HONOLULU—Hokulani Waikiki by Hilton Grand Vacations Club, which opened a year ago in December 2013, has achieved LEED certification as recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The upscale, urban timeshare resort earned the internationally recognized certification for implementing environmentally friendly construction practices and building systems.“Hokulani Waikiki was built and designed with a strong focus on honoring Hawaii’s unique cultural heritage,” said Kim Kreiger, Senior Vice President Club and Resorts for Hilton Grand Vacations. “This certification further demonstrates the importance and responsibility we feel to preserve and respect Oahu’s land and natural resources, which is part of what...

DENVER—The piece-of-pie shaped Brown Palace Hotel, a fixture in the heart of Denver since 1892, has been undergoing a green transformation the last couple of years that has caught the eye of many. The 241-room property won the Good Earthkeeping Award in 2013 from the Colorado Hotel and Lodging Assn. and the Good Earthkeeping Award in 2014 from the American Hotel and Lodging Assn. While dabbling in sustainability for a number of years—bee hives have been on the hotel roof as part of the hotel’s Bee Royalty Initiative since 2009—it was in October 2012 when good things really started...

CHICAGO—A dirty packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) often has to work twice as hard and consumes twice the electricity to reach cooler room temperatures. To help hoteliers select the best A/C coil cleaning process as they plan their 2015 budgets, Cintas Corp. released a complimentary white paper covering the results of two independent A/C coil cleaning studies while providing tips for improving unit life.“Dirty A/C units have to work a lot harder and longer to cool the room, causing both increased noise and annoyance to guests,” said Todd McKeown, Vice President of Direct Sale Strategic Markets, Cintas. “This guide...

NEW ORLEANS—The world’s largest sustainable building conference, The Greenbuild Conference and Expo, featuring the first “net zero” exhibit space, was held in New Orleans, October 22 to 24, with 23,000 attendees and 600 exhibitors.The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center helped Greenbuild set up the first “net zero” exhibit space by utilizing the building’s balcony as the location for solar generated panels that powered an on-site microgrid, generating power to the exhibit booths. The Net Zero Zone showcased how booths in the exhibit hall can unplug from the utility grid and operate totally on power generated by solar...

CHARLESTON, S.C.—ISI Technology has created the world’s first fully electronic water heater. The Heatworks MODEL 1 is the world’s first 100 percent digital water heater. The system allows one to replace or improve any existing water heating system and offers instant and infinite hot water, a significantly longer lifespan with zero required maintenance, and ultimate control.Using electrical current to silently heat water while monitoring power 60 times per second, the MODEL 1 is capable of maintaining temperature within 1 degree Fahrenheit. As a result, the Heatworks MODEL 1 saves up to 40 percent of energy costs devoted to heating...

ATLANTA—Registration is open for ASHRAE’s 2015 Winter Conference in Chicago where attendees have the chance to discuss and examine the latest topics in the building industry, network, participate in technical tours, attend ASHRAE Learning Institute courses, earn professional credits, and obtain ASHRAE certifications.The ASHRAE Conference will take place January 24 to 28 at the Palmer House Hilton, while the ASHRAE co-sponsored AHR Expo will be held January 26 to 28 at McCormick Place. Complete conference information and registration can be found at www.ashrae.org/chicago and Expo information at www.ahrexpo.com.In keeping with ASHRAE’s goal of continuing education, the conference offers over...

NEW YORK—Carrier Enterprise, a leading provider of temperature and energy control technologies for commercial, hospitality and residential properties, previewed E-TAC II technology from Gree at the 2014 International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show. During the show, Carrier exhibited Founten’s Intelligent Wireless HVAC Energy Management Solution and the PTAC Air Knight air purification system.Attendees of IHMRS got a sneak preview of the redesigned E-TAC II by Gree and Carrier Enterprise. Scheduled for full release in early 2015, E-TAC II is significantly quieter and more energy efficient than the previous version. Hotel guests will enjoy increased comfort from humidity controls, greater...

NEW YORK—The Waldorf Astoria, New York Hilton Midtown, and Carlton hotels have been honored for their environmentally friendly initiatives as recipients of the first ever Sustainability Awards, presented yesterday by the Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC) at the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show held at the Javits Center.The Hotel Association of NYC’s Sustainability Committee offered awards in three categories: Environmental Protection, awarded to the New York Hilton Midtown for its comprehensive green building efficiency program; Social Responsibility, awarded to the Carlton for its engagement with the community; and Holistic Strategy for Sustainable Hospitality, awarded to the...

PLANO, TEXAS—NexRev Inc., a leading manufacturer of performance-improving energy efficiency upgrades for standard HVAC equipment, introduces DrivePak Applied, an engineered energy reduction solution that leverages variable flow technology with control and monitoring capabilities to deliver operational cost savings in large applied HVAC systems.DrivePak Applied is a results-driven, commissioned combination of the company’s two key energy efficiency solutions: DrivePak variable flow retrofit upgrade and Freedom energy management and building automation system. Through energy-savings strategies and flexible procurement options, customers benefit from deep cost reductions by employing efficiency measures on an expanded range of applied HVAC equipment such as large chilled...

SAN FRANCISCO—WiSuite, a provider of guestroom energy management systems, announced that the Hilton San Francisco Union Square has selected the WiSuite system to achieve significant reductions in energy consumption in its 1,915 guestrooms.With the hotel averaging 98 percent occupancy, WiSuite completed the massive installation in three weeks. Room revenue was not sacrificed, as no guestrooms were taken offline during this thermostat upgrade. As part of the installation and commissioning process, WiSuite provided a building savings profile that utilizes guest occupancy patterns. To maximize energy savings and return on investment, the WiSuite system was interfaced to the existing property management...