LONGBOAT KEY, FLA.—Longboat Key Club & Resort, a strong proponent of green hospitality, has taken its commitment one step farther with the implementation of green golf course technology as standard procedures for their golf course maintenance programs.Long before “green” became the industry buzzword it is today, Longboat Key Club & Resort was well on its way to identifying sustainable and energy saving initiatives that have been widely implemented throughout the resort. When the focus turned to refurbishing their golf courses, they relied on the expertise of John Reilly, director of agronomy, to find a system that would accomplish the...

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—Now available for iPhones and iPads, the new iTunes App from ClearWater Tech greets users with a sliding bar calculator. On the far left side, it shows the yearly savings a ClearWater ozone system can produce for a 10,000-gallon capacity pool. Slide the bar to the right and the user sees the amount of yearly savings go up correspondingly as the capacity of the pool grows to 80,000 gallons. As to the savings, the App’s calculator shows that they can range from $300 to $2,400 a year depending on the size of the pool. The App...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc. introduces a new line of bio-based hard surface cleaners that deliver effective cleaning performance and are USDA BioPreferred and Green Seal certified. Designed for lodging, commercial and facility operations, Ecolab’s bio-based facility care solutions are made from plant-derived natural resources and designed to remove soils from hard surfaces safely and effectively. The full product line includes a Peroxide Multi-Surface Cleaner, Glass Cleaner, Acid Bathroom Cleaner and Neutral Bathroom Cleaner. “Ecolab’s new line of bio-based hard surface cleaners were designed to deliver effective cleaning performance with staff interactions in mind and do not require personal protective equipment...

NATIONAL REPORT—Lodging owners are increasingly turning to service companies to handle the cleaning and maintenance of their packaged terminal air conditioners (PTACs). Benefits include increased air flow and energy efficiency, improved indoor air quality within the guestroom, elimination of unpleasant odors, fewer breakdowns, the extension of the life of the PTACs by as much as three to five years, cost savings, and peace of mind knowing that the job has indeed been done. A few of the companies that now offer cleaning and maintenance services throughout the United States include Cintas Corp., Dream Green Services, LLC, and Fibercare. These...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Green Seal announced that PortionPac Chemical Corporation’s Pot & Pan Detergent and NeutraPac Floor Neutralizer have achieved certification as the first Green Seal-certified specialty cleaning products on the market. Meeting the GS-53 standard (Specialty Cleaning Products for Industrial and Institutional Use) means that these products meet strict environmental criteria and perform as well or better than others in their class. “We applaud PortionPac for developing new products that meet the stringent requirements of the GS-53 standard,” said Arthur Weissman, Ph.D., president and CEO of Green Seal. “PortionPac’s continued leadership in sustainability is an inspiration for the entire industry.” Green Seal’s holistic...

BOWLING GREEN, OHIO—System Associates Inc. has teamed with Control Green to monitor guestroom equipment and dispatch staff long before issues become a guest complaint. The joint technology is equipping hotel engineers with much needed business intelligence to enhance the overall guest experience and provide for tighter energy monitoring and financial control.Control Green is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that provides Web-based monitoring and reporting on energy consumption and equipment status in guestrooms. By integrating this solution with SAI’s SynergyMMS Web-based maintenance management system, hotels have better control over all guestroom touch points, thereby increasing guest comfort and...

WATERFORD, N.Y.—North America’s fourth largest producer of towel and tissue paper, Cascades Tissue Group, announced the U.S. launch of the Cascades Antibacterial Paper Towel. The Cascades Antibacterial Paper Towel minimizes hand contamination by killing 99.99 percent of harmful bacteria almost instantly unlike ordinary paper towels. Since 80 percent of all infections are transmitted by hand, the lack of proper hand hygiene, in particular inadequate hand washing and drying practices, continues to be a consistent, if not deadly, problem. The distinctly green-colored Cascades Antibacterial Paper Towel can fit anywhere, doesn’t require additional steps and compensates for people’s imperfect hygiene habits without...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—For the third consecutive year, Ecolab Inc. has been named to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) S&P 500 Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI). The CDLI highlights companies that have demonstrated a commitment to strategy, governance, stakeholder communications and transparency in their reporting practices. “At Ecolab, we strive to manage our operations responsibly while we deliver sustainable solutions to more than one million customer locations around the world,” said Douglas M. Baker, Jr., Ecolab chairman and CEO. “We are honored to once again be recognized by the CDP for our responsible business initiatives and commitment to reduce greenhouse gas...

SAN DIEGO—HD Supply Facilities Maintenance, a supplier of maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) products, announced the launch of its Commercial catalog featuring more than 4,500 products. The catalog showcases items most suited for use in mid and high-rise buildings. Organized by areas of use, the catalog offers product solutions for facilities with Resident Living Space, Lobbies & Common Areas, Public Restrooms, Boiler Rooms, Grounds & Exteriors and Back of House areas.New products from leading brands featured in the catalog include: SharkBite large diameter pipe fittings and ball valves, Armstrong pump accessories, Honeywell direct coupled actuators and aquastats, Danfoss controls...

NATIONAL REPORT—For too many hoteliers, the past three to four years have been fraught with group cancelations, rate attrition, and cost reduction efforts. Engineering operations have been asked to do their part as well, often drastically reducing repair and maintenance expenses.   After all, with 10-12 cents of every dollar headed toward maintenance and energy, hoteliers often opted to eliminate or defer maintenance activities in a desperate attempt to maintain margins, prevent layoffs, or even just to keep the doors open. After years of trying to do more with less, the economic outlook is not quite as grim, and fiscal indicators...