LARKSPUR, CALIF.—Advanced Telemetry, LLC, a company committed to resource conservation, has recently introduced EcoView Commercial, a proprietary, next generation climate control and resource management solution for commercial applications. The EcoView system is designed to help business owners control energy and water costs and reduce the environmental impacts of running their businesses. The simple-to-install system empowers users to easily and effectively monitor and manage resource consumption. “As economic pressures grow, energy costs rise, profit margins shrink, and environmental responsibility becomes more vital, we are offering businesses a solution to easily reduce the costly waste of energy and other resources,” said Gus...

Can older hotels become energy efficient in a simple and cost-effective way? Yes, and it starts in the guestroom with some easily installed equipment that has a fast payback. Using the guestroom keycard to send the room into occupied or unoccupied mode gives the guest the control they expect, while saving properties money in empty rooms. There are a number of ways a 15- or 20-year-old hotel can see increases in the bottom line without major renovations or loss of available room nights. We all know that simple fixes like changing a light bulb can have a noticeable decrease in...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes LEDgen Lighting, Inc. as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Marion, Ind.-based LEDgen Lighting is a full-service distributor, retailer and installer of decorative lighting products featuring energy-efficient LEDs (light emitting diodes). For holiday lighting displays, the company is featuring innovative LED string lights, rope lights, replacement bulbs and accessories. LEDgen LED lighting products feature commercial grade hardware, designer shapes and colors. For additional information, call (800) 788-9627, e-mail jowen@ledgenlighting.com, or go to www.ledgenlighting.com.

ELK GROVE VILLAGE, ILL.—Lime Energy and Harrah’s Rincon Resort and Casino announced they have completed an energy efficiency retrofit project that produces significant benefits to the resort and to the environment. The project includes new light emitting diode (LED) technology in elevators, recessed downlights and outdoor signage. Lighting with LED uses about 1/7th to 1/10th the energy of standard lighting and lasts at least 10 times longer, to significantly reduce maintenance costs. In addition to utility bill savings, the permanent reduction of 2 million kilowatt-hours per year in energy use generates the following environmental benefits each year: • Avoids the emission of...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Magnum Energy Solutions LLC (GreenSwitch) as a Green Product & Service Directory Partner. GreenSwitch manufactures a wireless in-room energy management system that reduces energy consumption in hospitality guestrooms by 25 percent to 45 percent. The system sets back the HVAC to an energy conserving temperature level when the room is unoccupied. It will also turn off selected lighting and eliminate all vampire power. The system generally has a payback period of less than 18 months. GreenSwitch technology was recently listed in the 2008 DOE Energy Star Building Upgrade...

NATIONAL REPORT—It is odd that the most-recognized graphic symbol for a good idea is a lit incandescent bulb, but that’s been the case for at least a century. It’s getting to be common knowledge, however, that the incandescent is likely to go the way of its immediate successors in commercial lighting, the High-Intensity Discharge (HID) and conventional fluorescent varieties, which are also likely to rapidly disappear soon. Part of this change has been underway in the hospitality industry for some time now, of course, thanks to the screw-in compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) that now seem to be the rule rather...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Hotel owners now have more energy efficient choices when shopping for televisions. Since November 1, televisions meeting EPA’s new, more comprehensive energy efficiency specification have been available. Televisions that meet the new Energy Star specification will be up to 30 percent more energy efficient than conventional models. If all televisions sold in the United States met the new Energy Star requirements, the savings in energy costs would grow to be about $1 billion annually and greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by the equivalent of about 1 million cars. “EPA encourages consumers to look for the Energy Star label...

ADELPHI, MD.—More than three years after earning Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification—it was the first hotel in the United States to do so—Marriott’s University of Maryland University College Inn and Conference Center (UMUC ICC) is continuing its efforts to reduce its impact on the environment. The property, which includes 237 guestrooms and 11 suites, has recently stepped up its recycling efforts and has pledged to pursue Green Seal certification to ensure its continuous commitment to operational improvements. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, which manages the LEED program, UMUC ICC earned LEED certification for its 127-guestroom,...

NEW YORK—Philips Electronics announced the signing of an exclusive three-year agreement with Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Inc. to provide Philips’ latest range of SmartPower energy efficient televisions to Starwood’s 460 properties across North America. The deal, which could be worth up to $100 million with existing opportunities and expected growth, will see industry-leading energy efficient televisions installed in new hotels and existing Starwood properties looking to convert to LCD TV technology for the first time. In what is believed to be the biggest ‘green TV’ deal to date, this agreement is also expected to save the premier global hotel company...

LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.—Seven4one in Laguna Beach, Calif., is setting a new green standard with its new hotel in Orange County. It features a list of more than 35 green infrastructural and operational elements that enhance virtually every aspect of its daily operations. With this green approach—from bamboo-blend bath towels and green-certified mattresses to card-less door locks, a largely organic kitchen, lighting sensors, and Energy Star appliances—Seven4one differentiates itself from other hotels in the region with a forward-thinking approach to traditional hotel operations. “It’s not that difficult to think green, plan green, and operate green,” says Seven4one general manager, Julia Cattaneo....