NEW YORK—In a major initiative to reduce energy and carbon emissions significantly, the New York Marriott Downtown, a 500-room full-service Marriott hotel managed by Marriott International, Inc. and owned by Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., celebrated the inauguration of its new “microturbine farm” with a ribbon cutting on June 3 in Lower Manhattan. The installation of two hotel owner-funded PureComfort systems built by UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. company, makes the hotel the first in New York City to use this ultra clean technology to provide its own electricity, cooling and heating on-site. Waste heat generated by the system’s...

NIANTIC, CONN.—INNCOM International, a global leader in energy management systems and products for the lodging industry, has joined with one of the nation’s leading HVAC manufacturers to develop technology that will deliver greater levels of precision HVAC control to guests and better energy efficiency—and, thus, lower operating costs—to hotels. Niantic, Conn.-based INNCOM is teaming with Oklahoma City-based Williams Applied Products Group whereby INNCOM is developing a controller that Williams Applied Group will use in fan-coil units. The state-of-the-art controller will maximize guest comfort—thus increasing guest satisfaction—and will drastically reduce hotel operating costs, thanks to dramatically improved energy efficiency while simultaneously...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—Visitors to this year’s Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) will have an opportunity to learn about some of the industry’s most innovative energy management technologies. Numerous vendors will be on hand to introduce their latest advancements on the trade show floor and GUESTROOM 2010 will also feature green technologies. HITEC will be held June 16 to 19 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas. The following is a summary of some of the technologies that will be featured by vendors at HITEC: Energy Authority International (EAI) will introduce its Web-based WiSuite guestroom energy management system that uses...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—Hilton Hotels Corp. announced short and long term goals and objectives towards building sustainability into the core fabric of its businesses worldwide. Christopher J. Nassetta, President & CEO, outlined directional targets for improvement in the company’s sustainability performance throughout the next five years within systemwide hotels globally. By 2014, goals for the Hilton Family of Hotels are to: • Reduce energy consumption from direct operations by 20 percent; • Reduce Co2 emissions by 20 percent; • Reduce output of waste by 20 percent; and • Reduce water consumption by 10 percent. “Upon becoming a truly global company with the acquisition of Hilton International and following the...

GREEN BAY, WIS.—Hotel Sierra of Green Bay, Wis., formerly the Regency Suites Hotel, has earned the Focus on Energy Award for Excellence in Energy Efficiency. With the help of Focus on Energy expertise and $10,500 in financial incentives, Hotel Sierra was able to contract with Johnson & Jonet to complete energy efficiency projects that will save them $25,000 in annual energy costs. These projects include: • Guestroom energy management controls, which reduce energy use in rooms not occupied by guests. • Kitchen exhaust ventilation which delivers the appropriate fan speed required to match the input air, resulting in less energy used. • Chiller...

FAIRFIELD, N.J.—Amerlux Lighting Solutions integrates the latest LED technology into its newest innovation—the Cylindrix II LED track luminaire. The Cylindrix II LED track luminaire is a thermally efficient, long lasting, and high-output luminaire. It features the latest high power, warm white LED technology that delivers high performance lighting with color temperatures similar to that of incandescent. Amerlux, a leader of task-specific, energy-efficient metal halide lighting solutions, is raising the bar as a pioneer of low-wattage LED solutions in its EcoTectural product line for retail, supermarket, commercial and hospitality markets. Designed with a clean, architectural look, Cylindrix II LED luminaires...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Assn. launched “Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability”, an initiative designed to support the United States’ nearly one million restaurant and foodservice locations as they become more eco-friendly, at the Association’s recent Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago. The Conserve website will educate restaurateurs on how taking small steps over time—or bigger steps for those who choose to do so—can make a difference for the future of our planet, as well as be positive for business. “We are launching Conserve to raise awareness and provide resources and information about eco-friendly practices to the entire restaurant and foodservice community,” said...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Tropical Lights Inc. as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Davie, Fla.-based Tropical Lights recently introduced its online Energy Efficient Lighting Conversion & Certification Program for the Hospitality Industry. EcoGreen Award is a national program providing bulb technology information, sources, and conversion/maintenance tools for a facility lighting conversion. A Certification plaque and marketing is included with the program and can be used in conjunction with other types of green certifications. For more information, call (954) 670-1600, e-mail jay@ecogreenaward.com or go to www.ecogreenaward.com.

SAINT CHARLES, MO.—Pineapple Hospitality now offers fully customizable linen and towel reuse cards. Cards are 4 inches by 6 inches, and are printed on 80 percent recycled paper with minimum 40 percent post-consumer content coated stock with vegetable and soy-based inks. Pineapple Hospitality offers multiple categories of stock designs for its custom linen and towel reuse cards. Most colors and fonts can be changed. Layout of images and text also can be changed. The card size can be customized as well. If that’s not enough, Pineapple’s graphic design team can create something new just for a property—be it posters,...

Because the dates for the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) annual Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago fell right on the heels of the HD 2008 Expo & Conference this year, I was unable to attend. However, there was an announcement made at the restaurant show that you should know about—especially if you operate any kind of food and beverage operation. The NRA announced the launch of “Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability,” an initiative designed to support the United States’ nearly one million restaurant and foodservice locations as they become more eco-friendly. “We are launching Conserve to raise awareness and provide resources...