CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Lodging Technology as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Lodging Technology is the originator of infrared sensor-based energy conservation, and has been serving the lodging industry for more than 30 years. The company’s products reduce guestroom energy expense 35 percent to 45 percent by automatically resetting room temperature to an energy conserving level, pre-selected by the hotel, only while guests are out of the room. The systems are available in both wireless (GEM Link®) and hard-wired (GEM System®) versions, and can connect to any HVAC system...

CHICAGO—A multi-hotel complex and convention center planned for development near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport aims to set the standard for eco-friendly architecture and design in the hospitality industry, and boost the city’s efforts to be a global leader in the green movement. A Chicago Convention Center development promises to be the world’s first zero carbon platinum LEED convention complex, aiming for zero carbon emissions and a 100 percent allergen-free structure. Plans call for the greenest building standards, including state-of-the-art technology that supports “guestrooms of the future,” equipped with high-tech amenities that encourage sustainable behavior. Business guests will be able...

SAN RAMON, CALIF.—EnOcean Alliance announced that with 50 percent growth in membership within one year, it is currently undergoing the strongest growth rate since its founding in 2008. The independent nonprofit organization now has a membership base of 300 companies worldwide, developing innovative automation solutions for sustainable building projects. New EnOcean Alliance members include Adura Technologies, Somfy, Telefunken Smart Building, Deuta Controls, Weinzierl, Dooya, Viessman, Waldmann, NEC, Omron, Vimar and NTT. The Alliance’s core technology consists of the EnOcean batteryless wireless technology, which is based on the international standard ISO/IEC 14543-3-10. The technology has been integrated into 1,000 interoperable products....

OGUNQUIT, MAINE—Committed to sustainability and preserving the environment, The Cliff House Resort & Spa has installed one of Maine’s largest solar thermal projects. The installation uses 2,100 tubes on 70 collectors. That’s 10 times the size of an average solar project. The solar installation will save an estimated 11,000 gallons of propane annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 140,000 pounds per year.Solar energy will be used to provide heat and hot water for the resort’s spa building, which includes 32 guestrooms and 10 treatment rooms. The resort estimates it will reduce fossil fuel consumption in this...

GLENWOOD SPRINGS, COLO.—Glenwood Hot Springs is famous for many things, particularly its two enormous spring-fed mineral hot springs pools and its award-winning Spa of the Rockies. Equally impressive, though less well known, is the fact that Glenwood Hot Springs has been an environmental trailblazer since long before terms like “carbon footprint,” “eco-friendly” and “sustainability” became commonplace. Now, in addition to harnessing geothermal heat sources on-site, Glenwood Hot Springs has adopted practices that include the use of state-of-the-art materials and energy-efficient technology that add up to not only dollars saved, but to a cleaner, healthier environment for visitors and the...

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y.—Evolve Guest Controls, a provider of guestroom controls and Intelity, a hospitality software solution company, have announced that the companies will establish a partnership. This decision comes after more than a year of successfully working side by side in guestrooms at Philadelphia’s Hilton Inn at Penn.Through this new agreement, Evolve will take advantage of the Intelity ICE (Interactive Customer Experience) enterprise platform to power its Evolve room controls with guest service applications. Intelity’s customers will also be able to use Evolve’s room controls, which are capable of manipulating factors such as lighting, temperature, room status and...

DALLAS—VingCard Elsafe, a leader in hospitality security and part of the ASSA ABLOY Group, announced an integrated product solution with Lutron Electronics, a leading designer and manufacturer of light and shade control solutions for commercial and residential applications. Through this collaboration, VingCard Elsafe and Lutron have developed a total guestroom control solution package for luxury hotels, which integrates Lutron’s premier lighting, drapery and shade control modules with VingCard Elsafe’s Orion energy management system, as well as guestroom door locks, electronic safes and minibars. Using this solution, hotels can provide their guests with total in-room comfort and increase energy efficiency with...

LAS VEGAS—Bartech, a provider of automatic minibar solutions, will debut its new Green Automatic Minibar (G32 model) at HITEC 2012. It uses advanced compressor technology that consumes 70 percent less energy than typical absorption minibars. Thanks to a new and improved insulation known as cyclopentane, that is thicker and more environmentally friendly, the G32 minibar stays cool longer. Once its target temperature is reached, a eutectic plate mounted in the rear of the unit provides more than 12 hours of cooling without consuming additional electricity.Bartech’s green technology extends to a remote digital component as well. A standard feature on...

NIANTIC, CONN.— INNCOM will unveil its new, programmable switch series to complement its Integrated Room Automation System (IRAS) at the 2012 Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC). Built on the same core as MODEVA, the EVORA Switch allows hotel guestroom designers to create lighting scenes and provide a pleasing light control environment and combine it with the ability to also control temperature, drapes and shades and guest annunciation functions without the expense of horizontal wiring within the room.“EVORA was developed to extend INNCOM switch capabilities beyond those offered in the well-established S-Series and the innovative MODEVA series,” said...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new online calculator from American Rivers lets individuals discover the benefits of installing green roofs on their businesses. Green roofs are gaining popularity as cities look for cost-effective ways to protect and restore clean water. A green roof is one that is covered with plants and shrubs. By absorbing rainwater and providing insulation for the building, a green roof prevents storm runoff from polluting local streams and reduces heating and cooling costs. The “Get More Green” calculator allows visitors to enter an address via Google Maps, and determine the square footage of a building’s roof. Visitors then get a...