A number of years ago, while walking what was then called the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show, I came across a company that had developed a system to recycle and reuse water from a shower. I don’t recall ever seeing that company again. Perhaps it was a technology that was just ahead of its time.
If you do some online searching today, you will find some companies with systems that cleanse and filter shower water for reuse for toilet flushing. I have occasionally come across these types of systems.
Greywater, the relatively clean waste water from showers, baths, sinks, washing machines, and other kitchen appliances, is most often not reused. According to this year’s Green Lodging Trends Report, a production of Green Lodging News and Greenview, out of almost 2,000 respondents only 23 percent said they reuse greywater.
This past week I reported on a company called Orbital Systems that has developed a closed loop Oas shower system that they say saves 90 percent in water and 80 percent in energy. Using highly advanced technology developed for NASA, the shower system analyzes water entering the drain 20 times a second. If the water is higher than a certain threshold, it is dumped down the drain. Most often, however, the water is clean enough to be sent through a filter and back up through the showerhead for immediate reuse before much of the heat is lost.
System Improves Water Quality
According to B.G. Weiss, V.P. of U.S. Operations for Orbital Systems, the Oas system uses a UV filter as well, making the water coming out of the shower the second time even cleaner than it was the first time.
The last time I saw a technology with such game changing potential was when Xeros introduced its highly efficient laundry machines that use polymer laundry beads.
Orbital Systems, which has U.S. offices in Sausalito, Calif., says it already has 45 installations, including some hotels. The U.S. version of the Oas shower will be available in mid-September.
Hoteliers are always interested in the quality of the shower flow. Weiss says the Oas system delivers up to 30 percent more water flow—the equivalent of increasing shower flow from 1.8 gallons per minute (gpm) to 2.5 gpm.
Ongoing maintenance is minimal for the system that has an ROI of about two to two and one-half years.
Orbital’s Oas shower system feeds shower data and savings to an Oas app, giving hoteliers the ability to monitor water use and savings by room, floor or entire hotel, in real-time. Data can also be displayed in rooms and hotel lobbies, affirming the hotel’s commitment to water conservation and sustainability. The app also allows one to see when a filter needs to be changed.
For more information, read my article or visit the company’s own website for more information.
Green Lodging News Adds Solar America Solutions as Founding Sponsor
Green Lodging News welcomes Solar America Solutions as a Founding Sponsor. Solar America Solutions offers affordable solar thermal energy to hotel facilities and operations. The company’s SunQuest 250 easily retrofits into almost any existing hot water or space heat system and is proven to work extremely well in cloudy and cold conditions. Third generation and patented SunQuest 250 solar thermal collectors are 96% efficient and are a mechanically simple system with only one moving part. Solar America Solutions’ solar collectors are warranted for 10 years against 1″ hail and 150 MPH winds and are SRCC certified and ARRA compliant (Made in America). A U.S. Federal 30% tax credit is currently available. So too are government grants. Contact Charlie Slavik at (317) 833-9961, or e-mail charlie@solaramericasolutions.com.
Green Lodging News Adds SolaBev, TG Eco Products as Directory Partners
Green Lodging News has added SolaBev to its Green Product & Service Directory in the “Coffees/Teas/Single Serve” category. SolaBev enables you to offer your guests distinctive tasting cups of coffee, tea, and cocoa in private label capsules promoting the identity of your property and enhancing your brand. The SolaCap is the largest single serve capsule available and the patented capsule design delivers a terrific tasting cup of coffee in a recyclable plastic container for your guests. SolaBev capsules and Mini Brewers are only available to commercial customers, eliminating pilferage and reducing costs. Contact Michael Szyliowicz at (800) 877-3811 or e-mail Michael@solabev.com.
Green Lodging News has added TG Eco Products to its Green Product & Service Directory in the “Paper Products” category. TG Eco Products’ mission is to provide sustainable, renewable, recyclable products that are competitively priced compared to traditional products. The company has a complete line of tree free paper products made from sugar cane and bamboo, both rapidly renewable resources. Its Green2 brand and private label brands consist of bath and facial tissue, paper towels, napkins, plates, bowls, cups, to go containers and copy paper. TG Eco Products sources its raw materials responsibly and its Tree Free Paper Products are USDA Bio-Based Certified. Call (844) Save Trees, or e-mail support@tgecoproducts.com for more information.
Green Lodging News Adds Electrolux Professional Case Study to Website
Green Lodging News has added an Electrolux Professional case study to its website. The case study details the installation of Electrolux Professional high-spin washers, Electrolux Professional dryers, and a flatwork ironer at the Hotel Healdsburg in Healdsburg, Calif. Electrolux high-spin washers provide water and energy savings, higher productivity, and superior wash results. Electrolux Professional dryers offer faster drying, less gas consumption, and no over-drying. The flatwork ironer makes crisp sheets and perfectly pressed table linens easy.
“In the hotel business, the laundry is the third largest energy consuming area,” says Paolo Petron, owner of Hotel Healdsburg. “It was highly important that the equipment was ultra-efficient as well as environmentally friendly. In my opinion, the Electrolux brand of equipment is simply the best that’s out there.”
“We have definitely seen a reduction in water use,” Petrone added. “So much so that we now also use the facility for the laundry needs of our hotel restaurants, which lowers our costs and extends our linen life.”
To access the case study, click here.
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Similar to other search engines you find online, a search using one word will produce articles with that word included. If you would like to search for something that is more than one word long—ozone laundry, for example—you will need to put quotation marks around the words or phrase. Ozone laundry would then be “ozone laundry” in the search.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Planning Advertising for 2017?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2017. Many excellent spots are available on our new website, in the weekly e-mail newsletter, and Green Lodging Survey. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2017 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. Media kits can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all of those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
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