LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.—It was not long ago that beer and wine bottles at the 97-room Ranch at Laguna Beach left the property in the same shape in which they came—only empty and bound for an off-site recycling center. Today those same types of bottles stay at the property but are pulverized by a GL Sand Machine that turns the glass into sand that can be used to replenish the sand in bunkers on the resort’s golf course or the sand at the nearby beach. Signage on the golf course explains the story behind the new sand. According to General...

FORT MILL, S.C.—LED Retrofit lamps intended to replace metal halide, high pressure sodium, and other HID light sources have grown tremendously in popularity because of their lower initial investment and high return on investment. Retrofit lamps cut energy consumption by up to 80 percent, provide years of maintenance-free operation, and offer the lowest total cost of ownership of any lighting technology. For these reasons, they play an important role in driving adoption to LED technology and promoting energy reduction and sustainability. Despite the growing popularity of LED Retrofit lamps, there have always been applications where they do not work because...

NATIONAL REPORT—For hotels, motels, and resorts, insufficiently insulated windows can be a serious problem that literally sends profits “out the window” in the form of excessive heating and cooling bills. When it is warm inside the hotel and cold outside, window panes will transfer heat by thermal conduction so additional heating is required to keep guests comfortable, and a similar process is involved when it is hot outside and cool inside.  Air leakage through window seals that crack over time worsens the problem, particularly in harsh weather. While single pane windows transfer the most heating and cooling, even dual pane windows...

LOS ANGELES—VivoAquatics, a leader in providing innovative and sustainable aquatic solutions, announced the launch of VivoPoint IQ, an analytics platform now integrated into the VivoPoint aquatic management system. VivoPoint IQ provides clients and partners a platform to measure and benchmark water quality, water usage and energy demand across a property or portfolio of properties. VivoPoint IQ includes a set of applications and benchmarks to assist clients maintain safe water, mitigate risks and improve guest satisfaction. For the first time, hotels, hospitals, multi-family apartments, fitness clubs, waterparks and other facilities are now able to benchmark water quality in recreational (i.e., pools,...

Seems that the hospitality industry has grown fond of solar technologies during the last few years. Nowadays solar is more cost-effective and affordable than ever. It has also proven its efficiency and reliability over the last few decades which resulted in solar being more interesting and compelling to hotel managers. They are counting on certain environmental and economic benefits (not specifically in that order) which arise from installing solar rooftops on hotels. The dire predictions of the cost of energy bills steadily increasing in the upcoming years has made them intrigued with solar technologies. Reducing overhead sounds like every...

ST. LOUIS—Winter is right around the corner. With the changing seasons comes freeze and thaw cycles, falling pine needles and leaves, organic growth and harsh weather conditions that can wreak havoc on a building or structure’s exterior if not maintained properly. Conducting an annual fall building inspection will help to identify potential maintenance issues before they become problematic and lead to costly repairs. “Maintenance of buildings or structures, whether it be the interior or exterior, horizontal or vertical construction, or a hi-rise or single-story, is a necessity across the country,” said Bob Gender, Branch Manager, Western Specialty Contractors. “Many times, a quick...

NATIONAL REPORT—There are many benefits of solar lights. For one, they require very little maintenance and no external sources of electricity once they are installed. However, if you are planning to install these devices on your property, there are some things you need to consider before you go ahead with the project. If you are interested in the details of projecting, installing and operating solar street lights, you can find a lot of interesting facts in this article. However, you still do need to pay attention to these things to ensure that your project is viable. Shade The area you want to...

NEW YORK—HX: The Hotel Experience and Boutique Design New York wrapped up earlier this week at the Javits Center in New York. As posted on Green Lodging News, it was announced that HX: The Hotel Experience has transitioned to full ownership under Hospitality Management Group (HMG), a division of ST Media Group. HX was previously co-owned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), the Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC), and the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association (NYSHTA). Also posted on Green Lodging News during the trade shows: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the American Hotel...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Telkonet, Inc. as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Telkonet provides intelligent energy reduction and automation platforms at the forefront of the Internet of Things. Helping the hospitality industry better manage operational costs, the EcoSmart platform utilizes a full-suite of connected devices that work together to reduce energy consumption by scheduling and automating HVAC runtimes for only when the guest is present. The operator dashboard provides in-depth and actionable energy usage insights, and remote operation allows for flexibility and responsiveness. The platform also allows for the...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A bill to modify Energy Star could weaken a program with decades of proven benefits, Alliance to Save Energy President Kateri Callahan told Congress in a hearing Tuesday. The Energy Star Reform Act of 2017 Discussion Draft was considered before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee. “The old adage, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ applies very well to today’s Energy Star program and should be the test against which the subcommittee determines the content of any bill designed to change or improve the program,” Callahan says in her written testimony. “The Alliance looks forward to working with the subcommittee and Energy Star stakeholders to ensure that continuous program improvement and innovation occurs to streamline and...