WASHINGTON, D.C.—Green Seal Inc., the first-ever eco logo in the United States, is participating in the Presidential Inauguration by certifying Neenah Paper’s Classic Crest, the paper stock for the Inauguration cards, and providing Green Seal certified accommodations at the Four Points By Sheraton Points in downtown D.C and the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. The inaugural invitations were printed on recycled paper called Classic Crest and Green Seal certified the paper product as made with a minimum of 30 percent post consumer fiber and that mill processes, including packaging, are environmentally preferable. “It’s a distinguished cream color,” said Bernie Hennessy,...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.—Moyer Diebel, boasting more than half a century of experience in the field, has recently added its newest under counter, the 351HT, to its lineup of quality dish machines. Replacing the current 301HT, this cost-efficient under counter has been updated with many new features and will make its world premiere at the NAFEM 2009 show. Made for small kitchens and bars, the 351HT is an Energy Star qualified machine that significantly reduces water and energy consumption while still delivering sparkling clean wares using a low 0.80 gallons per rack. New features on the 351HT include counter-balanced, double skin door,...

FAIRFAX, VA.—Crestline Hotels & Resorts, the fifth largest independent hotel management company in the United States, announced an expansive sustainability initiative that is scalable and inclusive across all of the branded and non-branded hotels in the company’s portfolio. Crestline manages 70 full and select service hotels, resorts and conference centers throughout the United States. “EarthPact is a comprehensive green initiative that uniquely addresses sustainability across multiple disciplines including administration, food and beverage, facility management, conferences and meetings, owner relations, public relations and rooms operations,” says Dave Durbin, president and CEO of Crestline Hotels & Resorts. “In designing EarthPact we...

ATLANTA—The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), along with nine other leading organizations, is forming a consortium in response to the U.S. Department of Energy request for consortia to advise the department on high-performance building issues. The High-Performance Commercial Green Building Partnership (HPCGBP) brings together leading organizations from all aspects of the building community to provide guidance and technical leadership on key sustainability issues to the Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Program. “This partnership will ensure that the voices of the building industry are being heard,” says Bill Harrison, ASHRAE president. “At a time when reducing energy...

HONOLULU—Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa has recently been awarded the 2008 Energy Star seal of approval by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the fourth time in the past five years. Rated for its energy consumption on a scale from one to 100, Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa scored 81 for its performance, the highest rating it has ever achieved. “We are honored to receive the distinguished Energy Star designation once again,” said Chris Tatum, general manager of Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. “We are pleased to share...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The wind industry just closed out another banner year, and the American Wind Energy Assn. (AWEA) is looking ahead to further progress in 2009. Although the industry is buffeted by the financial crisis and economic downturn, it is also buoyed by a strong strategic position and the prospect of strong policy support from Congress and the new president. Here are some wind energy projections for the New Year: “The world’s largest operating wind power project” will be a hotly contested designation this year: At least one new project may soon surpass FPL Energy’s 736-megawatt (MW) Horse Hollow wind...

GOLDEN, COLO.—Novan Solar Inc. of Golden, Colo., has installed one of the nation’s largest solar hot water systems ever built for a hotel at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz. The Novan solar thermal system will provide domestic hot water for guestrooms, the main laundry services room and all the restaurants at the 492-room resort. The 27-acre Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa has complete resort facilities, including a 2.5 acre “water playground,” 27 holes of championship golf, world-class tennis, Spa Avania and the Native American and Environmental Learning Center as a part...

ALSIP, ILL.—Litetronics International introduces Micro-Brite C11 torpedo lamps. They have a smaller size than bent tip C11s, allowing them to fit in smaller decorative fixtures. Their cold cathode technology dims down to 5 percent of its light output without flickering. Unlike incandescent C11 lamps that undergo color shift when dimmed, the Micro-Brite C11 dims with consistent 2850K color. Available in clear and white finishes with a candelabra base, Micro-Brite C11 torpedo lamps can be used both indoors and outdoors. The 5-watt Micro-Brite replaces a 30-watt incandescent lamp and yields up to 85 percent savings in energy costs. Its...

ROANOKE, VA.—The Comfort Inn, Butte Montana, which is managed by Town Pump, Inc., has installed Lodging Technology’s GEM System Energy Management in all 145 guestrooms. GEM System, an infrared sensor-based guestroom energy management system, reduces room energy costs 35 percent to 45 percent by maintaining “management-preferred” temperatures in rooms while guests are out. By taking this responsible step to become more energy efficient, NorthWestern Energy has given the Comfort Inn a very substantial rebate. The Comfort Inn has a mixture of GE and LG through-the-wall PTAC units, ranging in age from two to 20-plus years. Since GEM System is compatible...

CARLISLE, PA.—Carlisle Energy Services, a newly formed division of Carlisle Construction Materials and a leading manufacturer of energy-efficient single-ply roofing systems, announced it has signed a long-term sales contract worth up to $320 million with Solyndra, Inc., a manufacturer of proprietary photovoltaic (PV) systems designed to optimize solar electricity production on commercial rooftops. The multi-year sales contract adds to Solyndra’s previously announced order backlog. The solar panels for these contracts will be manufactured at Solyndra’s facilities in Fremont and Milpitas, Calif. According to John Altmeyer, CEO of Carlisle Construction Materials, “The Solyndra PV system is a natural fit for our...