NEEDHAM, MASS.—With commercial buildings spending as much as $80 billion dollars annually on heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) costs, the industry is looking to new technologies to pave the way for a future that’s friendlier to the bottom line. In the mix is enVerid Systems Inc., a leader in energy savings and indoor air quality solutions for commercial, government and educational buildings, which has seen growing demand for its HVAC Load Reduction (HLR) technology with mechanical engineers, building owners, facilities managers and architects. The HLR module safely and intelligently cleans indoor air of contaminants such as carbon dioxide (CO2), formaldehyde,...

PEMBROKE PINES, FLA.—Entic, a leader in smart building software and IOT, has been chosen by New York Hilton Midtown to provide operational efficiency and energy savings through enhanced visibility into the hotel’s major energy consuming systems. The project marks the 26th engagement between Entic and Hilton, which in 2015 embarked on an enterprise-wide initiative to bring energy savings and sustainability to the hospitality leader’s portfolio of properties. “We are grateful for the opportunity to work with New York Hilton Midtown and to extend our collaboration to this marquee property,” said Carlos Diaz, CEO of Entic. “Using real-time data analysis from...

OSHKOSH, WIS.—Continental recently added a 200-pound capacity dryer to its Pro-Series II dryer line. The new 200-pound capacity dryer is the largest of the Pro-Series II line, which also includes models in 20- to 175-pound capacity sizes. The new dryer is equipped with quality components, easy-to-use programmable controls and a multitude of features that dramatically increase laundry production and energy efficiency. Properly balanced airflow, heat input and basket volume allows maximum production when matched with soft-mount E-Series Washers. Providing 200 pounds of drying capacity, and available in steam and natural gas models, the Pro-Series II Dryer quickly and efficiently dries...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Alliance to Save Energy vowed to fight budget cuts for federal energy efficiency programs proposed Thursday by the Trump administration, including the elimination of the successful ENERGY STAR program and sharp reductions at the Department of Energy (DOE). “This is a destructive proposal that walks away from decades of bipartisan support for energy efficiency going back to the Reagan administration and beyond,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. “We oppose these cuts in the strongest possible terms and will do everything we can to fight them in Congress.” “This budget ignores the fact that energy efficiency creates jobs and economic growth,” Callahan adds....

NATIONAL REPORT—A Computerized Maintenance and Management System (CMMS) has the potential to help companies improve the way their manufacturing process impacts the environment around them in addition to ultimately decreasing their production costs. CMMS systems have the ability to track maintenance activities, the costs for the equipment that require maintenance, and work flow, but those are just the benefits on the manufacturing side. The environmental benefits provided by a CMMS make them very worthwhile for a manufacturing business to invest in. Reduced Material Waste The amount of materials used and wasted is tragically high in many industries. It is possible to...

ALBANY, N.Y.—Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that three New York-owned ski resorts, Belleayre Ski Resort, Gore Mountain and Whiteface Mountain, have pledged to be powered by 100 percent renewal electricity by 2030, joining The Climate Reality Project’s I AM PRO SNOW 100% Committed campaign. The initiative corresponds with Governor Cuomo’s Clean Energy Standard, which requires that half of all electricity used in New York come from renewable sources by 2030. “Belleayre, Gore and Whiteface are key drivers of their local tourism economies, and with this commitment they are joining New York’s nation-leading efforts to fight climate change, reduce our carbon footprint and...

In this column I have purposely dodged politics over the years but reports this week about the elimination of the ENERGY STAR program require comment here. In case you missed it, according to The Washington Post and other sources, a new White House proposal would kill the highly successful ENERGY STAR program. Hoteliers of all political parties should be concerned about this possibility. The ENERGY STAR is clearly a program worth fighting for. According to Kateri Callahan, President of the Alliance to Save Energy, “ENERGY STAR is a hugely successful program—the most successful public-private partnership we’ve ever had, with more...

NEW YORK—Up on the roof of the Conrad New York, a luxury waterfront, all-suite hotel located in the heart of lower Manhattan’s Battery Park City, Executive Chef Gerron Douglas can be found year-round, overseeing a garden that even in the winter produces root vegetables, squash and some herbs. The rooftop garden and green roof have been in place since the LEED Gold certified hotel was renovated six years ago. “There is always something there,” Douglas says. “We adjust based on the season.” In the warmer months the garden produces lettuce, mustard greens and tomatoes. Douglas adds, “We really try...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Association announced the recipients of the 2017 Kitchen Innovations (KI) Awards, honoring forward-thinking equipment and technologies that increase efficiencies and productivity for back-of-the-house operations and benefit restaurant operators. Each recipient and their product will be showcased in the interactive Kitchen Innovations Pavilion at the 2017 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, held from May 20 to 23 in Chicago at McCormick Place. “The engineers and inventors who develop these KI Award innovations work tirelessly to solve the challenges of back-of-the-house operations, to the great benefit of restaurant operators,” says Atour Eyvazian, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2017 and multiunit owner of...

TROY, OHIO—Featuring cost- and energy-saving innovations combined with advanced cleaning, the new Hobart CLeN converyor line has earned a prestigious Kitchen Innovation (KI) Award from the National Restaurant Association (NRA). The Hobart CLeN Warewasher Energy Recovery is among 18 products selected by the NRA as recipients of the 2017 KI Awards, each designated for the honor because of technologies that increase efficiencies and productivity for back-of-the-house operations. Using industry-leading technology to clean dishes and kitchen ware in less time and at a lower cost of operation, the Hobart CLeN Energy Recovery features Drain Water Energy Recovery (DWER) that provides up...