REUTLINGEN, GERMANY—AppliedSensor, a designer and manufacturer of chemical sensor components, recently introduced its intelligent air quality (iAQ) Duct Kit enabling the integration of a complete air duct sensor into a demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) system. The kit was marketed to OEMs and exhibited at Sensor + Test 2012, in Nürnberg, Germany. The trade fair hosted nearly 600 exhibitors and more than 8,000 attendees from approximately 30 nations.“A growing number of studies suggest that some VOCs are potentially harmful to your health,” said AppliedSensor GmbH director of marketing and sales Heiko Ulmer. “While there are a few mixed gas duct sensors...

STAMFORD, CONN.—In celebration of the brand’s sixth anniversary of Breathe Westin, Westin Hotels & Resorts announced that The Westin Paris—Vendôme is the latest addition to its growing global portfolio of smoke-free hotels. In January 2006, Westin became the first major hotel chain to introduce a brand-wide smoke-free policy across all its North America properties. The Westin Paris—Vendôme, which boasts impressive views of the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum, joins a host of international properties that have gone smoke free since the brand first introduced Breathe Westin six years ago. Westin continues to explore opportunities to introduce Breathe into new...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Saint-Gobain has achieved GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality and GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certification for its Grenite series of engineered stone surfaces. In order to become GREENGUARD Certified, the entire Grenite line met stringent certification requirements for low emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). “These certifications reinforce our commitment to producing quality products that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but also help set an industry standard of sustainability and ongoing health and safety,” said Diana Ohl, product manager engineered stone at Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics. “By meeting the strict standards provided by the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, specifying Grenite for commercial and...

INDIANAPOLIS—CityWay, a transformative new 14-acre neighborhood in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, is incorporating a number of sustainable initiatives into the new community, including plentiful green space, energy and water efficiency, a recycling program, enhanced indoor environmental quality, carpooling and electric vehicle support. It is also pursuing LEED certification for the new Alexander Hotel, a Dolce Hotel, affirming CityWay’s support for environmentally-conscious design, construction and living for downtown.“Sustainable living and working are central to the vision for CityWay,” said Scott Travis, senior development director of Buckingham Companies. “From the construction phase through its completion, CityWay will remain on the...

PULASKI, N.Y.—PURE Global announced that PURE Allergy Friendly Rooms has been awarded the PTPA (Parent Tested Parent Approved) Winner’s Seal of Approval. PTPA Media has North America’s largest volunteer parent testing community, with more than 40,000 parents and was rated the Most Trusted Seal by 22,000 parents.The PTPA Winner’s Seal is evidence of a product’s excellence from having been evaluated by unbiased parent testers.Independent parent volunteers evaluate products in their own homes or on a commercial site—in this instance several hotels across North America—to ensure that PTPA winners are chosen based on merit and consumer experience, not on commercial...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Valley Forge Fabrics announced that it has implemented UPS’ carbon neutral shipping program. In an effort to continuously reduce its effect on the environment, the company partnered with UPS to reduce its carbon dioxide (C02) impact while further demonstrating its commitment to a healthier planet.Valley Forge, the world’s largest supplier of decorative textiles to the hospitality industry, ships thousands of packages to customers across the globe every year. Shipping is one of the company’s largest emissions sources and makes up 95 percent of all the company’s greenhouse gases. Every package Valley Forge ships will now automatically include...

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL—The Sheraton World Trade Center (WTC) in one of Sao Paulo, Brazil’s leading financial districts recently completed installation of multiple PURE Allergy-Friendly Rooms in partnership with PURE Global. PURE Room uses a patented and award winning seven-step process specially treating all surfaces, and purifying the indoor air to greatly reduce allergy and asthma symptoms, resulting in a better night’s sleep even for non-sufferers.The seven purification steps of the patented PURE Room installation process include: 1. Air sanitization via units that heat and cool air entering the room;2. Maintaining sanitized air with tea tree oil, an organic disinfectant;3. Cleaning...

SHELTON, CONN.—A new portable, continuous measurement formaldehyde (HCHO) meter is now available from GrayWolf. A reusable sensor cartridge employs the chemical reaction between formaldehyde and ß-diketone on a porous glass. The yellowing that results from this reaction is measured via photoelectric photometry with accurate readings to <20ppb HCHO, without significant cross-sensitivity, making it ideal for indoor air quality applications.The unit “re-zeros” between 30-minute tests allowing for continuous monitoring (unique for this technology), and provides an output for real-time connection to GrayWolf’s AdvancedSense meters, WolfPack area monitors and to WolfSense enabled mobile PCs. Some key facts about this meter:•    The FM-801...

MUKILTEO, WASH.—Believe it or not, the first official recorded incident of “sick building syndrome” occurred at the headquarters of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1988. This ironic turn of events happened shortly after new carpeting was installed in the facility. Health experts believed that the newly installed carpeting was probably releasing high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), causing illness among the agency’s staff. Although there have been many advances, carpet installation can still pose a risk to human health more than 20 years after that incident. And as spring approaches, many facility managers face two choices when...

LOUISVILLE, COLO.—Unearthed Paints, a manufacturer of eco-friendly paints and plasters, announced the release of their new natural Hard Wax Oil finish—a durable surface treatment, ensuring protection for wood, cork and stone in interior applications. Unearthed Hard Wax Oil is produced from natural raw materials and is non-toxic and VOC-free. Unearthed Hard Wax Oil finish provides a natural, breathable silky-matte finish that penetrates deep into the pores to enhance the wood’s natural beauty. The transparent, honey tinge hue allows the wood’s inherent characteristics to show through. “Conventional polyurethane finishes are a plastic-like layer that sits on top of your wood floor,” says...