LAS VEGAS—The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized Energy Inspectors Corp. with a 2018 WaterSense Partner of the Year award. Energy Inspectors was honored at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference on October 4, 2018 for its role in water efficiency innovation and WaterSense promotion. More than 1,900 utility, manufacturer, retailer, builder, and other WaterSense organizational partners, in 2017 alone, saved an estimated 631 billion gallons of water using WaterSense products. To understand the magnitude of savings, it is said to be possible that 100 percent of the world’s population can fit into a cubic mile. WaterSense has helped consumers and businesses save more than 2.7...

TORRANCE, CALIF.—LEDtronics announces its latest generation of LED T8 Tube Lights. The LEDxxT8GD1 series of tube lights are UL-listed and “Dual Mode”, meaning they can be directly retrofitted into existing T8 fixtures with or without ballast bypass. The tube lights come in a 4-foot length with natural white (4000K) and pure white (5000K) color temperature selections. The 15-watt tube replaces up to 32 watts, while the 18 watt replaces up to 40 watts—an energy savings of up to 50 percent. The LED tube lights feature a film-encapsulated frosted glass lens that, if shattered, contains the pieces of glass. Our LED tube lights...

Name: Vicki McMichael Title: Director of Compliance and Sustainability, Parks and Resorts Company: Delaware North Companies Years in Current Position: Two Primary Responsibilities: “There’s not a typical day for me. One of my most important roles is connecting the dots between the properties, interacting with NGOs, being an ambassador for GreenPath and keeping the program strong.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related accomplishment: “Rolling out a strong stewardship program that supports sustainability and features five key branches that go beyond environmental management.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related challenge moving forward: “Striving for zero waste and operating at zero waste.” BUFFALO, N.Y.—More than seven years ago, Green Lodging News profiled...

SHANGHAI, CHINA—Architecturally, and from a sustainability standpoint, the 337-room InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland, set to open this month, is one of the most unique hotels in the world. Built into the side of the abandoned Shenkeng Quarry in Songjiang, about 22 miles outside of Shanghai, the hotel will create its own power—including heat and lighting—through geothermal and solar energy. The roof is covered with greenery. Water runs throughout the structure. A waterfall, built into the center of the hotel, pours into the pool at the bottom of the quarry. The two bottommost floors are built completely underwater. Every room in the hotel—aside...

BROSSARD, QUEBEC—Distech Controls, an innovation leader in energy management solutions, announced that its ECLYPSE nLight Solution was voted a 2018 Product of the Year (POY) Silver Award winner by the readers of Consulting-Specifying Engineer in the BAS, Controls and Energy Management category. The POY awards educate engineers on the most notable product innovations within the HVAC, fire, electrical and plumbing systems engineering markets. Distech Controls’ scalable ECLYPSE nLight Solution was recognized for its ability to unify any HVAC and lighting application, including nLight lighting controls, for up to 48 IO points and 300 lighting devices. BTL listed as a BACnet...

LANCASTER, PA.—“Here Comes the Sun” played as High Hotels Ltd. co-workers unveiled a solar panel representing a new solar array that began powering the Courtyard by Marriott-Lancaster. The lights ceremoniously dimmed at the moment the electric power switched over to 100 percent renewable energy. About 75 staff, community members, elected officials, and onlookers watched as a new real-time meter located in the hotel lobby displayed the solar power produced by the project. The celebration marked the completion of a 135,200-square-foot solar installation constructed by the Lancaster-based, family-owned hotel developer, owner, and operator in partnership with Marriott International Inc. Due to its...

WEST CALDWELL, N.J.—MaxLite introduces a new series of Commercial Downlight Retrofits featuring modular light engines, reflectors and housings to meet the requirements of a broad range of retrofit and new construction lighting projects. The Energy Star certified Commercial Downlight Retrofit family (RRC series) is a highly efficient option for upgrading existing incandescent, fluorescent and metal halide downlight fixtures to the energy savings and long life of LED. Light engines in the series range from 10W to 50W, with outputs of approximately 900 to 4,500 lumens. Customers simply choose the light engine for the desired light output, color temperature (3000K, 3500K...

ATLANTA—Honeywell, a global leader in connected hospitality, announces its new INNCOM Spectre Energy Control, an easy-to-install, efficient lighting and power management system that fulfills California Title 24 requirements. Spectre extends occupancy detection to guestroom lights and outlets to conserve energy while also offering welcoming lights when a guest enters the room. Spectre from Honeywell integrates with its e-Series thermostats to combine lighting and power management in retrofit and new build projects. Spectre will be available for installation in September 2018. The e-Series thermostat detects when a room is unoccupied and using the Spectre technology, it automatically turns off a room’s...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Thursday, September 13 that they are instituting a review period of the new methodology that is used to calculate ENERGY STAR scores for certain commercial buildings in the United States, including hotels. During the review period, EPA will not award ENERGY STAR certifications to any property-types that use the new score model. On August 26, 2018, EPA implemented substantial updates to the underlying metrics used to calculate ENERGY STAR scores in Portfolio Manager. The updates are intended to more accurately assess the performance of certain building types using the most recently available...

EAGLE BEACH, ARUBA—Proving actions speak louder than words, Aruba’s Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort just became the very first hotel in the Caribbean to achieve carbon neutrality. To be certified as CarbonNeutral, recognized as a critical element in the resort’s comprehensive sustainability program, the CarbonNeutral certification follows the CarbonNeutral Protocol and was officially made on August 28, 2018. CarbonNeutral is a global standard awarded to businesses that have reduced their (CO2) greenhouse gas emissions, which trap heat in the atmosphere, to net zero. “Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort has set the benchmark high with its sustainability program and we’re delighted that...