SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Switch Lighting announced the first ever 100 watt-equivalent LED bulb. The bulb was unveiled at the 2011 LIGHTFAIR International Trade Show in Philadelphia. Using their “City of Light” technology, the bulb creates a self-cooling environment inside, allowing maximum brightness with fewer LEDs. “Nobody in the LED space can produce this incandescent-quality light,” said Boris Lipkin, CEO of Switch Lighting. “The brightest LED you can see on the shelf is a 60 watt-equivalent. We announced our 75 watt-equivalent last month, now we’re announcing the 100-watt equivalent.” All Switch Lighting bulbs offer incandescent quality light, are dimmable, and can be used...

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.—Cogenra Solar, a provider of distributed solar cogeneration systems and renewable energy service solutions, announced that its solar cogeneration modules have become the first solar energy solution to pass requisite third-party standards for both concentrating solar thermal and solar electric certifications established by the independent certification bodies Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), respectively. These industry evaluations enable customers of Cogenra’s solar cogeneration solution to benefit from significant financial incentives for renewable energy installations throughout the United States. Cogenra is the first concentrating solar collector to receive OG-100 certification for meeting the...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Energy Star program has launched the 2011 National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. Teams from 245 buildings around the country are going head to head to improve energy efficiency and determine who can reduce their energy use the most. Nearly 5 million commercial buildings in the United States are responsible for approximately 20 percent of both the nation’s energy use and greenhouse gas emissions at a cost of more than $100 billion annually. Through energy efficiency improvements, competitors are working to save energy, reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions and protect the...

ATLANTA—Acuity Brands, Inc., a provider of energy-efficient lighting and control solutions, is expanding its LED Outdoor PARK portfolio with the introduction of three new LED luminaries—the Tersen Ratio PG, Lithonia Lighting VAP and the Lithonia Lighting ALX. All three products provide uniform light and maximize visibility for drivers and pedestrians in open and enclosed parking facilities. Tersen Ratio PG is a contemporary, architectural-styled LED luminaire for parking garages. Designed to meet IESNA RP-20 standards, it delivers up to 100 lumens per watt in multiple lumen output packages. Its modern “finned” housing serves as an efficient heat sink, achieving 25 percent...

HEALDSBURG, CALIF.—h2hotel, a progressively-designed hotel located just off the historic town plaza in Healdsburg, announced that it has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification and is the first LEED Gold certified hotel in Sonoma County. “Green design was a necessity and a natural progression for us,” said managing partner Paolo Petrone, who also co-owns Hotel Healdsburg. “Designed to use 27.8 percent less energy than the standard hotel in California, we have created an environmentally-conscious hotel without sacrificing comfort and style. h2hotel is a hotel that Healdsburg can be proud of. We continuously strive to be...

OSHKOSH, WIS.—Continental Girbau Inc. recently released the highly programmable Logi Pro Control, now available on the 20-pound capacity E-Series Washers and the complete line-up of M-Series Washer-Extractors. The new Logi Pro Control offers up to 25 individually modifiable programs—each with up to 11 baths, including multiple pre-wash, wash and rinse phases. “The Logi Pro delivers superior control over the wash process,” said Joel Jorgensen, Continental Girbau’s vice president of sales and customer services. “It’s designed to improve productivity and efficiency at a wide array of on-premise laundries. The Logi Pro offers precise control over wash variables to ensure optimum efficiency...

BOULDER, COLO.—Commercial and residential buildings are the largest consumers of electricity in the United States, representing nearly two-thirds of all electricity used. As property owners and managers look for ways to reduce their energy expenditures and environmental impact through efficiency measures, they are increasingly adopting “smart building” technologies including automation and controls, high-efficiency systems and equipment, and a broadening array of energy management services. These enhancements are being unified in Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS), which are information technology (IT)-based hardware and software systems being employed in a holistic approach to optimize the efficiency of buildings’ energy consumption. According...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Westin Lombard Yorktown Center in Lombard, Ill., was named the winner of the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s (AH&LA) year-long Energy Slasher Challenge. The Challenge, launched on Earth Day 2010, helped participating hotels obtain a 5 percent overall energy reduction. The hotel receives a full day with the AH&LA Green Guru for a personal eco-strategy session, as well as other prizes courtesy of HD Supply. Participants could use several tools to help with tracking their costs, including GreenQuest, EPA Energy Star Portfolio Manager, or their brand/corporate benchmarking program. Costs were compared and analyzed to determine who slashed their...

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, ILL.—“Zero and Net-zero Energy Buildings + Homes,” a 64-page white paper that proclaims “the next frontier in the green building movement,” is now available online from Building Design+Construction. The 40,000-word report provides a road map for the U.S./Canadian design, construction, and real estate industry to develop “net-zero” buildings and homes—energy-efficient, affordable structures that generate as much energy as they use. “Ready or not, the U.S. design and construction industry is about to embark on an exciting journey: the development of net-zero energy buildings and homes,” says Robert Cassidy, the publication’s editorial director. Commercial buildings consume 19 percent of the...

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y.—Evolve Guest Controls has completed installation of its fully custom keycard-based energy management system (EMS) in all of the Hilton Inn at Penn’s 244 guestrooms and suites. Evolve’s key card-based EMS system controls all of the lighting in the room, the TV(s), and the HVAC. When guests enter their rooms, they insert their key cards into Evolve’s wall-mounted key card reader and the room activates “comfort” mode. When guests leave the room, they take their key cards with them, initiating the room’s  “energy efficient” mode whereby all the lighting devices and TV(s) are powered down, and the...