WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program launched the 2012 National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings with a record 3,200 buildings across the country going head to head to improve energy efficiency, lower utility costs and protect health and the environment.Commercial buildings in the United States are responsible for about 20 percent of the nation’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion annually in energy bills. In 2011, the 245 participants saved $5.2 million on their utility bills and prevented nearly 30,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually,...

OSHKOSH, WIS.—Girbau Industrial’s new PC-120 Flatwork Ironer is engineered to meet the needs of high-volume laundries. Available in natural gas, steam and thermal fluid, it features advanced programmability while producing a high-quality finish in little time. The PC-120 Flatwork Ironer finishes up to 164 feet of linen per minute.Designed to meet the needs of a variety of high-volume laundry applications, the PC-120 comes available in 118-, 130- or 138-inch finishing widths with up to three, 48-inch diameter rolls. The new natural gas model delivers 93 percent efficiency. The natural gas model is engineered with an integrated boiler that allows...

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—ClearWater Tech, LLC, a manufacturer of ozone systems for water and air purification, announced it is now a preferred vendor with the Best Western International Group. ClearWater Tech is the manufacturer of EcoTex Ozone Laundry Systems. EcoTex is used worldwide in the hospitality and senior care market.In the spring of 2011, an EcoTex Laundry Ozone System was installed at the Best Western Plus—Tempe By The Mall facility in Tempe, Ariz. With the installation of the EcoTex ozone laundry system and modification of the washer formulas, the facility has reduced its hot water/natural gas by 86 percent,...

Window film is making a big difference in energy savings for hotels all over the country, and now it is making big news because of its proven energy savings. California recently incorporated window film into its state building code, making it the first state to recognize window film as a practical way to save energy through reducing solar heat gain and improving window insulating performance. This code change takes effect in January 2014. Window film was also recently found to be the most cost-effective choice for energy savings in retrofit applications. An independent study compared window film to other traditional...

INWOOD, N.Y.—Crossover by Wascomat is now CEE Tier III qualified for the highest level of energy efficiency. There are three levels of CEE tiers, with the highest number (III) being the best for energy efficiency. CEE (Consortium for Energy Efficiency) is a nonprofit public benefits corporation that works to develop initiatives for its members (including U.S. and Canadian energy offices, utilities, research and environmental groups) to promote the manufacture and purchase of energy efficient products and services. Crossover, a commercial-standard small chassis washer, was introduced in June 2011 after four years of intensive development. Crossover products include a 22+...

RIPON, WIS.—UniMac, a manufacturer of on-premises laundry equipment, announces the launch of its redesigned UC Series hardmount washer-extractors. The washer-extractor series offers supreme efficiency, helping on-premises laundries reduce operating costs and increase throughput. Using newly developed, advanced technology, the UC Series now uses 33 percent less electricity than two-speed models and 11 percent less water on average than previous models. The utility reductions are due to UniMac’s proprietary advanced inverter drive technology and minimized sump design that optimizes the cylinder water, which also maximizes cleaning results. The machines achieve an extraction speed of up to 200 G-Force, which removes...

VANCOUVER, B.C.—The Energex energy management system is delivering significant savings to Delta Whistler Village Suites, Energex reports, solving the problem of heating and cooling systems running at full blast while guests are out of their rooms. Between March 2011 and March 2012 the system led to a decrease of 18 percent in natural gas usage for heating and cooling.The 391 rooms at the resort were retrofitted with the Energex system in February 2011. A sensor was installed in each room that switches the heating/cooling system into conservation mode when the room is unoccupied, saving thousands of dollars in wasted...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Lodging Technology as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Lodging Technology is the originator of infrared sensor-based energy conservation, and has been serving the lodging industry for more than 30 years. The company’s products reduce guestroom energy expense 35 percent to 45 percent by automatically resetting room temperature to an energy conserving level, pre-selected by the hotel, only while guests are out of the room. The systems are available in both wireless (GEM Link®) and hard-wired (GEM System®) versions, and can connect to any HVAC system...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Costa Dorada Associates, Miami, is behind an effort to install six 40-foot, 4 kilowatt wind turbines on the roof of its 375-key Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. The turbines will be positioned on each corner and center of the hotel’s rooftop. Installation is expected to begin in September with completion by the end of the year. The estimated cost is $500,000, part of which Costa Dorada Associates hopes to pay through rebates from state and federal government.Andreas Ioannou, general manager, Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, said the wind turbines are part of a larger effort to increase...

CHICAGO—A multi-hotel complex and convention center planned for development near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport aims to set the standard for eco-friendly architecture and design in the hospitality industry, and boost the city’s efforts to be a global leader in the green movement. A Chicago Convention Center development promises to be the world’s first zero carbon platinum LEED convention complex, aiming for zero carbon emissions and a 100 percent allergen-free structure. Plans call for the greenest building standards, including state-of-the-art technology that supports “guestrooms of the future,” equipped with high-tech amenities that encourage sustainable behavior. Business guests will be able...