BUFFALO, N.Y.—From 2004 to 2009, PURE Solutions installed innovative “PURE allergy-friendly” rooms in 40 top hotels. In 2010, consumer acceptance and business innovation quadrupled these rooms to 5,000 rooms in 200 hotels worldwide. Hyatt, Hilton, Doubletree, Marriott, Wyndham, Fairmont, Westin, Sheraton, Residence Inn, Embassy Suites, NYLO, and Radisson now offer PURE rooms. PURE is available in hotels in 32 U.S. states and internationally in China, Taiwan, India, Australia, Greece, Malaysia, Aruba, Canada, Caribbean and Puerto Rico. PURE Solutions’ aggressive growth in a difficult economy can be attributed to developing a creative way to help hoteliers provide these badly needed rooms...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated its guidance on how to properly clean up a broken compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). Included with the guidance is a new consumer brochure with CFL recycling and cleanup tips. EPA encourages Americans to use CFLs for residential lighting to save energy and prevent greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global climate change. CFLs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. When a CFL breaks, some of the mercury is released as vapor and may pose potential health risks. The guidance and brochure will provide simple, user friendly...

ROSEMONT, ILL.—Hyatt Regency O’Hare announces the introduction of 34 hypo-allergenic rooms. Designed for all travelers but especially suited to guests with asthma, allergies and other respiratory sensitivities, the Respire by Hyatt Hypo-Allergenic Rooms, powered by PURE Solutions NA, are designed to eliminate up to 98 percent of airborne viruses and bacteria, as well as pollen and other irritants commonly found in indoor environments. Respire by Hyatt rooms will be available at all Hyatt Resort, Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt, and Andaz properties across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean, with most of them available to reserve by...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Ecker Enterprise as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Ecker Enterprise offers the Moso Bag as a way to help keep guestroom air smelling clean. The unique fragrance-free bag works naturally to remove odors, bacteria, harmful pollutants, allergens, mold, mildew and moisture. The charcoal used in the bags is from Moso bamboo plants that grow back completely within five years after harvesting. The carbon in each Moso Bag is self-activated to absorb and filter out harmful pollutants and odors. Once a month, the Moso Bag requires one...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—3M Purification Inc. has expanded its portfolio of Filtrete Commercial HVAC filters. The two new filters—Filtrete Commercial HVAC Filter MERV A13 and Filtrete Commercial HVAC Filter MERV A11 from 3M—are designed with an innovative open filtration media structure, precision pleat structure and high surface area mini-pleat design, resulting in low pressure drop, thereby helping decrease energy use. The new MERV A13 rated filter meets the minimum requirement for an Indoor Environmental Quality point toward LEED certification for new and existing buildings. Using 3M technology, this filter offers a unique combination of high in-use efficiency, low pressure drop and...

ROSWELL, GA.—Facility and HVAC engineers can now obtain critical operating cost data for HVAC air filters anywhere, any time, thanks to a new mobile smart phone tool from Kimberly-Clark Filtration. The mobile analysis tool works with a variety of smart phones and other mobile devices and is available for free. It allows people to compare the energy costs and environmental impact (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions) of any two similar HVAC systems using different filters simply by entering data into an easy-to-use form. (Online instructions are available to help.) The tool then automatically calculates the energy costs and annual CO2...

CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels & Resorts announced plans to bring more hypo-allergenic rooms to its guests than any other hotel brand. These hypo-allergenic rooms will be installed in all full-service Hyatt hotels across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean—totaling approximately 2,000 hypo-allergenic rooms in 125 properties. Powered by PURE, the Respire by Hyatt—Hypo-Allergenic Rooms are 98 percent allergen free and provide a comfortable night’s sleep for all travelers, especially those with asthma, allergies, and other respiratory sensitivities. To kick off this initiative, a Respire by Hyatt—Hypo-Allergenic Room on wheels drove through the highly trafficked streets of New York City, gaining the...

LAS VEGAS—The Doubletree Club Las Vegas Airport announced that they have become the first hotel in the city and the state to introduce PURE Allergy Friendly Rooms. The Doubletree location introduced an entire floor of 10 new PURE rooms which create an allergy-friendly environment and remove up to 98 percent of bacteria and viruses. “PURE room options not only allow our guests suffering from respiratory and allergy sensitivities relief while traveling, but also provide additional options for health conscious travelers,” said Jim Cady, hotel general manager. “The Doubletree Club Las Vegas Airport is excited to be the first hotel in...

DALLAS—Until the recent growth of the green building industry under the LEED program, the cost and time involved with using carbon dioxide sensors in commercial buildings often outweighed the perceived benefits. “Today, building owners and designers see more reasons than ever to include CO2 sensors in building design and remodels, as the cost and reliability have improved with the maturation of the technology over the last two decades,” says Jeff Hartnett, commercial split systems product manager for Lennox Industries.  While a certain level of CO2 is natural in buildings—humans produce it with every breath exhaled—high levels can cause a...

BROOKFIELD, WIS.—In the last six months, two states have totally eliminated smoking in the guestrooms of any lodging establishment—Michigan and Wisconsin. In Michigan, the Dr. Ron Davis Smoke Free Air Law went into effect on May 1. In Wisconsin, Wisconsin Act 12 went into effect on July 5. In both states, restaurants are also included in the ban. Steve Yencich, president and CEO of the Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association (MLTA), said that MLTA opposed the Dr. Ron Davis Smoke Free Air Law. “We take the position that business owners should have the right to meet the needs of their customers,”...