EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.—Distributed Sun LLC (D-SUN), a Washington, D.C.-based solar project developer, owner and operator, announced it has signed a 20-year, 1.1-megawatt power purchase agreement (PPA) to generate solar electricity for the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel & Conference Center. In the first of several megawatt-scale, commercial solar projects to be commissioned in 2011, D-SUN will construct and operate a solar powered carport facility in partnership with The Buccini/Pollin Group (BPG), the owner of the property, and Pollin/Miller Hospitality Strategies, Inc. (PMHS), the property manager. The solar system will be owned by Distributed Sun’s Solar Energy Investment Company (SEIC), sunTWO, and...

NEW YORK—LG Electronics recently showcased advancements in energy-saving technologies and luxury design elements at the 2010 International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show. LG highlighted its Multi-V Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) technology and its stylish Art Cool units, demonstrating new ways to reduce energy output and climate control costs without sacrificing design. “As hoteliers continue to look at LEED and green initiatives, LG is proud to offer innovative solutions in our ever-expanding line of commercial HVAC products,” said Steve Schmitt, director, Commercial Air Conditioning, LG Electronics USA. “Our current line of commercial HVAC products demonstrates enhanced air flow options and low...

SAN MARCOS, TEXAS—Philips Wide-Lite, a leading manufacturer of sustainable lighting products, unveils a new family of indoor and outdoor RGB LED floodlights that allows users to simply “paint” with light—thanks to four levels of dynamic color-mixing control. Designers seeking to better integrate lighting solutions with dynamic color mixing schemes now have the flexibility and diversity to do so, thanks to the innovative Color-Tune technology that TAG offers. Color-Tune allows the user to control everything directly at the fixture. Simply power up a TAG luminaire for the first time and 16 million color possibilities are available. Push the Color-Tune button to...

PHOENIX—Phoenix-based Easy Energy just announced the completed installation of a solar water heating system at the Orange Tree Golf Resort, one of Arizona’s finest luxury golf resort destinations. The solar water heating system is designed to offset the natural gas usage in the nine large boilers throughout the Scottsdale Golf Resort. It is estimated that the new system will save 465 tons of CO2 annually, which equates to planting 34,500 trees each year. The new system provides all 160 Orange Tree Golf Resort guestrooms and on-site laundry facilities with water heated by the Arizona sun. “Solar water heating is the...

GOLDEN, COLO.—Lewis Properties announced that it has installed solar panels on its award-winning Colorado-based hotels—the Golden Hotel in Golden and the Boulder Creek Quality Inn & Suites in Boulder—making them the first solar powered hotels in their respective cities. The installations, to be completed this month, will make a significant impact on decreasing the carbon footprint of the hotels. Owners Burt and Andria Lewis stated, “This was an easy decision for us; we are consistently trying to enhance our green practices and what better way to do so than by going solar.” The 62-room Golden Hotel features a 160-panel, 33.6-kilowatt...

NEW YORK—Sterling Planet, Inc. announced that the InterContinental New York Barclay, New York City’s landmark historic hotel, is now supported by 100 percent wind energy. Sterling Planet, a leader in the renewable energy market, supplies the 685-room luxury hotel with wind energy through renewable energy certificates (RECs). The Barclay is among the first New York Hotels to source 100 percent wind energy. Sterling Planet will provide the InterContinental New York Barclay with more than 6.3 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of Green-e Energy certified RECs from nationwide wind resources to offset 100 percent of the hotel’s conventional electricity. Electricity produced from renewable...

DEZHOU, CHINA—Located in China Solar Valley in the Economic Development Zone of Dezhou, the Solar Valley Micro-E Hotel is part of Sun-Moon Mansion, the largest single solar powered structure in the world. Sun-Moon Mansion, an 800,000-square-foot building, includes more than two thousand solar collectors on its roof. The hotel opened in December 2009 and is part of complex that features solar air collectors, seasonal heat storage, solar heating and cooling, ceiling radiation, geothermal system, photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation, PV lighting, energy-saving glass, sun-shading panels, external wall insulation, and rainwater collection. The five-star Solar Valley Micro-E Hotel was constructed by Himin...

PARIS—Euro Disney S.C.A. Group (“Euro Disney”) and Groupe Pierre & Vacances Center Parcs (“Pierre & Vacances”) recently unveiled their new concept of a vacation destination based on the search for harmony between man and nature. The destination would be, in its design and in its operations, a unique model of sustainable development for tourism and be called Les Villages Nature de Val d’Europe (Villages Nature). As a mixed-use resort, Villages Nature will work with visionary landscape architects to develop new lodging and leisure experiences that will provide multiple opportunities for visitors to interact with nature. These activities would be...

STATE COLLEGE, PA.—EnergyCAP announces the release of its new fully online energy management software. The software, called EnergyCAP Express, enables small to mid-size organizations such as colleges, local governments, and multi-site businesses to perform energy and greenhouse gas analysis, auditing, tracking, benchmarking, and reporting completely online. Thanks to convenient dashboards and embedded Help videos, users can get started quickly and easily without the need for in-house IT or engineering resources. Large organizations with more sophisticated energy information needs can use EnergyCAP Enterprise. A sample of EnergyCAP Express is available at www.EnergyCAP.com.

JACKSON, WYOMING—Spring Creek Ranch, a resort located in a wildlife refuge in Jackson, Wyo., is using biodegradable G-Oil made from beef tallow for its fleet of service vehicles. It is the first resort in the United States to use the 5W30 G-Oil. Stephen Price, general manager and co-owner of the resort, said, “It is the right thing to do as responsible citizens.” Eighteen resort vehicles used for transportation, shuttles, maintenance, housekeeping and room service plus personal cars are using the green oil. Spring Creek Ranch is a luxury destination resort near the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Guests of...