NOSARA, COSTA RICA—Olas Verdes, a Costa Rican boutique hotel in Playa Guiones, Nosara, has been awarded the highest designation for the international sustainable design and construction standard, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)—LEED Platinum. This makes Olas Verdes the first LEED Platinum hotel in Costa Rica and first LEED certified surf hotel in the world. Olas Verdes was born out of the owners’ love for Costa Rica, its people and culture, as well as their passion for the local community of Nosara and their dedication to preserving the fragile ecosystems that make this rural beach town so unique. Integrating...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) has released the 2016 Lodging Survey—the definitive industry review examining the top trends in the hotel industry. Conducted by industry data provider STR and funded by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF), the survey provides a comprehensive understanding of sustainability steps hotels are taking, amenities, guest services and more. With just over 8,000 responses, the overall completion rate for the 2016 survey was 15 percent—a drop of three percentage points from 2014. Surveys were emailed to 22,423 hotels through STR using a third party service from www.surveymonkey.com. Surveys were faxed...

BOURNE, MASS.—Scientific and medical research links carbon dioxide (CO2) levels to discomfort and lost productivity among occupants in offices, schools, healthcare facilities, and dwellings. Facility managers and building engineers are often responsible for ensuring optimal ventilation in these spaces, yet many are unfamiliar with the methods for achieving such control. To address this issue, Onset, a leader in data loggers, has published a new white paper that examines the risks of elevated carbon dioxide and how data loggers can be used to cost-effectively monitor CO2 and maintain safe levels. The Onset white paper, “Managing Carbon Dioxide Risk: What You Should...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CALIF.—Noritz America has updated its website with a more robust navigation menu that allows the user to quickly and easily reach his or her particular browsing goals. “We wanted to streamline our users’ browsing experience to make it easier to find what they are looking for at a glance,” says Andrew Tran, Marketing Supervisor at Noritz. “Previously, it had taken longer to find specific items because information was more scattered, whereas now we offer a clear ‘table of contents.’” The revamped menu contains six items, each containing a dropdown menu of subtopics. Navigation menu items include: •    Residential: Contains all...

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS—Friedrich Air Conditioning Co., a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of air conditioners and other home environment products, has unveiled a new solution for the hospitality and multi-unit housing industries with the launch of its VRP (Variable Refrigerant Packaged) Heat Pump system. Unlike other solutions, VRP is not only a heating or cooling unit, but a total HVAC solution that also incorporates patents-pending make-up air and humidity control. Friedrich’s VRP system utilizes a Precision Inverter compressor that gives it exceptional performance and reduces sound. It combines variable refrigerant flow, along with the convenience and simplistic design of a closet-mounted single...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Ozomax, Inc. as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. In 2013 Ozomax developed and patented the Insitu AOP Ozopen (a low voltage electrochemical process that creates a mix of powerful oxidants—in your water from your water). This product was developed specifically for cooling towers, swimming pools and water features. The Insitu AOP Ozopen achieves large amounts of water, chemical and energy savings in each of these applications. A recent study shows that Legionella can readily be controlled in cooling towers and water features by using the...

DAHLONEGA, GA.—Breakthrough technology designed to completely eliminate water bourne bacteria legionella, tested by a research chemist at the Centre Des Technologies De L’Eau (CTE) in Montreal, is a proven strategy to save lives and possibly prevent future disease outbreaks. In July 2015, a deadly outbreak of Legionella in New York City claimed 12 lives. Legionella outbreaks have also been recently reported in Illinois, Detroit, Orlando, San Francisco, Maryland, Georgia, Spain, England and Australia. The lifesaving technology manufactured by Ozomax, Inc., Canada was tested by a research chemist at the CTE in accordance with EPA general standards. Dr. Abdelaziz Gherrou Ph.D.,...

TETIAROA, FRENCH POLYNESIA—The Brando announced its LEED Platinum certification. The luxury property earned the prestigious designation based on its commitment to conservation and sustainability efforts in the development and overall operation of the pristine island resort. This certification is the culmination of more than six years of work carried out by the resort’s owners, designers and architects, and establishes The Brando as the first project to earn LEED certification in French Polynesia. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the foremost program for buildings, homes and communities that...

OBERLIN, OHIO—The Hotel at Oberlin will officially open on September 13. It is a 70-room property designed to be one of the most environmentally sustainable hotels in the world. Owned by Oberlin College, developed by SMART Hotels and managed by The Olympia Companies, The Hotel at Oberlin is the first hotel in the United States to incorporate solar, geothermal, and radiant heating and cooling and one of only five hotels in the United States to qualify for the rigorous LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Hotel at Oberlin was designed by the Chicago-based architectural firm Solomon...

NATIONAL REPORT—Electronic devices have changed the way that people work and live, often simplifying complex tasks. The iPhone is said to have combined more than 15 separate devices that Radio Shack offered, and reduced the cost of ownership while decreasing complexity. The water market offers a large set of opportunities to improve conservation using new technologies. Consider the role that chemicals historically have played for controlling water quality and the millions of gallons of hazardous chemicals that are used each day. Electronic devices are able to reduce water and chemical use by over 50 percent. Cooling towers in the United...