ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added a HydroTech Solutions, LLC case study to its website. The case study details the success a Fortune 100 headquarters had in utilizing HydroFLOW electronic water conditioning for its cooling system to improve water conservation, energy savings and chemicals reduction. The headquarters campus features two buildings; each with a 1,000-ton cooling tower situated on the rooftop. The cooling towers exhibited scale buildup on infrastructure, fill, and piping. The chiller units are opened for cleaning and inspection annually, with scale accumulation at entry sections. Three cycles of concentration were allowed...

NATIONAL REPORT—When a new Residence Inn by Marriott opened in Denver last month, it did so with fully-equipped guestroom kitchens that each include a radiant electric ceramic cooktop. According to Suzanne Owens, VP, Sales, Kenyon International, Inc.—the company that supplied the cooktops—the hotel’s owners made a wise, green choice because of the energy efficiency of the ceramic cooktops. Compared with gas cooking with average efficiencies of 50 percent, cooking with smooth top ceramic cooktops is 75 to 80 percent efficient. Coil cooktops, still found in many extended-stay hotels, are about 65 percent efficient. While requiring more investment, cool induction...

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...

ATLANTA—The Ellis Hotel has a heart of green. The recently renovated property, downtown Atlanta’s only independent hotel, has earned Silver certification to Green Seal’s Standard for Hotels & Lodging Properties (GS-33). This achievement, which has only been attained by four other Georgian hotels, is based on a rigorous, independent evaluation of The Ellis Hotel’s features, operations and processes. “We salute the Ellis Hotel for its leadership in sustainability as a Green Seal-certified hotel,” said Arthur B. Weissman, Ph.D., Green Seal’s president and CEO. “Its continual innovation shows how sustainability can position hotels at the cutting edge of the market and...

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...

NATIONAL REPORT—The survey that is the basis for the annual Green Lodging Trends Report has launched and will remain open through 7 p.m. EST June 20. Click here to participate! The Green Lodging Trends Report is the lodging industry’s annual exercise to assess and catalyze green innovation, best practices, and awareness regarding the state of sustainability across hotels worldwide. Participants benefit from a free compare report—an opportunity to learn how their property is aligned with best practices, and where it is behind among peers locally and worldwide. Participants also have an opportunity to discover new innovative practices that hotels are...

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—The GreenShield Co. has announced the launch of a new website to support the GreenShield finish, a nanoparticle based innovation that reduces the health and environmental impact of stain resistant finishes. GreenShield dramatically lowers the amount of fluorochemicals needed for superior water and stain resistance on textile products. The GreenShield website is designed to educate and inform customers on the realities of the negative environmental impact of textile finishes and offer transparent information on the new technology behind the GreenShield finish. “Products can only be as sustainable as the materials and processes used to make them,” said Michael Duffy,...

NORCROSS, GA.—A report this week from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) citing a two-fold increase in cryptosporidium, more simply known as “crypto,” outbreaks points to the need for ultraviolet lights to enhance public swimming pool sanitization, according to Steve Pearce, Executive Group Vice President, ChlorKing, manufacturer of Sentry UV systems and salt-based chlorination systems. Cryptosporidium is a microscopic parasite that can make otherwise healthy adults and children feel incredibly sick with stomach cramps, nausea and bouts of diarrhea that can last up to three weeks. Its levels can be mitigated by treatment. “UV lights are designed to destroy...

NATIONAL REPORT—Standing out as a small business is all about setting yourself apart, highlighting the things that make you better than competitors. A great way to do that today is to be ecologically responsible. One of the best things about taking an eco-friendly approach to operating your hotel is that it can become a marketing tool for you. Travelers today, like consumers of all kinds, have expectations beyond simply the products and services they consume. They have particular issues that they care about, and they want to support companies that feel the same way. The environment is a major one. While...

SPRINGFIELD, MO.—John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts (JQH) announced that as a part of the company’s commitment to innovation and an enhanced guest experience, it is collaborating with PURE Solutions to help create some of the freshest sleeping environments in the hospitality industry. Initially, JQH is launching PURE guestrooms in six of the award-winning company’s hotels spanning five states, including Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Tennessee and Texas. With the PURE allergy-friendly hotel rooms, in-room filtration systems remove air particles, while surfaces are treated to minimize growth of bacteria. These hypoallergenic hotel accommodations are nearly 99.9 percent allergen-free. A PURE room...