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COVID-19

COVID-19, caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, has hammered the lodging industry harder than any event ever before. Every element of a hotel’s operation has been impacted—from cleaning & maintenance to food and beverage. Many hotel companies are responding aggressively with revamped operations plans. What we all can agree on is that hotels may never be the same again. This area of Green Lodging News highlights the latest news and trends. Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

COVID-19

Home COVID-19
COVID-19, caused by a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, has hammered the lodging industry harder than any event ever before. Every element of a hotel’s operation has been impacted—from cleaning & maintenance to food and beverage. Many hotel companies are responding aggressively with revamped operations plans. What we all can agree on is that hotels may never be the same again. This area of Green Lodging News highlights the latest news and trends. Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

True Manufacturing Launches Plex Shield Protective Barriers

O’FALLON, MO.—True Residential, a luxury home refrigeration brand with commercial DNA, has unveiled Plex Shield—a collection of innovative protective shields for retail and commercial businesses that serve as effective social distancing barriers. The company’s American-made philosophy has allowed them to pivot their manufacturing to concentrate on meeting the demand for solutions that prioritize the health and safety of essential workers. True now creates a variety of protective shields in-house that can be customized to suit any business environment. Current Plex Shield designs include a Desktop Protective Shield, a Front-Mount Protective Shield, a Hanging Protective Shield, a Hanging Sneeze Guard and...

New Facilities Achieve GBAC STAR Facility Accreditation

NORTHBROOK, ILL.—From Los Angeles to New Orleans, several convention centers and lodging facilities across the United States have recently secured GBAC STAR facility accreditation from the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA. By providing third-party validation, GBAC STAR’s 20-step, performance-based program helps facilities of all sizes establish and maintain an effective system of cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention. Recently accredited facilities include: Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, Calif.; Los Angeles Convention Center; Malibu Beach Inn Hotel & Spa in Malibu, Calif.; New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center; Palm Beach County Convention Center in Palm Beach, Fla.; ...

GBCI Announces Safety First Pilot Credits for SITES and TRUE Rating Systems

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the premier organization independently recognizing excellence in green business industry performance and practice globally, announced the release of Safety First pilot credits for its SITES and TRUE rating systems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new credits enable projects committed to sustainable landscape development and those pursuing zero waste goals to maintain those commitments while adapting practices and procedures in light of the current public health crisis. GBCI administers project certifications for some of the world’s leading green business programs, including LEED, SITES, TRUE, RELi and others. It is committed to supporting projects pursuing certification in adapting...

Travelers Should ‘Wear to Care’ in New Normal Says WTTC

LONDON—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has called upon all travelers to don protective face masks to show they “wear to care” in the new normal of traveling. As countries transition from lockdowns to reopening their borders, the wearing of face masks helps signal the return of safer travels, while also providing personal protection for users as well as those around them. The advice from WTTC in favor of mandatory mask wearing comes from evidence that countries which are recovering faster and avoid second COVID-19 spikes are those where the use of face masks have been widely enforced and encouraged. Following...

Serta Simmons Bedding Developing Antiviral Mattress

ATLANTA—Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB) announced today that it is partnering with Switzerland-based HeiQ Group, a leader in textile innovation, to create the U.S. market’s first antiviral mattress. The agreement gives SSB exclusive access within the U.S. bedding category to HeiQ Viroblock technology, which has previously been approved by the European Medical Device Directive for antiviral use in medical personal protective equipment such as N95 equivalent masks, and registered as an antiviral active by the German EPA. HeiQ Viroblock was recently independently tested as 99.99 percent effective in 30 minutes against SARS-CoV-2 by a leading Australian infection and immunity research institute....

Hilton Introduces Hilton EventReady with CleanStay

SINGAPORE—For more than 100 years, Hilton hotels around the world have set the stage for the world’s most coveted and important meetings, events and entertainment gatherings—from star-laden award shows and movie sets to energetic political conventions, global conferences and wow-worthy weddings. Today, that tradition continues—even at a safe distance. To address safe group travel practices and evolve today’s event experience, Hilton announced a global, industry-leading cleanliness and customer service program specific to meetings and events. Hilton EventReady with CleanStay is the next phase of the company’s recently launched Hilton CleanStay and was shaped by extensive research and feedback. “At Hilton, we’ve always believed...

Shores Global Teams with Spry to Provide Virus-Blocking Soft Goods

MIAMI—Shores Global, a leading cruise line interior designer and furniture supplier, announced that it has expanded its portfolio to include Spry Therapeutics’ soft-surface filter technology, Pneumapure. This strategic alliance will allow Shores Global to promote the patented filter technology to the cruise and hospitality industry, throughout the United States. The introduction of Spry’s germ-blocking solution in the United States also enables Shores to provide safer, cleaner and more sustainable soft goods to cruise lines on a global scale, without compromising comfort. The emergence and spread of COVID-19 around the United States and the globe has spurred calls for new methods...

Rush to Disinfect Well-Intentioned but Potentially Harmful

NEWARK, DEL.—As states grapple with a surge in COVID-19 cases, does that mean we will start using disinfectants everywhere and anywhere? According to a June 2020 report released in Bloomberg Law, “businesses across the U.S. have begun intensive COVID-19 disinfection regimes exposing workers and consumers to chemicals that are largely untested for human health.”* The report says this is “alarming health and environmental safety experts,” because disinfectants can be harmful to cleaning workers as well as building users. Health risks include neurological, dermatological, and reproductive problems as well as an array of respiratory ailments. These businesses almost certainly believe they are doing...

Clean Touch Germ Key Helps Keep Casino Guests Germ Free

LAS VEGAS—Dallas based metal shop NoContactKey recently announced its launch of their clean touch germ key for the gaming industry. The owner of the company, Don Douglas shares excitement as they help gamblers get back to the casinos. Currently, the NoContactKey is the No. 1 hygiene tool already supplying most of the country with their no touch hand tools. NoContactKey’s shop is a large-scale production processing thousands of orders a day. The NoContactKey is a No Contact door opener tool stylus and germ-free door opener key made of metal antimicrobial brass. The NoContactKey will work as a germ-free key tool and clean-key. Because of...

SanitGrasp Offers a Hygienic, No-Touch Solution for Public Spaces

ATLANTA—SanitGrasp, a no-touch door pull handle, provides a hygienic solution for exiting public spaces. It can be found in Fortune 500 companies, offices, educational facilities, grocery stores, restaurants, hotels, and government agencies across the country. Demand has hit an all-time high as commercial and hospitality businesses prepare for reopening and need to implement safety measures across high-traffic areas that require the most interaction. As companies worldwide seek solutions that can help protect their staff, employees, and customers against the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses, SanitGrasp serves as a hygienic and affordable solution that is easy to install or...