NEW YORK—A solar powered USB charging station. An electric bicycle lending program. A one hundred percent recyclable wine glass. A system that integrates an alarm clock, HVAC and lighting controls, Wi-Fi and more into a single unified platform. A salad-making robot (vending machine) named “Sally” that delivers eight-component meals in seconds. These are just some of the products that were introduced at HX: The Hotel Experience and Boutique Design New York (BDNY). Both events were held November 11 to 12 at the Javits Center in New York City. It would be impossible to list all the eco-friendly products and...

Two recent hotel emergencies highlight the importance of placing carbon monoxide detectors throughout an entire hotel building—not just in guestroom areas. First, last Friday morning, a Jacksonville, N.C. Holiday Inn Express was evacuated after a carbon monoxide leak. Sixteen people required medical treatment at a local hospital. The cause of the leak is yet to be determined. Some of those evacuated were homeowners displaced after Hurricane Florence. Yesterday morning, emergency crews evacuated a portion of the Westin Hotel in downtown Nashville after a carbon monoxide leak was detected in the building. According to fire officials, the leak sickened 14 people, and...

LOS ANGELES—In the Los Angeles offices of Cuningham Group architecture firm, natural daylight streams in through four skylights and floor-to-ceiling glass walls, while discreet vents manage the flow of fresh air. Individual offices are set in upcycled shipping containers, with a central indoor garden that filters the air and enhances the space with morale-boosting greenery. “Sustainability in the office has advanced by leaps and bounds in the last five or ten years,” says Stuart Finnie, Head of Design at Tétris. “Design measures that can enhance a firm’s environmental credentials are coming to the top of every client’s wish list.” Common eco-friendly measures include the...

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA.—3 Pillar Solutions, LLC announced the launch of their online 3Pillar Hotel Sustainability Assessment, eliminating what can sometimes be unaffordable on-site consulting and travel fees. This comprehensive 238-question assessment takes a comprehensive snapshot of the entire operations. Shortly after submittal, a custom-tailored report of recommendations for improvement and cost savings are provided, along with a 3Pillar Hotel Sustainability Guide offering education in all areas of sustainable hospitality, from food waste prevention, stakeholder engagement strategies, to adopting the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals 2030 locally. “The 3P Hotel Sustainability Assessment by 3 Pillar Solutions provided a comprehensive and affordable...

WAUKESHA, WIS.—Telkonet, Inc., creator of the EcoSmart platform of intelligent automation solutions, announces the launch of its next generation thermostat, the EcoTouch Flex WiFi. The EcoTouch Flex WiFi features the ability to provide individualized WiFi thermostats for markets beyond hospitality. Positioning Telkonet to further expand into the residential market, the EcoTouch Flex WiFI allows residents to control and automate their thermostats with the Symphony Sonata mobile app. Currently being deployed for a large commercial customer in Hawaii, the EcoTouch Flex WiFi features all of the features of the EcoTouch+, with its modern glass design and built-in occupancy and humidity sensors....

MONTREAL—Next month at HX: The Hotel Experience, Verdant will unveil a new guestroom energy-management thermostat. Smart, simple and intuitive, the new ZX energy-management thermostat leverages the powerful energy-saving features of Verdant’s popular VX solution in a sleek and trendy design. Verdant ZX will be on display in Booth 3231, November 11 to 12, at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York. “Hotel interior designers haven’t had many reliable options when it comes to energy-saving thermostats that fit their décor,” said Michael Serour, Verdant VP of Sales. “The ZX thermostat combines all of our best energy-saving features in a radical...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News has added a ClearWater Tech case study to its website. Jim Massey’s Cleaners and Laundry, of Montgomery, Alabama, was looking to eliminate their high costs of hot water and chemicals used in their textile and garment restoration department. John Massey provided proof of the effectiveness and payback by using EcoTex Cold-Water Disinfection Systems on their washers. Engineered and manufactured by California-based ClearWater Tech, EcoTex was first introduced to John Massey by Eastern Regional Sales Manager, Skip Mallios who told John just how much of a difference a proper injection of ozone would make with the wash processes in...

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS—When you’re homeless, getting off the streets is hard enough and dreams of living in comfort and dignity can seem far out of reach. But working together with Austin-based nonprofit Mobile Loaves & Fishes, Friedrich Air Conditioning Co. is turning that dream into a reality for more people lifted off the streets in the Central Texas region. Friedrich has made a massive donation of 30 ductless heating and cooling systems to support the second development phase of the Community First! Village, a program of Mobile Loaves & Fishes which helps provide sustainable shelter and community support for...

SHANGHAI, CHINA—Architecturally, and from a sustainability standpoint, the 337-room InterContinental Shanghai Wonderland, set to open this month, is one of the most unique hotels in the world. Built into the side of the abandoned Shenkeng Quarry in Songjiang, about 22 miles outside of Shanghai, the hotel will create its own power—including heat and lighting—through geothermal and solar energy. The roof is covered with greenery. Water runs throughout the structure. A waterfall, built into the center of the hotel, pours into the pool at the bottom of the quarry. The two bottommost floors are built completely underwater. Every room in the hotel—aside...

ATLANTA—Honeywell, a global leader in connected hospitality, announces its new INNCOM Spectre Energy Control, an easy-to-install, efficient lighting and power management system that fulfills California Title 24 requirements. Spectre extends occupancy detection to guestroom lights and outlets to conserve energy while also offering welcoming lights when a guest enters the room. Spectre from Honeywell integrates with its e-Series thermostats to combine lighting and power management in retrofit and new build projects. Spectre will be available for installation in September 2018. The e-Series thermostat detects when a room is unoccupied and using the Spectre technology, it automatically turns off a room’s...