PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, continued to demonstrate its leadership in sustainability best practices in 2013, reducing its operationally controlled asset water usage globally by 16 percent per square foot and its carbon emissions by 13 percent per square foot from the 2010 baseline. In the company’s fourth year of formal sustainability reporting, its 2013 Sustainability Responsibility Report details its strong commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. Wyndham Worldwide is one of the first hospitality companies to use the progressive G4 Sustainability Reporting Structure to report its economic, environmental and social performance.“Our...

COMMERCE, CALIF.—Switching out incandescent downlights to energy efficient LEDs does not mean sacrificing quality of light with new Diamond II 90+ Series LED retrofit downlights from Nora Lighting. Designed for both commercial and residential installations, Nora’s high-CRI, high-lumen fixtures (NLEDC and NLEDR Series) have medium base sockets that are as easy to install as screwing in a lamp—no tools are required. By installing fixtures with higher lumens, fewer units need to be installed to achieve desired foot-candle levels, which can be an advantage in high ceilings. The higher 90+ CRI (color rendition index) also allows the LED fixtures to more...

TAMPA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Tampa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added a HanitaTek case study to its Vendor Case Studies section. The case study details the installation of SolarZone OptiTune 22 solar control window film on the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City. The hotel turned to Gexpro to manage the energy efficiency project. Solar Art Window Film, a premier window tinting company in Southern California, was contracted for the installation of the highly energy efficient window film for the guestrooms, covering over 40,000 square feet of glass.The Hanita team recommended installing SolarZone OptiTune 22, which would deliver a...

LOS ANGELES—Energy and environmental enthusiasts are increasingly calling businesses to take green action and implement sustainable initiatives. Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City is continuing to make great strides and is one of the few Green Seal Silver certified environmentally conscious lodging facilities in California. The hotel executives understand sustainability as the ability to meet present needs without comprising that of future generations.The property is committed to energy conservation, waste minimization and executing an environmentally friendly operation. By doing this, the hotel is not only helping to reduce the greenhouse emissions that impact global climate change and save energy; but also...

ATLANTA—Havells USA announces its next generation of LED lighting. Its wide range of LED retrofits are safe, attractive and energy efficient. With up to 111 lumens per watt, they are approximately 10 times more efficient than their incandescent or halogen counterparts.Highlighted within the new line are Havells’ Automatic Heat Control (AHC) technology as well as new passive cooling, airflow technology. Havells AHC technology is presented in its Coolfit MR16 Series and allows the lamps to be self-monitoring and regulate the heat they generate ensuring full life even in enclosed fixtures. Havells passive cooling technology is featured within the new...

DANVERS, MASS.—North American lighting leader Osram Sylvania of Osram Americas is launching ORIOS LED lamps, including A-line, MR16, BR, R and PAR lamps. Rated at up to 25,000 hours (L70), these cost-effective, long-life LED lamps can help contractors ease budget-conscious clients and end-users with converting to LED lighting and enjoying long-term cost savings.“Everyone is talking about LED lighting and how it saves on energy bills and maintenance costs,” said Robert Harrison, Region Head LED Lamps—Americas, Osram Sylvania. For some customers, the upfront costs of quality LED lighting, or low quality products at a price point they are comfortable with,...

LAKE PLACID, N.Y.—Surrounded by the six million protected acres of the Adirondack Park—the largest publicly protected area in the contiguous U.S. states—Whiteface Lodge is mindful of the very special place it occupies in the world. From the timber used in its construction in 2005, all of which was found on-property, to its reuse of dying trees on its land as mulch and in landscaping, the rustic resort continues to strengthen its conservation commitment as awareness increases and technology improves. Among its recent meaningful green measures:•    A total of 7,993 bars of soap (and counting) recycled and distributed to families...

EL SEGUNDO, CALIF.—RENSON, a European developer and manufacturer of sun shading and ventilation system solutions, introduces its line of Camargue, Algarve and Lagune patio structures to the North American market. These structures, which can either be affixed to the exterior of a residence or commercial building, or constructed as free-standing entities, broaden the usable space of a home or building by moderating outdoor weather conditions. Tempering the sun’s effects to maintain comfortable occupancy of patios and other outdoor spaces even in the hottest hours of the day and months of the year, RENSON’s patio structures additionally provide precipitation protection...

SAN FRANCISCO—BuildingIQ announced the release of version 4.0 of its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution to optimize energy use in commercial buildings. The latest version builds upon the company’s award-winning Predictive Energy Optimization software and offers streamlined analytics, increased visibility into savings and improved managed services—all protected by the security equivalent to that of Internet banking. BuildingIQ saves users 10 to 25 percent in HVAC energy costs with increased scores in LEED, Energy Star, NABERS and other sustainability measures.BuildingIQ’s version 4.0 features a new intuitive interface and offers real-time transparency into energy operations. Using variables such as weather forecasts, utility signals,...

DURHAM, N.C.—Cree, Inc. introduces the MR16 Series LED lamp with TrueWhite Technology, that delivers the soft, diffused light of a traditional 50-watt halogen MR16 lamp, and is designed for global compatibility with virtually all existing sockets. Cree MR16 TrueWhite LED lamps consume up to 83 percent less energy and are designed to meet Energy Star qualification to deliver a rapid payback of less than one year.“The Cree MR16 TrueWhite LED lamp is the best 50-watt halogen replacement lamp to combine the energy saving benefits of LED with the light distribution and color quality our clients expect,” said Lee Mehler,...