ATLANTA—Major revisions for design and measurement of comfortable spaces are included in a newly published 2013 standard from ASHRAE. ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2013, Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy, combines the 2010 standard and 18 published addenda into a consolidated standard. The core of the standard in Sections 4 and 5 specifies methods to determine thermal environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, air speed and radiant effects) in buildings and other spaces that a significant proportion of the occupants will find acceptable at a certain metabolic rate and clothing level.Section 7 of the standard includes new requirements for the measurement and evaluation...

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.—Edmund G. Brown Jr. announced that the Hilton Concord of Concord, Calif., has won a 2013 Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) for its outstanding commitment to sustainability and the environment. Hilton Concord was the recipient for the GEELA Environmental and Economic Partnerships award and is the first Hilton brand hotel to ever win this award.GEELA is California’s highest and most prestigious environmental honor. This program recognizes individuals, organizations, and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made notable contributions in conserving precious resources, protecting and enhancing the environment, and building public-private partnerships.“Hilton Concord is a true...

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CALIF.—Looking to smooth and simplify the water heater-selection process for both homeowners and contractors, Noritz America has unveiled a tankless water heater sizing calculator as part of its newly updated website. The “Find the Right Model for Me” calculator is intended as the first critical phase in a three-step, online process designed to identify the correct Noritz tankless model for a given application; a qualified, Noritz-trained contractor to quote and install the unit; and all available tax credits and utility rebates to lower the installed cost and shorten the payback period.“Consumers, of course, come to our site...

BUFFALO, N.Y.—In November 2013, Buffalo’s Salvatore’s Grand Hotel became the first hotel in the world to benefit from a joint technology partnership between ZENO Controls LLC and its subsidiary Verve Living Systems. Using the wireless Verve Keycard Switch (enabled by EnOcean energy harvesting technology) to communicate with room PTAC-air conditioners and bedside lamps via the ZENO gateway with InnPoint Software, Salvatore’s Grand Hotel was able to dramatically reduce its overall energy consumption. Today, property owner Russell Salvatore is reaping the rewards of his investment, being presented a rebate check last month in the amount of $48,987.83 from local utility...

LONG BEACH PENINSULA, WASH.—Adrift Hotel is taking more big steps in sustainability with its current $48,000 project to add solar hot water panels and rainwater catchment for laundry. The recent announcement was made jointly by Brady and Tiffany Turner, owners of the 80-room hotel, located at the south end of the boardwalk and nearby Discovery Trail on Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula.The project, with construction taking place from October through December 2013, is being funded utilizing Seattle-based Community Sourced Capital—providers of new financial tools to help local businesses access capital namely via community-sourced small business loans.“Choosing to inhabit the far...

WALTHAM, MASS.—American DG Energy Inc., an On-Site Utility offering clean electricity, heat, hot water and cooling solutions to hospitality, healthcare, housing and athletic facilities, is now operating a chiller to provide chilled water to the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Tarrytown, N.Y. The highly efficient chiller will provide supplemental cooling and increased energy savings. The chiller is in addition to a combined heat and power (CHP) system operating at the property since 2012 that is owned and operated by American DG Energy that provides electricity, heat and hot water.DoubleTree by Hilton in Tarrytown, a 247-room full service upscale property...

WESTPORT, CONN.—HVACR professionals attending the 2014 AHR Expo, January 21 to 23 in New York City, will have an opportunity to be immersed in the latest building automation and controls (BAC) technology. From learning about the latest trends during seminars to getting hands-on demos from leading manufacturers on the exhibit floor, AHR Expo is the go-to event to explore BAC solutions for every application. A variety of new educational sessions designed to provide attendees with insights into BAC trends and technologies will be offered by the industry’s leading associations and consultants during the three-day event. In addition to several BAC-focused...

OKLAHOMA CITY—ClimateMaster will showcase the latest in its Tranquility line of geothermal and water-source heat pumps, including the first geothermal heat pump product line integrating digital communicating controls, at Greenbuild 2013 booth No. 2401, November 20 to 22 in Philadelphia.The company will feature its Tranquility 30 Digital (TE) unit, which joins the award-winning Tranquility 22 Digital (TZ) to create the industry’s first heat pump product line integrating digital communicating controls, two-stage capacity, variable-speed fan and variable-flow geothermal source functions within a single package. The TE unit additionally employs iGate and vFlow technology, which allows end-users and contractors to monitor...

NATIONAL REPORT—Getting guests to forego linen laundering is one way to reduce linen-related costs and their associated environmental footprint. Another way is to choose linen that is inherently environmentally advantageous—in other words, its reduced footprint is built into its very fibers. Still another way is to choose a supplier that not only is concerned about the product itself but also the supply chain behind it, how it is made, and what happens to it at the end of its life.When considering environmental impact, there is no perfect sheet or pillow case. Cotton, unless it is certified organic, requires a...

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Telkonet, Inc., whose business divisions include EcoSmart, an intelligent energy management system and EthoStream, one of the largest high-speed Internet access providers in the world, has introduced its EcoInsight intelligent thermostat.EcoInsight has more than 125 configurable settings to control the efficiency of HVAC systems. It calculates room comfort by aggregating data like time of day, solar load, brightness, humidity and occupancy patterns. Using the internal infrared occupancy sensor, the EcoInsight determines when a space is occupied or vacant and reverts to preset temperature limits or engages the integral patented Recovery Time algorithm to limit temperature drift, maximize equipment...