It was more than three years ago that MGM Resorts International and Chicago-based Invenergy, North America’s largest independent renewable energy company, partnered on a new solar photovoltaic array that would generate 100 megawatts of clean, renewable energy. The MGM-Invenergy Solar Project was to be located 25 miles north of Las Vegas and MGM Resorts would purchase all the energy generated by the project to help power its 13 properties on the Las Vegas Strip. This past week, MGM Resorts launched its 100-megawatt solar array, the hospitality industry’s largest directly sourced renewable electricity project worldwide. The array’s clean energy now produces...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International, a global leader in the battle against climate change, launched its 100-megawatt solar array, the hospitality industry’s largest directly sourced renewable electricity project worldwide. The array’s clean energy now produces up to 90 percent of MGM Resorts’ Las Vegas daytime power needs, spanning 65 million square feet of buildings across 13 properties and more than 36,000 rooms on the Las Vegas Strip, including Bellagio, ARIA, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand and The Mirage, among others. “With MGM Resorts’ significant scale and resources, we’re positioned to make a meaningful difference in the fight against climate change, and we...

TANZANIA—Facilitating “wildness” and the practice of “rewilding” emerges as a preferred method for making altered landscapes wild again. An essential action is the restoration of natural processes, which can lead to increased self-sustainability of an ecosystem. The 20 acres Thanda Island shows that even a tiny private island can significantly impact the conservation of sea life and communities of the Indian Ocean. Located 16 nautical miles off the coast of mainland Tanzania and surrounded by the underwater wonders of the Shungimbili Island Marine Reserve, Thanda Island has always had a strong focus on conservation. Indeed, Christin and Dan Olofsson, the philanthropic Swedish...

MINNEAPOLIS—Pentair plc, a leading provider of water treatment and sustainable solutions, announces its Social Responsibility Strategic Targets. The new targets were launched with the release of Pentair’s 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report, which highlights the company’s initiatives to be a leading socially responsible company as it delivers smart, sustainable solutions that empower customers and employees to make the most of life’s essential resources. “As a leading provider of water treatment and sustainable solutions, we are proud of our efforts to further Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) stewardship that are highlighted in our 2020 Corporate Responsibility Report,” said John L. Stauch, Pentair President and CEO....

BALTIMORE, MD.—Baltimore Aircoil Company (BAC) announces enhancements to the Nexus Modular Hybrid Cooler, the world’s first intelligent, plug-and-play, modular hybrid fluid cooler for HVAC and light industrial applications. The Nexus Modular Hybrid Cooler, which already led the industry for lowest installation costs, lowest operating costs, lowest maintenance costs, and maximum uptime now provides best water quality resulting from enhanced water management. An optional water disinfecting system as well as a product redesign now meet even the most stringent local building codes regarding fire safety and noise reduction. The BAC Nexus Modular Hybrid Cooler was designed to minimize maintenance cost by reducing spray water volume...

Finding the right HVAC system to cool commercial spaces does not have to mean making a choice between high-quality performance and efficiency, but it does take homework. In order to make the most informed decisions, facilities managers and building owners need to be mindful of not only the purchase and installation price but its protected service life and operational costs. Once the numbers are crunched, it is often found that the most energy efficient equipment offsets a larger up-front price and more than makes up for it in long-term operational savings. Look at the Full Picture Something to keep in mind when...

LAS VEGAS—The MGM Resorts International’s 2020 Social Impact and Sustainability Report is now available. The report solidifies the company’s commitment to creating a sustainable future and making a difference in the lives of employees, guests, and the communities in which it operates. Through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economic and operating challenges generated by the virus, this report offers insights into how the company continued to deliver against extraordinary and extenuating circumstances. Major highlights and accomplishments outlined in the report include: Development of the MGM Seven-Point Safety Plan and training protocols. Procurement of approximately 1 million articles...

DENHAM, UNITED KINGDOM—A new paper co-authored by international property consultancy Gleeds, global engineering and design consultancy Arup, global hospitality company IHG Hotels & Resorts, and energy management and automation specialist Schneider Electric has revealed how the hotel industry can tackle the net zero carbon challenge and save millions in the process. Entitled “Transforming Existing Hotels to Net Zero”, the team compiling the research used a real-life case study to consider what opportunities exist to decarbonize existing hotels and drive operational energy to net zero carbon. With energy consumption typically accounting for as much as 60 percent of a hotel’s emissions...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CALIF.—Noritz America recently announced that Quality Sales, Inc. (Vancouver, Wash.) is helping to cover the tankless water heater market in the Pacific Northwest. The manufacturer’s representative will work alongside Noritz’s own sales staff in that region; specifically, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and the Idaho Panhandle in the northern part of that state. Established in 1994, Quality Sales is “a well-established leader among manufacturers reps in the Northwest market,” notes Jason Fleming, Executive Vice President and General Manager at Noritz America. “We feel that their long-standing local relationships, in-depth tankless knowledge and focus on contractor relationships will match perfectly with our...

SPRINGFIELD, MASS.—MGM Springfield recently hosted U.S. Green Building Council CEO & President Mahesh Ramanujam, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and other government and community leaders for an Earth Day ceremony celebrating the resort’s multiple certifications under the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. MGM Springfield is the first private sector hospitality development to earn LEED Neighborhood Development certification at the site level. This recognition was partly earned due to MGM’s decision to convert a brownfield site hit by a tornado in 2011 and create a human-scale, compact and walkable development with...