MOUNT PROSPECT, ILL.—ESCO Institute announces the release of Green Awareness, a new publication that provides a basic understanding of green concepts, terminologies, systems, and the latest in green mechanical technology. Every day the word “Green” enters our lives. We read about it in the news, we see it on TV and we hear about it on the radio, but what is it and how does it affect us? When it comes to mechanicals, (HVAC/R, plumbing and electrical) “Green” means maximizing the energy efficiency of existing equipment, specifying the most efficient systems available for the application and the available...

PARSIPPANY, N.J. —Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, is expanding its environmental efforts through a “Global Green Day” event and the appointment of Faith Taylor as vice president, Sustainability and Innovation. “Global Green Day” will take place in Wyndham Worldwide offices around the globe including U.S. locations in Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Fla.; Indianapolis; Springfield, Miss.; Las Vegas; Parsippany, N.J.; Aberdeen, S.D.; Johnson City, Tenn.; and Redmond, Wash. International locations include: Australia, Canada, India, South Africa, Southeast Asia, Mexico and the United Kingdom. The event will include educational components on the WyndhamGreen program, access to eco-friendly...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—GE Consumer & Industrial is offering two new tools for establishing an incandescent-like mood with its more energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps: dimmable 15-watt and 26-watt Spiral CFLs that can replace 60-watt and 100-watt incandescent bulbs used in table lamps, floor lamps, sconces and other screw-base fixtures. The new Spiral CFLs work with most standard dimmer switches and incandescent sockets, dimming to 20 percent of maximum light output. Each features a soft white color and 10,000-hour rated life. “Our dimmable CFLs offer features that users have enjoyed for years in incandescent bulbs, but with the outstanding energy efficiency, low...

ROCKLIN, CALIF.—SMA America, Inc., the United States division of global solar technology giant SMA Solar Technology AG, has launched www.Solar-is-Future.com. This user-friendly, educational website explains how solar energy can be harvested and utilized via animation, illustrations and descriptions in easy-to-understand language. At Solar-is-Future.com, visitors can research the benefits of solar power and how the sun’s abundant, clean energy can be collected through active and passive solar power systems. “SMA America is very excited about the launch of Solar-is-Future.com,” says Jurgen Krehnke, president and general manager of SMA America. “Now there is a one-stop, online solar resource where visitors can learn...

DENVER— National park and resort concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts has received the 2008 National Park Service Environmental Achievement Award for the company’s operations in Death Valley National Park. The award was given for exceptional achievement in sustainable energy practices. More specifically, the award recognizes Xanterra’s completion of one of the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems in the United States—a five-acre one-megawatt (MW) system that will generate more than one-third of the total annual electricity needs of the company’s operations in Death Valley, including the historic Furnace Creek Inn, Furnace Creek Ranch, Furnace Creek Golf Course, employee offices and...

ATLANTA—Energy use in buildings can be reduced by 10 to 40 percent by improving operational strategies in buildings, according to a study by the Energy Systems Lab at Texas A&M University. A new certification program from ASHRAE helps building owners know they are hiring and retaining employees and consultants who know how to take advantage of such strategies. The Operations and Performance Management Professional Certification (OPMP) program helps earners demonstrate their knowledge of the management of facility operations and maintenance and their impact on HVAC&R systems’ performance. The program will launch at the ASHRAE Winter Meeting in Chicago in...

GARDEN CITY, N.Y.—As part of its ongoing program to “go green,” W.A.C. Lighting has introduced InvisiLED energy-saving display and accent lighting solutions using the latest LED technology. W.A.C. Lighting is a leading manufacturer of track, recessed, undercabinet, decorative and monorail lighting. Ideal for both new construction and retrofit projects, InvisiLED Tape Lights perform effectively for a broad range of applications including cove lighting, under counters and bars, toe kick spaces, display windows, refrigerated cases, trade show booths and architectural accents. The energy-efficient LED tape delivers a crisp, quality light while only using 2 watts per foot. It has a...

ATLANTA—Servidyne, Inc., a building performance efficiency and real estate company, announced that the number of its customers’ commercial buildings that have successfully achieved Energy Star Labels recently surpassed 200, ranking Servidyne among the industry’s leading third-party service providers. Energy Star is an energy performance rating system of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. This program has measured and rated more than 62,000 commercial buildings since its inception in 1992. “We are certainly proud of earning this distinction, as we continue to provide our customers with the expert guidance that enables their facilities to be recognized...

HANCOCK, MASS.—After the price of electricity jumped 50 percent during the 2005-2006 ski season at Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort, management knew it had to do something significant. It could not just keep passing along rising costs to its customers; it would lose market share. According to Jim Van Dyke, vice president of sustainability at the Hancock, Mass.-based property, the resort had already installed compact fluorescent bulbs and taken other simple steps to reduce costs. “We had exhausted the low-hanging fruit,” he says. The resort was already using more than 2 million kilowatt-hours less of power annually thanks to its...

CARLISLE, PA.—Carlisle SynTec, a leading manufacturer of single-ply roofing materials, recently introduced Roof$ense, a Web-based lifecycle analysis program that enables building owners to calculate the potential energy savings that can be realized from an energy efficient roof design for the next 10, 20 or 30 years. Available free of charge through Carlisle Manufacturer’s representatives, Roof$ense reports can be generated in minutes, quickly demonstrating how building owners can potentially save thousands in energy and maintenance costs while improving the overall efficiency of their properties. Roof$ense is designed to provide a simple, efficient and accurate assessment of a building’s projected energy costs based...