SNOWMASS, COLO.—Viceroy Snowmass, which opened to rave reviews in late 2009, announced that it has been awarded LEED Gold certification, established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is the nation’s preeminent program for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings. Viceroy Snowmass is the first hotel in Aspen/Snowmass to be awarded LEED Gold as well as the first luxury hotel in Colorado to receive this prestigious designation. By incorporating sustainable design and construction, innovative operational practices, and a culture of environmental stewardship, Viceroy Snowmass aims to...

Hotel managers and housekeepers hear quite a bit about green certification, the system that allows end customers to identify green cleaning products. In fact, customers often ask their distributors if the products they recommend are “green certified” or, as some call it, “proven green.” Many cleaning product buyers are also aware that there are now several green certification organizations, including GreenSeal and EcoLogo, as well as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Design for the Environment Program (DfE), which has grown in prominence lately. However, the process a product must undergo to become green certified is probably less well known among...

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—A new study published in the Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine finds that the use of HEPA (high efficiency particle air) filters can reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel disease. The researchers found that the HEPA filters reduce the amount of airborne particulate matter in the air. Doing so results in improved blood flow and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. The tests involved 45 adults and were conducted in 25 Canadian homes over a two-week period. HEPA filtration systems were added to the homes’ heating and HVAC systems. Concentrations of airborne particulates in the...

NIANTIC, CONN.—Hotel engineering teams play a big role in delivering guest satisfaction, and one of their most time consuming tasks is ensuring that guestroom equipment and systems are always ready to deliver a comfortable stay. INNCOM’s new INNcontrol3 solution provides the staff  with real-time monitoring of HVAC and temperature satisfaction and creates alarms for any units that are not operating properly. The system can also monitor humidity levels in each room and uses the existing HVAC equipment to lower humidity levels to a comfortable setting. The system also monitors guestroom network connections and reports non-communicating rooms. The solution will...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that more than 2,500 products are now authorized by the agency under its Design for the Environment (DfE) Safer Product Labeling Program to carry the DfE label. DfE-labeled products do not contain known chemicals of potential concern, like carcinogens, reproductive or developmental toxicants. Even minor product components, like dyes and fragrances, are screened for safety. EPA also announced that it soon will require manufacturers with products that bear the DfE logo to disclose their ingredients to consumers. “EPA’s DfE Program helps empower people to choose products that are safer for their families...

CHICAGO—Bird-X recently introduced “Bed Bug Alert” at the National Hardware Show in Las Vegas. Bed Bug Alert is a clear, safe, rigid plastic bed bug monitoring device—about the size of a business card—that slips under the mattress or into other tight spaces where bed bugs are suspected. A special gel inside the device, containing human pheromones, attracts and traps bed bugs if they are present, alerting one to the problem before it is too late. Bed bugs are found in homes, apartments, dorm rooms, hotel rooms, airplanes, public transit seats, cars and moving vans—pretty much anywhere they can find a...

It’s easy to see why “green cleaning” is a hot industry topic. We all want a clean and healthy space to live, work and play—and we need to achieve that in a sustainable way so we can enjoy that space for the long term. More emphasis has been placed on sustainability within the lodging industry during the last decade. In fact, the 2010 “Business Cleaning Sustainability Study,” conducted by Procter & Gamble Professional, revealed that nine out of 10 survey respondents believe sustainability and environmental responsibility is important for their business. Furthermore, of all the industries surveyed, these practices resonated...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Vaska as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Vaska provides green housekeeping and laundry solutions. Vaska’s products are highly effective at removing dirt, stains and smudges. The three product housekeeping system is efficient, simple, and easy to use. The natural formulation provides superior cleaning results without harming the environment. For laundry, Vaska’s hypo-allergenic, botanical formulations use natural ingredients that provide superior cleaning results without harming the environment, employees, or equipment. In 2008, Vaska was awarded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency “Champion” status, their highest level of sustainability. For...

TAMPA, FLA.—Avtron LoadBank Inc. has introduced its new compact portable convective heater designed for the purpose of killing heat-sensitive insects, especially bed bugs. The ultra-efficient heater delivers up to 20 kW of forced-convection heat from a lightweight, easy-to-handle unit. Heat remediation is now broadly recognized throughout the world as one of the cleanest, most effective ways to destroy bed bugs and similar insects. If performed correctly, heat remediation completely eliminates the problem by destroying not only adult insects but also insect eggs and larvae. The challenge in this process is ensuring that every corner of the space being treated receives consistent,...

CHICAGO—Most cleaning professionals know vacuum cleaners with high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can help protect indoor air quality. These filters capture the smallest of particles, down to 0.3 microns in size, 99.97 percent of the time. They can trap smoke, molds, bacteria, dust mites, pollen, and other particles. However, over time, HEPA filters need to be replaced. This is crucial for the vacuum cleaner to operate at optimal performance. But because HEPA filters can last a fairly long time, it is not uncommon for cleaning professionals to simply forget to change them. Daniel Frimml, a service technician for Tornado...