MINNEAPOLIS—Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, a leading upper midscale hotel brand, announced the opening of Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Bakersfield, Calif., located at 2310 Wible Road. The hotel recently completed a $2 million renovation which includes upgrades throughout the hotel, along with the installation of new technology to reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint. These additions include solar panels, LED lights, a temperature control system to reduce energy consumption and charging stations for hybrid cars. “We are proud to see this refreshed and environmentally friendly hotel be the first to open under our brand’s new name, Country Inn...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Saving energy can reduce the number of asthma attacks and other harmful health effects of air pollution from power plants, according to Saving Energy, Saving Lives: The Health Impacts of Avoiding Power Plant Pollution with Energy Efficiency, a pioneering new report released by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and Physicians for Social Responsibility that looks at the impact of energy efficiency on U.S. states and cities. In fact, reducing annual electricity use by 15 percent nationwide would save more than six lives every day, prevent nearly 30,000 asthma episodes each year, and save Americans up...

LOS ANGELES—EV Safe Charge, a U.S.-based Electric Vehicle charging installation and services company named an LA Auto Show & AutoMobility LA 2017 Top 10 Startup, announced the launch of EV Charge Mobile, the first-ever comprehensive solution for portable Level 2 and DC fast EV-charging, which can bring most vehicles to 80 percent capacity within 20 to 30 minutes. This highly adaptable Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) system will provide event organizers, and any site in need of temporary EV charging, a charging option for any make of electric vehicle (EV), such as Audi, BMW, Chevy, Fiat, Ford, Hyundai, Honda, Jaguar,...

NATIONAL REPORT—For hotels in warmer climates, swimming pools are a must; and in colder climates, a surefire way to push up the star rating. However, pools are historically a bad choice for the environment, with Arizona State University finding that the average swimming pool emits 1400kg of CO2 every year. This throws up a challenge; how can you maintain a swimming pool, whilst helping mitigate climate change and preserving that all-important bottom line? The answer, as always, is technology. As innovators continue to push green technology despite outside pressure, the tools to maintain an eco-friendly pool are there and becoming more affordable every...

NEW ORLEANS—The construction of an eco-friendly green roof over the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center was the topic of a scientific exercise conducted during the 50th annual American Geophysical Union Fall Conference held recently. The exercise drew members of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), the Thriving Earth Exchange (TEX), and officials from the New Orleans Convention Center. Discussion revolved around ideas for how best to help the earth using the 1.8 million square feet of roofing the Convention Center plans to replace in the coming years. The scientists were asked, “When is a roof more than a roof?” Raj...

WEST CALDWELL, N.J.—MaxLite presents the MPulse Area Light as the newest release in an award-winning range of architectural outdoor luminaires designed with visual comfort optics and elegant aesthetics.  The MPulse Area Light is offered in a wide range of lumen packages and distribution types to address a variety of outdoor lighting needs, including campuses and parking areas. Select models feature patent-pending optics that distribute light through a non-pixelated light source, resulting in uniform and glare-free illumination that enhances the visual comfort and safety of pedestrians and motorists. Featuring a slim and modern form factor uniquely optimized for LED technology, the...

NATIONAL REPORT—Hotels spend about 6 percent of their operating budget on energy. Smaller lodging establishments will probably spend less in absolute terms, but roughly the same amount when measured as a percentage of overall operating costs. Energy efficiency projects and solar panels can both reduce these energy costs by a substantial amount, and each offers different savings and costs. When deciding whether to pursue a solar energy system or an energy efficiency project, it’s important to always consider your budget, goals, and business needs. It’s generally more expensive to invest in a solar energy system than it is to invest in...

This past week I learned about two innovative hotel projects in Europe worth sharing about. The first one is the 150-room Iveagh Garden hotel in Dublin, Ireland. The $49 million hotel opened on February 16. Advertised as Europe’s “first sustainable hotel,” the property sources all its energy from an underground river. The river spins large turbines that generate power to meet the hotel’s energy requirements. The turbines were installed by Eurotech Renewables, and Swedish company Ochsner Warmepumpen. The hotel is the result of a renovation of a 40-year-old building that saw its entire heating, plumbing, cooling and hot water...

NORWAY—In collaboration with Arctic Adventures of Norway, Asplan Viak and Skanska, Snøhetta has designed “Svart,” the world’s first Powerhouse hotel, at the foot of the Svartisen glacier that runs through Meløy municipality in northern Norway. The hotel is situated just above the Arctic Circle and has a planned 2021 opening. “Svart” is the first building to be built after the energy positive Powerhouse standard in a Northern climate. Not only does this new hotel reduce its yearly energy consumption by approximately 85 percent compared to a modern hotel, but it also produces its own energy—an absolute “must” in this precious arctic...

SAN FRANCISCO—Argonaut Hotel, an award-winning boutique hotel on San Francisco’s waterfront, announced it has been named an SF Green Business by the San Francisco Department of the Environment, as a result of its year-long efforts to implement comprehensive eco-friendly initiatives at the hotel and its popular Blue Mermaid Restaurant & Bar. Located in the historic Haslett Warehouse in the heart of the San Francisco Maritime National Park, the Argonaut is one of the most iconic San Francisco hotels leading the charge on sustainable hospitality, to preserve and protect the building and its environment. Originally built as a 200,000 square foot...