ORLANDO—The Peabody Orlando announced progress in its efforts to become one of the most eco-friendly hotels in the United States with the addition of ChargePoint electric vehicle chargers in its self-parking garage, which will be fully installed by early May. ChargePoint stations offer a convenient location for guests to charge electric vehicles during their stay.The Peabody Orlando has nurtured collaborations to reduce consumption and waste, and promote environmentally friendly practices throughout the hospitality industry. Through its participation in the ChargePoint America program sponsored by Coulomb Technologies and NovaCharge, The Peabody Orlando will be part of a growing network of...

SHELBURNE, VERMONT—Using data on 46,000 U.S. hotels provided by Northstar Travel Media, and building energy data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, sustainability technology company Brighter Planet has applied its own lodging model to determine the best and worst performing hotel chains when it comes to energy efficiency and carbon footprints. Brighter Planet’s model predicts natural gas, fuel oil, district heat, and electricity use based on local climate, number of rooms, number of floors, construction year, and air-conditioning coverage, and adjusts for the presence of various amenities such as swimming pools, hot tubs, and minibars.Matt Kling, science analyst for...

HOUSTON—Toshiba International Corp. announced that it has introduced a new BR30 lamp that provides significant energy savings compared to incandescent bulbs. The new lamp is ideal for accent lighting. Toshiba’s new BR30 650 Series is a direct replacement for 65W incandescent lamps and offers outputs of up to 650 lumens. In addition, the lamp is dimmable and contains no mercury or lead. The BR30 lasts up to 20 times longer and uses up to 79 percent less energy than its incandescent equivalents, and is rated to last 40,000 hours. “This new BR30 produces gorgeous light with an even glow, offers...

MILWAUKEE—Telkonet, Inc., developer of the EcoSmart energy management platform and patented Recovery Time technology, announced that the Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates in Dubai has become the latest hospitality leader to select Telkonet’s cloud-based EcoSmart energy management platform. The 506,000-square-foot five-star hotel is attached to one of the biggest shopping malls in the world as well as the United Arab Emirates’ first indoor ski slope. The hotel is 17 stories high, with an outside pool-terrace situated on the second floor and 393 rooms and suites including 15 chalets with views over the indoor ski slope. The Kempinski Hotel Mall of...

TRENTON, N.J.—The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in concert with several other state and federal agencies, is launching a program designed to help New Jersey hotel owners and operators increase energy efficiency and cost savings through the utilization of green practices. Participating hotels in the DEP’s Garden State Green Hotel Project will have the opportunity to learn of profiting through sustainability in several workshops and training sessions scheduled in the coming months. In addition, 120 hotels will receive no-cost and no-obligation environmental and energy reviews that could serve as a first step to green certification from various programs...

OAKLAND, CALIF.—Lucid, a provider of real-time energy monitoring and display systems for buildings, announced a partnership with the Seattle 2030 District to provide energy and water monitoring for commercial buildings in Downtown Seattle. Lucid’s Building Dashboard will allow managers and tenants to track performance and conserve resources. Several hotels are participating in the District.The Seattle 2030 District is a public/private partnership of more than 60 members, including Architecture 2030, 19 property owners and managers, the City of Seattle, King County, and numerous professional and community stakeholders. Their aim is to enroll nearly 88 million square feet of buildings in...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Green Lodging News has added a Grundfos Pumps Corporation case study to its website. The case study focuses on the Sunset Motor Inn in Morrisville, Vermont and a major pump-retrofit project that took place there. The installation included the replacement of 18 fixed-speed circulating pumps in the heating system at the Sunset with 10 circulators from the Grundfos Pumps Corporation. Six of the pumps were conventional, fixed-speed circulators. The remaining four replacement units were energy-saving, variable-speed, “smart” circulators.The case study details the chronology of the installation, who participated in it, and the benefits the Sunset Motor Inn is...

MINNEAPOLIS—Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, which is currently undergoing a $25 million renovation of the hotel’s guestrooms, suites, public areas, and restaurants, announced that the renovation will include a variety of environmentally sustainable initiatives to reduce its ecological footprint. The Hyatt Regency Minneapolis Green Team has also introduced a number of eco-friendly protocols and service projects including extensive energy and recycling conservation programs.Energy-saving initiatives from the renovation include converting all of the back of house lighting to LED, adding low flow plumbing fixtures for enhanced water savings (1.6 gal/flush), insulated drapery, closet light sensors, vending misers in all vending machines, new...

NEW YORK—As Hilton New York plays host during Earth Week to sustainability experts and advocates from across the corporate world for the Sustainable Operations Summit being held from April 17 to 19, Manhattan’s largest hotel announces the completion of a new green roof system and the installation of a cogeneration (combined heat and power) system, both designed to reduce the hotel’s overall carbon footprint. To help promote awareness of the hotel’s sustainability efforts, all guests staying at Hilton New York will be provided with room keycards that depict an image of the new green roof.“Hilton New York is dedicated...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Green Lodging News announces the addition of Continental Girbau, Inc. as a Founding Sponsor. Continental Girbau, a manufacturer and supplier of commercial and industrial laundry equipment, offers a web of support services to its hospitality clients, including financing, laundry design, technologically-advanced laundry equipment, a parts facility, and a professional distributor network.Continental and Girbau Industrial washer-extractors, tunnel washers, drying tumblers, flatwork ironing systems, folders, stackers and feeders withstand the rigors of multiple cycles, offer highly programmable controls and are designed to reduce utility consumption. Continental E-Series Washer-Extractors, for example, feature up to 387-G-force extract to curb dry time and...