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Energy Management

Everyone has felt the sting of rising energy costs recently. Savvy hoteliers have implemented plans to address these increases. It could be a simple operational change or a complex capital investment. Green Lodging News covers the latest news and trends pertaining to energy management. Got news or a story idea to share? Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

Energy Management

Home Energy Management
Everyone has felt the sting of rising energy costs recently. Savvy hoteliers have implemented plans to address these increases. It could be a simple operational change or a complex capital investment. Green Lodging News covers the latest news and trends pertaining to energy management. Got news or a story idea to share? Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

FuelCell Energy Launches New Site

DANBURY, CONN.—FuelCell Energy Inc., a leader in the development and manufacture of fuel cells for Ultra-Clean electric power generation, announces the launch of a new website at www.fuelcellenergy.com. The new site contains extensive information on the company’s patented Direct FuelCell (DFC) technology, and also provides a comprehensive overview of the benefits fuel cell power plants offer for a wide variety of markets and industries. The new website provides information on FuelCell Energy’s global power plant fleet and contains the information, resources, and products customers need to implement reliable, Ultra-Clean power for their 24/7 baseload power requirements. In addition to information...

RoomKey Offers Hoteliers First ‘Green’ PMS Alternative

NORTH VANCOUVER, B.C.—RSI International Systems Inc. announced that their RoomKey Property Management System has become “Carbon Free” through a carbon emission offset partnership with Carbonfund.org. RoomKey is the first fully integrated Web-based property management software solution that offers hoteliers complete functionality while providing an opportunity to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. RoomKey enables hotels, inns and resorts to effectively manage their property while conveying their environmental commitment to guests and other stakeholders. RoomKey uses approximately 94 percent less energy than traditional server-based property management systems. Because RoomKey is Web-based and centrally hosted, every client using RoomKey PMS can reduce...

InterContinental in D.C. Now Powered by 100 Percent Wind Power

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Willard InterContinental, Washington DC’s premiere historic luxury hotel, is now powered by 100 percent wind energy. Pepco Energy Services, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. and a leader in renewable electricity, supplies the 332-room landmark hotel with 100 percent wind renewable energy credits, making the Willard the first urban luxury hotel in the United States to be fully supported in this sustainable manner. Pepco Energy Services provides the Willard InterContinental Washington with nearly 7.1 million kilowatt hours of 100 percent wind renewable energy certificates. The Loyalton Group, an energy risk management firm in Washington, D.C., facilitated the contracts,...

Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston Earns Energy Star Status

BOSTON—The Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston has just received official Energy Star status in recognition of its energy conservation and efficiency efforts. The hotel, built in 1963, has just completed a year-long effort to achieve this status. To that end, building automation systems were used to efficiently control the building’s energy consumption, coordinating HVAC, boilers, chillers and common area lighting. The guestroom energy management system manages heating and cooling when guests are not in their rooms and guestrooms are now lit by compact fluorescent lighting. “The overall guiding principle in decision making for all projects over the last year has...

Honeywell Network Device Gives Facility Managers Secure Access to Building Control Systems

MINNEAPOLIS—Honeywell introduced EXCEL 5000 OpenViewNet, a secure network device that connects the EXCEL 5000 family of controllers to the Internet, delivering remote, Web-based monitoring and control of heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems. “We’re bringing secure Web access to a legacy control system without forcing users to migrate to a new platform,” says Mike Taylor, vice president of Americas marketing, Honeywell Building Solutions. “With OpenViewNet, facility managers always have control of their EXCEL 5000 systems at their fingertips, saving time and increasing efficiency.” OpenViewNet gives users quick access to building data via Internet Explorer or a Pocket PC-enabled mobile device using...

From the Roof on Down, Golden Arrow Shows Green Commitment

LAKE PLACID, N.Y.—Next spring will be an exciting time here at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, located in idyllic Lake Placid, home of the 1980 Winter Olympics. Up on the roof of the 153-room property, just between the main lobby and the restaurant, a green roof will be installed. Similar to a garden, the roof will include a bed of soil and plants that will have both aesthetic and environmental benefits. The roof originally was going to be put in place this fall but it was determined that the plants that will rest in the roof modules need more time...

Philips Introduces New Alto II Linear Fluorescent Technology

SOMERSET, N.J. – Philips Lighting Co., a division of Philips Electronics North America Corp., an affiliate of Royal Philips Electronics, announces the introduction of ALTO II, its next-generation low-mercury fluorescent lamp technology for the professional lighting market. Twelve years ago, Philips Lighting introduced its original ALTO technology and set a new industry standard by reducing the amount of mercury in its T8 fluorescent lamps to an industry low of 3.5 mg. Today, through Philips Lighting’s innovative technology, ALTO II T8 lamps now contain only 1.7 mg of mercury, a 50 percent reduction from previous levels. Now incorporated into...

Green Lodging News Welcomes Master-Bilt as Directory Partner

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Master-Bilt as a Green Product Directory partner. New Albany, Miss.-based Master-Bilt provides a complete line of refrigerated coolers and freezers—from ice cream dipping cabinets to refrigerated warehouses. Many products are designed with energy-saving features and options such as demand defrost, alarms and light management systems. Master-Bilt also offers Energy Star and CEC certified reach-ins, milk coolers and other equipment. Call 800-647-1284 or e-mail sales@master-bilt.com for more details. Go to Master-Bilt.

Continental’s New Drying Tumblers Bolster Energy Efficiency

OSHKOSH, WISC.—Continental Girbau Inc. introduces an advanced generation of Pro-Series dryers designed to escalate efficiency, production and safety. Available in 30-, 40-, 60-, 85-, 125- and 175-pound capacities, Pro-Series II Drying Tumblers are equipped with quality internal components, easy-to-use programmable microprocessor controls and a multitude of features proven to deliver productivity and professional results for any on-premise or industrial laundry, according to Joel Jorgensen, vice president of sales and customer services at Continental. A highly advanced microprocessor control offers up to four timed-dry or auto-dry cycles and a no-heat cycle. An anti-wrinkle feature reduces the occurrence of wrinkles by initiating...

Onity Introduces New Intelligent Energy Saver

OYARZUN, SPAIN—Onity has launched Intellity, its latest innovation in energy management solutions for the lodging industry. Intellity is an intelligent energy saving device that reads the magnetic stripe on Onity hotel-specific keycards to identify and differentiate guest and staff keycards, while disconnecting electrical equipment when guests are out of the room. Because it differentiates between guest and staff cards, it also can prevent hotel housekeeping staff from using certain electrical equipment, such as the television, while cleaning the room. Onity, a leading provider of electronic locking solutions, is part of UTC Fire & Security, a unit of United Technologies...