SANTA CLARA, CALIF.—Watt Stopper/Legrand has developed a line of card key switches for hospitality facilities that help hotels stop the energy waste of guestroom lighting being left on when no one is present. Unique in the United States, these switches comply with IECC and ASHRAE/IESNA energy codes which require that hotel guestrooms have a master switch at the entrance of every room. Lights being left on in hotel guestrooms when the rooms are left vacant is a common problem and great source of energy waste. The HS series switches enable or disable power to a select number of...

NEW YORK & BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—Hilton New York, a prime 1,980-room property of Hilton Hotels Corp. in New York City, has completed the rigging of a PureCell Model 200 Commercial fuel cell power system, one of the cleanest power generating technologies available today. Nearly three times more energy efficient than the electric grid when used in combined heat and power applications, the fuel cell will operate without combustion to continuously provide power and domestic hot water for hotel operations. Hilton New York installed the PureCell system on May 20, 2007, in keeping with New York City Mayor Michael...

ATLANTA—The Atlanta Marriott Marquis, known for its stunning 50-story atrium, is using its ambitious resource-saving initiatives as a launching point to attract groups interested in holding green meetings. The 1,663-room hotel began its green push in April with a press release highlighting the hotel’s environmental accomplishments. Green meetings make a lot of sense, according to Chris Anderson, director of sales and marketing at the hotel. The Atlanta property is doing the little things that are part of green meetings—using recycled paper, and mugs instead of paper cups, for example. However, a more significant component of the hotel’s program is the...

PARIS—Gilles Pélisson, director and CEO of Accor, and Michèle Pappalardo, president of France’s Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME), signed a third framework agreement to expand their joint programs in six areas: renewable energy development, energy management, waste prevention/management, international cooperation, communication and eco-design. The new three-year agreement will allow the partners to build on existing projects, with the long-term goal of stimulating other initiatives in the hotel business. With ADEME’s backing, 100 new Accor hotels will be fitted with solar panels, bringing the number of Accor establishments equipped worldwide to 200 by 2010. Under a broad...

NEW YORK—Honeywell, a global energy services provider, announced that it has joined the Clinton Climate Initiative in an effort to help cities around the world improve the energy efficiency of buildings and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Honeywell joined former President Bill Clinton and mayors of the world’s largest cities in New York City to announce the initiative. Buildings are a major global consumer of energy and Honeywell will work with the participating cities to identify and implement conservation opportunities in their facilities. “Climate change is a global problem that requires local action,” said President Clinton. “The businesses, banks...

EAST BERLIN, CONN.—EDRO Corp. announces the availability of the world’s first fully integrated ozone powered soft mount washer-extractor line. The products are ideal for hoteliers interested in reducing water and natural gas consumption. Savings are possible because of the built-in DynOzone—DynaWash® Ozone System feature that allows for laundry to be washed primarily in cold water. The soft mount machines can be installed without the need of a foundation and can be therefore used in upper floor locations. These super high G-force washer-extractors are available in 60-, 110-, 175-, 225-, 350- and 450-pound loading capacities. For 60 years,...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes INNCOM International Inc., Niantic, Conn., as a Founding Sponsor. INNCOM develops and markets advanced, software-based guestroom control systems that are designed to reduce energy consumption. Its systems have been installed in more than 350,000 hotel rooms. INNCOM develops and markets a broad range of intelligent devices. These are combined in various ways to provide integrated systems for direct digital control (DDC) energy management, on-line electronic lock control, guest (end-user) interfaces and operating enhancements for housekeeping, security, minibar restocking and other hotel staff groups. INNCOM systems provide highly...

ONTARIO, CALIF.—Met-Tile Inc., an Energy Star partner, has launched a redesigned website that features its metal tile panel “cool roofing” system. The Met-Tile roof system, which combines the popular look of tile with all-weather performance and energy savings, can be viewed at www.met-tile.com. The redesigned website incorporates a new easy-to-use navigation system and expanded product and application information for architects, builders, contractors, and home and building owners. The site includes separate areas for residential and non-residential applications, expanded photo galleries, a rep./distributor locator section, updated project case studies, technical data and more. Suitable for use in all...

CHICAGO—Yes, there was a Green Restaurant Products Pavilion and an Organic & Natural Pavilion but finding other green exhibitors among the more than 2,100 vendors at the National Restaurant Assn. Restaurant Hotel-Motel Show last weekend was more of a challenge. They most definitely were there but one had to look closely to find them. The good news is that those green vendors that were there had some exciting new products to talk about. Here is a list of some of them: EATware International introduced its line of 100 percent biodegradable disposable tableware. Their compostable products are made from corn starches...

OSLO, NORWAY—Significant gains can be made in efforts to combat global warming by reducing energy use and improving energy efficiency in buildings. The right mix of appropriate government regulation, greater use of energy saving technologies and behavioral change can substantially reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the building sector which accounts for 30 to 40 percent of global energy use, says a recent report from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Sustainable Building and Construction Initiative (SBCI). The new report, Buildings and Climate Change: Status, Challenges and Opportunities, says many opportunities exist for governments, industry and consumers to...