BREA, CALIF.—The Embassy Suites Brea (Calif.), North Orange County’s only full-service, all-suite hotel, has added 10 new allergy-friendly guestrooms. The hypoallergenic rooms will be provided by PURE Rooms, an allergy travel company with nearly 300 affiliated hotels nationwide.PURE Rooms are treated according to a patented seven-step process that eliminates and protects against 98 to 100 percent of viruses, bacteria and other irritants that are harmful to people with asthma and allergies. This allergy travel technology creates an environment that is more comfortable for allergy-sufferers and provides a more restful and rejuvenating night’s sleep for all hotel guests.General Manager of...

LAS VEGAS—A recent survey of casino employees revealed a significant concern that secondhand smoke inhalation is causing serious illness and disease. Smoke-Free Gaming of America and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 721, a union comprised of table games dealers, collaborated in reaching out to 55 Las Vegas casino employees to find out if breathing secondhand smoke was a health concern.   According to the survey results: •    94 percent indicated the air is unhealthy for them to breathe;•    89 percent want their casino to be totally smoke free;•    80 percent do not smoke;•    79 percent have worked more than 10...

BUFFALO, N.Y.—Travelers looking for allergy-friendly options need look no further than PURE Solutions’ new booking engine. PURE Solutions, a pioneer in the allergy travel movement, has launched a new booking engine that will allow visitors to search exclusively hypoallergenic hotels and to reserve a guestroom online through the company’s website.PURE Solutions designs and installs PURE Rooms, which are treated according to a patented seven-step process that eliminates and protects against 98 to 100 percent of viruses, bacteria and other irritants that are harmful to people with asthma and allergies. PURE Rooms are available at nearly 300 hotels nationwide.Previously, PURE’s...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Florida-based Liberty Building Forensics Group, a leading building forensics firm that has solved complex building moisture and mold problems, has a warning for hotel design and construction teams. Rigid adherence to brand standards in new hotel construction without factoring in specific regional and climatic conditions can result in significant mold and moisture issues.Design standards are developed on a global basis, not taking into consideration specific limitations of regional climates. Regional violations in design standards have been shown repeatedly to result in extensive and costly mold and moisture problems in hotels.Brands claim their standards are only guidelines, and that...

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL.—The Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc. (AMCA International) recently announced that air curtains are an approved alternative to vestibules. Following tests with air curtains in accordance with ANSI/AMCA standards and manufacturers’ instructions, the 2015 version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) will contain this new provision.Specifying air curtains as an energy-saving, low-cost alternative to vestibules in new construction has already become a growing trend among engineers and architects. Air curtains work by creating an invisible sheet of air that bends and resists thermal exchange over an opening using the building’s internal pressure. Vestibules, on...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A webinar on carbon monoxide safety will be held for AH&LA members on Thursday, August 21, 2014, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. (EST). The moderator will be Tony Mendez, corporate safety/security services, resort management, Bluegreen Corp. Speakers will include: Byron Briese, Rolf Jenson Associates; Tom Daly, The Hospitality Security Consulting Group; and Stacy Welch, PE, Senior Director, Fire Protection and Life Safety, Marriott International, Inc.Although incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning are rare, regular maintenance and equipment checks can help hoteliers protect both guests and employees. As with smoke alarms, there are no federal mandates or regulations governing...

NATIONAL REPORT—Prior to one of her recent trips, Judy Smith* called the motel where she was going to be staying and requested that no chemicals, air fresheners or room deodorizers be used in her room. Unfortunately, housekeeping only got the message about not using cleaning chemicals and not the part about not using air fresheners or room deodorizers. Upon entering her $110 room, Judy said a flowery fragrance of artificially scented products hit her immediately and her throat began to close. “I became hoarse and had to leave the room, sit outside for an hour or longer while my...

TAMPA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Tampa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes ECOS Paints as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. ECOS Paints have no odor, are non-toxic, generate zero VOCs, and provide exceptional coverage (up to 1.5x traditional paints). ECOS Paints are 12,500 times purer than traditional zero VOC paints. ECOS Paints are ultra hard-wearing, allowing quicker room renovations and improved customer comfort. ECOS Paints are factory tinted with European zero VOC colorants. The company’s cans are made from post-consumer recycled materials and are 100 percent recyclable. Call (864) 595-3840, e-mail lodging@ecospaints.net, or go to www.ecospaints.net for...

ATLANTA—ASHRAE and the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) have agreed in principle to join forces, combining resources to improve indoor air quality in the built environment.Pending a three to six month period of due diligence, IAQA will become a part of the ASHRAE organization while maintaining its own brand and Board of Directors. IAQA will operate independently within ASHRAE’s organizational structure. Plans call for IAQA headquarters to relocate from Rockville, Md., to Atlanta, home of ASHRAE’s international headquarters. The agreement was reached between the leadership of both associations and confirmed at ASHRAE’s 2014 Annual Conference.“This merger is beneficial to...

NASHVILLE, TENN.—The Hilton Garden Inn Nashville/Franklin Cool Springs, a full-service hotel located 14 miles outside of Nashville, has recently upgraded 10 of its guestrooms to make them more comfortable for people with asthma and allergies. The rooms were installed by PURE Solutions, which provides allergy travel accommodations at nearly 300 hotels nationwide.PURE Rooms are treated according to a patented seven-step process that kills and protects against 98 to 100 percent of viruses, bacteria and other harmful irritants. PURE technology creates a room that is more accommodating of asthma and allergy sufferers and also provides a more refreshing and rejuvenating...