SANTA MONICA, CALIF.—Shore Hotel announced it has been awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is USGBC’s rating system for designing, constructing and maintaining the world’s greenest, most energy efficient and high performing buildings and the Shore Hotel, designed by Gensler, is the first property in Santa Monica to receive this distinction.“Shore Hotel is honored to receive LEED Gold certification,” says Steve Farzam, COO of Shore Hotel. “We support ongoing efforts to be responsible and sustainable in every area of our business and through this achievement, we have demonstrated our commitment and dedication to...

GARDEN CITY, N.Y.—Designed with architectural aesthetics and performance in mind, WAC Lighting introduces energy efficient LEDme Line Voltage Step and Wall Lights that offer functionality ideal for safety and style on indoor and outdoor stairs, walls and other pathways in hotels, restaurants and other commercial spaces. The new LEDme Step and Wall Lights are offered in versatile, horizontal and circular scoop designs for a clean, seamless installation without any visible hardware. Easy to retrofit, square and rectangular shaped Step and Wall Lights can be mounted to a single gang standard styled junction box. Round shaped Step and Wall Lights...

MIDLAND, MICH.—Building insulation products from Dow Building Solutions have been recertified by the Cradle to Cradle Certified program, a well-known, multi-attribute eco-label that assesses a product’s material content, recyclability and manufacturing characteristics. Originally certified in 2010 and recertified in 2011, after rigorous analysis in 2012, STYROFOAM Brand Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Foam Insulation recertified at the SILVER level and THERMAX Insulation achieved BASIC recertification.“When evaluating sustainable building materials, Dow advocates taking a ‘holistic’ approach, and we feel the Cradle to Cradle Certified program provides a strong indication of a product’s comparative value when looking at energy efficient solutions and underscores...

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y—Evolve Guest Controls will install a fully integrated lighting control and automation control system featuring the new Evolve AI Interactive Touch Screen Controller, the new glass LCD Director Series, as well as an Evolve motorized shading system, at the Quin Hotel in New York City. When guests enter their rooms, they will be greeted with a customized lighting scene, a comfort thermostat temperature, as well as the opening of the motorized shades. While in the room, the guests will be able to control their thermostat, lighting, and shades wirelessly from the bedside as well as indicate privacy...

TROY, OHIO—Two Hobart products—the Energy Star qualified Advansys CLeR conveyor-type warewasher with Energy Recovery and the Advansys LXiPR undercounter warewasher with PuriRinse—are included on the Food Consultants Society International (FCSI) “10 Most Innovative Products for 2012” list. One product from this list is going to be selected as “Product of the Year” based on voting slated to take place at the FCSI Americas Conference in Kansas City, Mo., April 19 to 21. FCSI is a recognized organization of more than 1,400 members who design foodservice installations and specify a broad range of equipment ranging from commercial ovens and storage refrigerators to...

DELAVAN, WIS.—The Green Leaf Inn is sponsoring a Green Building Challenge. The Challenge asks for participants to design an Energy Management Control System; providing a strategy and product selection to control, manage and gather data on an integrated renewable energy system for the Green Leaf Inn (GLI), opening Spring 2013 as the first Net Zero Energy Hotel in North America. Interested parties must submit completed entry forms online by July 1 at www.thegreenleafinn.com. This challenge is a first of its kind—requiring the integration of three different solar thermal systems; a cogen system, geothermal system, and a wood-fired boiler, to be...

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA.—All interested parties are invited to join in the development of a proposed new ASTM International standard that will identify and define sustainable best management practices that are used in commercial laundry facilities to reduce their impact on the environment.  ASTM WK35985, Practice for Sustainable Laundry Best Management Practices, is being developed by Subcommittee D13.40 on Sustainability of Textiles under the jurisdiction of ASTM International Committee D13 on Textiles.According to Gary D. Gramp, Textile Rental Services Association, and chairman of the task group developing ASTM WK35985, the commercial laundry industry has made a commitment to sustainability. “We...

RICHARDSON, TEXAS—VingCard Elsafe announced that its Orion energy management system has won a Star Award from Top Hotel, Germany’s most subscribed hotel industry trade publication. Orion was honored in the Technology category, which was voted on by more than 2,500 Top Hotel readers as part of the magazine’s annual competition. The award was presented during the recent InterNorga hospitality trade show in Hamburg. Orion by VingCard Elsafe is comprised of wireless digital thermostats, occupancy sensors, door position interfaces, remote server software and a comprehensive dashboard reporting interface. The room control dashboard provides an overview of guestroom electronic systems, including occupancy...

NIANTIC, CONN.—When the Grand Hyatt DFW completed its recent $13 million renovation, INNCOM played an integral role in the property’s focus on energy conservation. To better blend in-room technology with the hotel’s sophisticated welcome scene upon entering the room, INNCOM designed a new bedside controller for the Grand Hyatt DFW that enables guests to control lighting, temperature, drapes, sheers, privacy, make-up room and other service requests. The company also installed INNCOM’s MODEVA series backlit glass switches, and added the INNCOM drape controller that gives guests the ability to remotely open and close heavy-duty blackout drapes and sheers. “The...

NEW YORK—Greenwood Energy, the North American renewable energy division of the Libra Group, announced its engagement to install the first combined heat and power plant for the Millennium Hilton Hotel in New York. It is a further addition to Greenwood Energy’s rapidly developing clean power generation offering. “This expansion of Greenwood Energy’s operations in clean and efficient power generation for the hotel sector is blazing a trail for the industry in North America, where alternative power generation is beginning to make a real breakthrough,” said Greenwood Energy’s CFO, Douglas Johnsen. “Adding the Millennium Hilton to our portfolio puts us in...