OJAI, CALIF.—SimpliPhi Power and California Solar Electric have completed the second phase of an off-grid solar plus storage installation at the Taft Botanical Gardens in Ojai, Calif, which are part of an eco resort owned by the nonprofit Conservation Endowment Fund. The second phase of the installation included an additional eight PHI2.6 kWh batteries (doubling the PHI power storage), providing enough extra power capacity to run electrical loads well into the night without utilizing a generator for a total of 41.6 kWh of stored PV power.Taft Gardens was challenged to preserve the pristine natural environment of the gardens while...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—New 3M Thinsulate Window Film Climate Control Series provides the traditional benefits of 3M Sun Control Window Film by rejecting heat and blocking harmful UV rays. But it also takes performance a step further to protect against heat loss during cold weather. The film has a patented construction that helps reflect more interior heat back into the room, improving personal comfort by reducing cold drafts near windows, which can help save on energy costs. The high visible light transmission provides a neutral appearance that does not change the look of a home or building.“Window films have been...

DALLAS—Innsight Technologies introduces its ResourceCONNECT Energy and Water Management Reporting Tool. ResourceCONNECT comes with interface and mobile capabilities making any hotel or resort capable of tracking their energy usage down to the kilowatt or per gallon hour.  Innsight Technologies started down the development path when uncovering a need from a local municipality struggling to implement its green initiatives. “When we started looking at the reporting options for hotels we found there weren’t very many and none that utilized existing technology to make it easier on the end user. So we made one,” said Rockie Roper, President of Innsight Technologies.The...

NATIONAL REPORT—Energy consumption officially has become the defining global issue of our time, and everyone from politicians to developers and homeowners is taking notice. But while technology companies and auto makers like Tesla and Ford scramble to make the first mainstream electric vehicle, there’s actually a bigger player in the energy arms race: buildings. According to the United States Department of Energy (DOE), the nation’s buildings account for 43 percent of U.S. carbon emissions and 39 percent of primary energy consumption. Compare those numbers with the transportation industry, which comes in a distant second at 32 percent and 28 percent,...

LOS ANGELES—Acclaim Lighting announces its latest innovation to the solid state LED lighting market, Ai Dim. An abbreviation for Acclaim intelligent Dimming, Ai Dim is the combination of a finely tuned dimming curve and a specific grouping of LEDs, which results in a near perfect representation of incandescent dimming. Acclaim meticulously designed every detail of the Ai Dim system, from the custom LED chipset and driver to the smooth dimming curve, which brings the best of LED and incandescent lighting together.Ai Dim features best in class color range from 1800K at the low end and 3000K at full output...

SAN FRANCISCO—The Hilton San Francisco Union Square has quite a win streak going. On February 17, the 1,919-room hotel hosted the Hotel Council of San Francisco’s first Stay Green Forum. The event drew 275 attendees. “Lieutenant Governor Newsom was the keynote speaker,” says Jo Licata, Community Projects Manager at the hotel. It was a great success. We had almost every hotel in San Francisco represented.” Also in February, the hotel garnered a lot of publicity for being the first hotel to participate in the Better Buildings Challege SWAP, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program that saw officials from...

OSHKOSH, WIS.—Continental Girbau Inc. recently added the new 70-pound capacity G-Flex Washer to its most advanced line of hard-mount flexible-speed washers. The G-Flex line now includes 40-, 55-, and 70-pound capacity models. Superior programmability, including G-force, brings premium program and process flexibility to laundries at an affordable price point, according to Joel Jorgensen, Continental Vice President of Sales and Customer Services.“G-Flex Washers deliver the flexibility of six programmable extract speeds, including 100, 140 and 200 G-force, at an affordable value,” said Jorgensen. “There are other washers on the market that offer flexible G-force, but they are typically more expensive,...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes ARVA, LLC as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. HyLite LED Lighting Solutions offer high-performance, long-lasting, energy-efficient lighting products for the hospitality industry. HyLite Products can help owners and operates cut energy consumption by up to 90 percent while eliminating regular maintenance costs. HyLite LED provides solutions to create a brighter, safer parking lot and exterior and warm, welcoming lobbies, hallways, and rooms. HyLite LED Plug-in Lamps, HID retrofit lamps, and Energy Star rated series provide hotels lighting options for quick installation, lower initial investment, and...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Conectric as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Savings is primarily delivered by Conectric’s award-winning, patented occupancy based room energy automation solution. It independently controls HVAC, lights and other electrical loads. The system comes in wireless or hardwired configurations for new construction or retrofit environments. It works with almost every HVAC system including fancoils, splits, mini-splits, multi-splits, heat pumps, VRFs, VTACs and PTACs. It includes programmable control panel/receiver, front door monitors, balcony door monitors, PIR presence monitors and temperature monitors. Hoteliers can expect zone energy savings...

SAN FRANCISCO—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through its Better Buildings Challenge program, is about to officially release the results of its first Better Buildings Challenge SWAP. “Season One,” as the DOE is describing it, launches on February 17. The SWAP was a three-day event in December that saw Hilton Worldwide and Whole Foods Market swap energy teams in order to uncover new energy efficiency strategies and further accelerate their own companies’ energy efficiency goals. The SWAP program reflects the goals of the Better Buildings challenge: help companies cut energy use and share strategies with their peers.During the three-day...