NIANTIC, CONN.—When the Bardessono Hotel in Yountville, Calif., deployed the Room Expeditor (REX) tool from MTech in March 2009, it became the first property in the world to equip its room attendants with an iPod Touch to instruct them on which is the next most important “vacant” room to clean, based on a collection of variables. Today, the 62-room luxury property, managed by MTM Luxury Lodging, is first once again to benefit from streamlined technology integration between MTech’s REX and INNCOM’s Integrated Room Automaton System (IRAS) that now alerts staff when stay-over rooms also are ready to be refreshed. “Being...

CAMBRIDGE, MASS.—If you run an inn, or a hotel for that matter, and are considering greening your operations, you may want to chat with Rachael Solem, owner and general manager of the 44-room Irving House in Cambridge, Mass. Since purchasing the large house in 1990, she has taken almost every step imaginable to reduce the property’s environmental impact. She knows what works, what does not work, and she will level with you about it. Take amenity dispensers, for example, which she still uses. “I have not found a dispenser that is attractive, easy for the guests to use, and...

SHAKOPEE, MINN.—The Best Western Plus Shakopee Inn has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s prestigious Energy Star, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. The 65-room property is the first hotel in Minnesota to achieve this milestone, which signifies that the building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. “We are excited to receive this honor,” said Haren Shroff, owner and general manager of the Best Western Plus Shakopee Inn. “It reflects our commitment to our guests and to our planet—we owe it to both to make our hotel as...

OTTAWA, ONT.—On Monday, March 7, the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) celebrated its seventh annual afternoon of industry achievements at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, with its Hall of Fame Awards of Excellence Program. The Hall of Fame Awards Program was developed by the HAC to recognize those of its members (individuals, companies or properties) that have demonstrated significant accomplishments, exemplary leadership and tireless commitment to Canada’s lodging industry.  “The goal of HAC’s awards program is to reward strong standards in the industry that will enable this country to remain competitive,” said Tony Pollard, HAC president. “We are pleased to...

NEW HYDE, N.Y.—Evolve Guest Controls announced that it has designed, developed, and implemented the single largest successful Z-Wave deployment of wireless lighting and energy management devices to date. This deployment of Evolve’s LCD Director Series Energy Management System is located at The Wynn Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The installation includes more than 65,000 devices residing in more than 2,700 rooms and suites. Using Evolve’s LCD Director Series, each guest has the ability to wirelessly control each room’s motorized draperies/sheers, communicate privacy please/service room to housekeeping, activate various lighting scenes, adjust the temperature, and put the room into energy...

ZIONSVILLE, IND.—Fanimation has introduced The Landan LED Ceiling Fan. The Landan features a dimmable LED (light emitting diode) luminaire, which is designed with a frosted white glass shade and CREE LEDs on top to create an up-light glow, and an LED cluster to provide quality down-lighting. The up-light includes eight LEDs that consume only 10 watts and produce 627 lumens, which is the approximate equivalent to one 60-watt candelabra bulb. The down-light uses 12 LEDs that consume 15 watts to deliver 855 lumens, which is the approximate equivalent to two 40-watt candelabra bulbs. The LED fixture offers a CRI (color...

DANVERS, MASS.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) have awarded Osram Sylvania a 2011 Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency. This is the tenth consecutive year the company has received an Energy Star award.Osram Sylvania is committed to promoting energy efficiency among consumers, businesses and within its own operations, company-wide. Since becoming an Energy Star partner in 1999 and receiving its first Energy Star award in 2002, Osram Sylvania has made advancements in energy saving lighting technology.“Receiving our tenth consecutive Energy Star Partner...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the completion of updates to the Energy Star requirements for televisions and cable and satellite boxes. Effective in September 2011, these products must be 40 percent more efficient than conventional models in order to qualify for the Energy Star label. The updates are the first of more than 20 revisions to product requirements the Energy Star program is expected to complete this year. The new television requirements reflect an acceleration of pending changes made possible by a rapid market response to the current Energy Star requirements. Sustained consumer demand and strong...

DALLAS—Motel 6, known for providing guests with a clean, comfortable room at a low price, announces the winners of the brand’s 2010 “Phoenix My Break Room” energy-saving program. This unique employee incentive program challenged Motel 6 team members at corporate-owned locations in North America to reduce energy consumption at their motels over a six-month period. One location in each of the brand’s 10 operational regions earned the prize of a renovated break room, modeled after the award-winning Motel 6 “Phoenix” room design. Winners were determined based on the percentage reduction of energy consumption (kilowatt hours used) from the previous year,...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starwood is switching off on March 26—but just for one hour, and for a great cause. The global hospitality leader will once again join the worldwide movement of people and businesses planning to turn off the lights for Earth Hour 2011 in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common—our planet. This year will mark Starwood’s third annual participation in Earth Hour, making it one of the biggest companies to create a statement with a voluntary hour of darkness. Hundreds of hotels in the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. portfolio will take part...