SEATTLE—Impex Development LLC and Whirlpool Corp. have formed a marketing partnership to provide distinctive and sustainable interiors based on realistic price points for the hospitality industry. The partnership will incorporate energy-efficient appliances from Whirlpool Corp. within Impex’s manufacture of eco-friendly kitchens, baths and architectural door systems. “Both companies are passionate about making it easier for hospitality and multifamily professionals to create exceptional, eco-friendly environments,” says Jeff Smitley, LEED AP, president of Energy & Environmental Solutions. “Interiors from Impex help contribute points toward the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system and the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes rating...

DANBURY, CONN.—FuelCell Energy Inc., a leading manufacturer of efficient, ultra-clean power plants using renewable and domestic fuels for commercial and industrial customers, announced that its modular 300-kilowatt (kW) Direct FuelCell (DFC) power plant (DFC300MA) has met the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) stringent distributed generation emissions standards for 2007. An earlier model of the DFC300MA, which was capable of producing 250 kW of power, had previously attained this certification. Through the incorporation of an advanced cell stack design, FuelCell Energy achieved a 20 percent increase in power output this past fall which required the plant to be recertified...

NATIONAL REPORT—When looking for ways to green your hotel, one of the first things you should focus on is energy efficiency. Pure economics show it is cheaper to save a kilowatt hour then it is to produce it. Couple this with reduced carbon emissions, and efficiency is one of the first things a property should consider, even before looking at renewable energy sources. The first energy conservation measure that should be evaluated in hospitality, whether it is a small 100-room property or a large destination resort, is lighting. Common lighting opportunities include T-12 to T-8 or super T-8 linear fluorescent...

NATIONAL REPORT—State-of-the-art concrete building systems can save a hotel owner money through energy savings. But equally important, concrete systems can provide hotel guests with a comfortable, healthy, environmentally friendly place to relax during their time away from home. Concrete can provide a sustainable structure that will maintain its durability, energy savings and beauty for the full life of the building. Hotels built with concrete wall, floor and roof systems that incorporate rigid foam insulation with concrete, have optimal energy performance because of their inherent thermal mass properties. Thermal mass has the ability to store heat during the hottest periods of...

DUNEDIN, FLA.—Temperatures are heating up for the summer season and that can only mean one thing for your property—higher energy costs. To keep your guests and staff cool and content while keeping your energy costs as low as possible, Mintek Mobile Data Solutions recommends the following 10 action steps: 1. Find and seal air leaks that cause drafts and make your cooling system work overtime. Sealing and insulating your building can prevent the loss of cooled air and help save up to 10 percent on your energy bills each year. To ensure a sufficient level of indoor air...

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...