COMMERCE, CALIF.—Nora Lighting’s MAC XL LED Track Heads now feature Comfort Dim, a warm dimming technology that changes CCT from a bright 3000K to a comfortable and inviting 1800K. Comfort Dim is a popular option for dining rooms, restaurants, and other venues that prefer a relaxing atmosphere. MAC XL Track heads resemble line voltage fixtures, but without bulky driver enclosures. Field adjustable beam spreads allow precise illumination. Comfort Dim models deliver 1000 lumens, while MAC XL dedicated color temperature fixtures offer 2700K to 4000K in 1200 lumens. Comfort Dim is suitable for two circuit applications in which other MAC XL track heads...

GALESBURG, ILL.—Intellihot, the clean technology company creating transformative, next-generation solutions to transform the built environment, announced the launch of its latest product, the telliBot_ai, the world’s first intelligent water heater systems analyzer. Current telliBot_ai customers include Benihana Inc., the international restaurant chain. Hot water is critical for hotels, restaurants, and all other commercial and industrial buildings that need immediate hot water around the clock to remain operational. Unexpected water heater malfunctions can become financially and reputationally devastating for businesses. Equipped with advanced intelligence and sensors, the telliBot_ai analyzes operations by monitoring flow rates, temperatures, firing rate, and more. With this...

LAS VEGAS—Wynn Resorts issued its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, which includes the company’s collective pledges and defined goals to decrease emissions and confront the mounting risk of climate change. The report also outlines how Wynn Resorts’ ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic ran parallel to achieving a gamut of progressive ESG and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) goals, with significant strides made in community outreach and crisis relief efforts, responsible business practices, and protecting human rights. In the report’s forward, Wynn Resorts CEO Matt Maddox remarked, “A truly great company, one founded on the belief that excellence is...

It was a big news week this past week with numerous announcements of interest. First, according to Bloomberg, beginning on September 22, Google began labeling hotels as “Eco-Certified” in its global search results, with a leaf-shaped icon next to the hotel’s name. “Clicking on the ‘About’ tab will detail the property’s specific sustainability practices, such as having water use audited by an independent organization or using energy from carbon-free sources,” Bloomberg says. “The new feature relies on 29 certification programs to do the hard work of establishing a hotel’s green credibility; the property must have an array of sustainability measures...

Average carbon footprint of a hotel stay decreased by 3 percent in 2019. Includes data on energy, carbon, and water from 21,000 hotels across 57 countries. Online tool to support calculation of carbon footprint of hotel stays. Data from the latest Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking (CHSB) Index shows that the average carbon footprint of a hotel stay decreased by 3 percent between 2018 and 2019, following a decrease of 10 percent between 2015 and 2018. The report contains data from over 21,000 hotels in 57 countries and 365 cities from the 26 global brands, which participated in the study. The greatest...

HENDERSON, KY.—The Envi Boutique Hotel, located in Henderson, Kentucky, is proof that an old, tired hotel that has seen its share of flags can not only survive but thrive as a shiny, totally renovated green hotel striving to be greener. According to Kiran Patel, owner of the property, the 54-room hotel was first opened in 1967 as a full-service Holiday Inn. It later was converted to a Best Western and finally two other brands before being renovated into the Envi Boutique Hotel in June of this year. “In 1994 we purchased the property and was with Super 8 for 23.5...

NATIONAL REPORT—The Tax Code has long been used to help achieve various societal goals, one of which is the more efficient use of energy by individuals and businesses. It’s also long been used to promote energy production, to help achieve energy independence, and in more recent years to promote renewable and clean energy production. These tax provisions change frequently to try to keep up with the latest technologies and encourage individuals and businesses to make their homes, vehicles, and businesses more energy efficient while also encouraging the energy industry to address various specific aspects of energy production. The current...

CINCINNATI—Cintas Corp. announced its ambition to achieve Net Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. The company is also in the midst of a comprehensive, enterprise-wide review of its business model as it relates to environmental, social and governance (ESG) opportunities, improvements, and efficiencies. Cintas has been built on sustainable business practices, and the continuous improvement of its sustainability measures has been key to the company’s operational success over the years. As its business review continues for the next 12 to 18 months, Cintas expects to better define its ESG journey, including identifying strategies to reduce its Scope 1 and 2...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The International Code Council—the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions—launched its “Code on a Mission” challenge which aims to have over a third of the U.S. population covered by the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) by the end of 2023. To make this a reality, the Code Council is challenging the building industry and communities alike to update their building energy codes to meet or exceed the requirements of the 2021 IECC. Already industry leaders like Architecture 2030, the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), Energy Efficient Codes Coalition (EECC), Northeast Energy Efficiency...

WILMINGTON, DEL.—With the release of the latest landmark climate report by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), DuPont announced it is even more urgent that architects, policymakers and industry work together to limit the impact of global warming, and reduce embodied carbon. Affirming its commitment to transparency, DuPont Performance Building Solutions has published an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its newest Styrofoam Brand ST-100 Series extruded polystyrene insulation (XPS). This latest EPD continues the company’s practice of publishing third-party-verified EPDs for Styrofoam Brand products sold in North America, including its reduced and low global warming potential (GWP) products introduced in 2021 to help architects...