for building water systems.“The industry interest and input into developing this standard has been tremendous,” Presidential Member Tom Watson, chair of the committee that wrote the standard, said. “With 8,000 to 10,000 cases of Legionnaires’ Disease reported each year in the United States, and with more than 10 percent of those cases fatal, it is vital that we set requirements to manage risk of this bacteria.”Legionella can also cause a less-severe influenza-like illness known as Pontiac...

TAMPA, FLA.—Go Green Planters, Inc. (GGP), a family operated nursery stock dealer, is collaborating with K9s for Warriors. The company is calling the program Plants for K9s.On behalf of K9s for Warriors, a leading nonprofit organization that rescues dogs to train them to be service dogs for veterans battling the effects of PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury, GGP provides a lush tropical plant for each guestroom at no cost to the hotel. In consideration of this new amenity, guests are asked to contribute $1.00 to K9s for Warriors. As stated by Craig Van Pelt, President of GGP, “We’re honored...

NEW YORK—To mark its centennial anniversary, the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) is unveiling a new brand and mission to better capture the dynamic innovation of the hospitality industry. HX: The Hotel Experience—Rooms to Restaurants (HX), will debut November 8 to 10, 2015 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York City and represents a bold new strategic direction.This multimillion-dollar investment aimed at revitalizing the largest hospitality trade event in North America is founded on the belief that true hospitality is anticipating a guest’s needs to create a memorable and unique experience. To achieve that, HX...

LAS VEGAS—The Green Parking Council (GPC) announced the first seven parking facilities in the United States to achieve Green Garage Certification, a comprehensive sustainability standard for existing and new parking facilities launched in 2015 and evaluating 48 elements of garage operation, programs, structure, and technology. The parking garage at the Charles Square Hotel in Cambridge, Mass., is among the seven to be certified. The Green Garage Certification program will be delivered and promoted globally by the Green Business Certification, Inc., the certification body for the U.S. Green Building Council’s global LEED green building rating system. “Cars are getting smarter, people are...

READING, PA.—Ambius, a global leader in interior landscaping, announced that Hilton San Francisco—Financial District has installed its innovative sustainable plant system, LivePicture, as part of the interior décor for the recently renovated property at the gateway to the world famous San Francisco Chinatown. The Hilton is using LivePicture for enhancing its meeting room and executive lobby areas.LivePicture, the latest offering in unique interior plant designs from Ambius, is designed to bridge the gap between plants and art. It is a living work of art that is created using a mix of textural foliage. Framed, it can be sized to...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Wyndham Vacation Ownership (WVO), the world’s largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies received LEED certification by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program for the company’s Wyndham Branson Preview Center at 240 Terrace Boulevard in Branson, Mo. LEED is a third-party certification program and premier benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.Formerly a vacant medical facility, the three-story, 33,000-square-foot facility underwent renovations last year that included environmentally conscious construction and design, an energy-efficient HVAC system and lighting, and new landscaping....