CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE—Maine’s Governor John Baldacci introduced Webber Energy Fuels’ biofuel program at The Inn By The Sea this past weekend. This winter, The Inn By The Sea will be the first hotel in Maine to keep guests warm with Webber’s new fuel comprised of heating oil mixed with fats and vegetable oils.Choosing to heat with Webber’s biofuel made with domestic renewable natural products is part of The Inn By The Sea’s ongoing commitment to reduce heating oil consumption and to align business practices with consideration for the environment, according to the inn’s general manager, Tom Petot. South...

BOSTON—A new ZigBee wireless environmental automation system is enabling hotels and other facilities to eliminate energy waste and slash energy costs up to 40 percent. Invented by Riga Development, the new WiSuite Environmental Management System uses Ember’s ZigBee wireless networking technology to let property owners automate and control the energy efficiency of every room, without compromising the comfort of occupants. ZigBee is a global wireless industry standard designed for remote monitoring, control and sensor networks. WiSuite yields huge savings by dramatically reducing wasteful electric and fuel consumption of HVAC systems. Because it’s wireless, WiSuite can be retrofitted...

SYRACUSE, N.Y.—Carrier Corp., a unit of United Technologies Corp., announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has approved its E20-II Hourly Analysis Program (HAP) v4.31 for calculating and certifying energy savings. Commercial building owners and leaseholders can now use the software to receive energy efficiency tax deductions under the Energy Policy Act (EPACT) 2005. To date, HAP is one of only four software programs to receive this approval. EPACT 2005 allows commercial building owners and leaseholders to claim a federal tax deduction for installing energy efficient equipment. Under the act, all energy savings claims must also be...

GROSSE POINTE, MICH.—Entergize has introduced a new thermostat that provides an enhancement to the current Entergize System. The WirelessStat-RF provides wireless connectivity to the PTAC or other HVAC units. Many customers have asked if it was possible to eliminate the thermostat wiring that currently is required to connect the HVAC to the thermostat. Even though this is a thin 24-volt wire that can be installed inside the room, it is still problematic in many guestroom environments. The new product can be mounted anywhere in the room and can be relocated without difficulty by in-house personnel. Prior attempts...

BURBANK, CALIF.—Steril-Aire Inc. has published a new application bulletin describing how its multi-patented UVC technology can protect offices, stores and other commercial buildings while reducing costs. The bulletin, titled “UVC and Commercial Buildings,” explains how UVC devices installed in the air handling systems can result in a wide range of benefits, including mold and microbial control, enhanced indoor air quality, and energy and maintenance savings. The bulletin includes an overview of UVC features and benefits, a four-year cost-saving example, and product information on the different types of UVC devices for commercial HVAC applications. Customer testimonials are also included....

DENVER—National park and resort concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts has received the National Park Service (NPS) 2006 Environmental Achievement Award for its performance at the Zion Lodge in Zion National Park. The NPS Environmental Achievement Award recognizes superior accomplishments in environmental stewardship. Zion Lodge also received the award in 2004. Xanterra also has received National Park Service Environmental Achievement Awards for environmental stewardship at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The 2006 award was presented by Fran Mainella, director of the National Park Service. “Xanterra at Zion...

MADISON, WISC.—By implementing a guestroom energy management system called Entergize from DBS Lodging Technologies, the Holiday Inn and Suites in Madison, Wisc. is saving more than $17,000 a year in energy costs. Entergize is installed in 157 guestrooms at the hotel. In addition to managing heating and cooling, the controls also work with the master entry switch to activate lighting. Holiday Inn and Suites partnered with Focus on Energy’s Business Programs to implement the new energy efficient technology. Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative offered incentives that helped offset project costs. The project came about when Wisco...

MONTGOMERY, ALA.—Rheem Water Heating has introduced its 2nd generation tankless water heater product line. It includes 7.4 GPM direct vent models, new and improved burner technology, exclusive Guardian OFW (overheat film wrap), and exclusive high-altitude options. Rheem 2nd generation tankless water heaters are capable of handling all the hot water needs of a business. About the size of a conventional medicine cabinet, these high-efficiency units deliver a continuous supply of hot water on demand, eliminating the need for a large storage tank and the high cost of heating and reheating the water in it. Available in both...

NATIONAL REPORT—If you wanted just one hot cup of coffee, would you keep the kettle burning 24 hours a day? Does not make much sense, does it? In a way, however, that is what most hotel and restaurant operators are doing every day of the year with their hot water supply—keeping it hot even when guests and customers do not need it. “When providing 200 rooms with hot water, you can only imagine how much energy is wasted,” says Francis Serrano, marketing coordinator for Noritz America Corp., a maker of tankless water heaters in Lake Forest, Calif. ...

VERNON HILLS, ILL.—Scotsman Ice Systems has released Prodigy, an ice machine self-monitoring system that provides up-to-the-minute reporting on the machine’s performance, as well as maintenance needs. This latest advance in ice making visually indicates when it’s making ice, as well as when it’s due for critical maintenance procedures. The external diagnostic light panel makes it easy for anyone in the kitchen to read and understand—from senior managers to dishwashers. Scotsman says Prodigy is one of the most energy-efficient machines on the market today. Prodigy’s energy standards make it one of the first cubers to exceed both the 2008...