MILPITAS, CALIF.—The Z-Wave Alliance, an open consortium of leading global companies dedicated to establishing Z-Wave as the standard in wireless home control, announced the addition of Evolve Guest Controls as its newest principal member. Evolve Guest Controls, a leading provider of energy management solutions, joins a list of industry leaders on the Z-Wave Alliance board of directors including: 2Gig Technologies, Cooper Wiring Devices, Danfoss, Fakro, Ingersoll Rand, Leviton and Sigma Designs. Evolve offers a comprehensive solution to its hospitality customers via Z-Wave energy and device management tools for in-room control options, including: lighting, TV, electronics and thermostat products. To date,...

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.—Cogenra Solar, a provider of distributed solar cogeneration systems and renewable energy service solutions, announced that its solar cogeneration modules have become the first solar energy solution to pass requisite third-party standards for both concentrating solar thermal and solar electric certifications established by the independent certification bodies Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), respectively. These industry evaluations enable customers of Cogenra’s solar cogeneration solution to benefit from significant financial incentives for renewable energy installations throughout the United States. Cogenra is the first concentrating solar collector to receive OG-100 certification for meeting the...

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y.—Evolve Guest Controls has completed installation of its fully custom keycard-based energy management system (EMS) in all of the Hilton Inn at Penn’s 244 guestrooms and suites. Evolve’s key card-based EMS system controls all of the lighting in the room, the TV(s), and the HVAC. When guests enter their rooms, they insert their key cards into Evolve’s wall-mounted key card reader and the room activates “comfort” mode. When guests leave the room, they take their key cards with them, initiating the room’s  “energy efficient” mode whereby all the lighting devices and TV(s) are powered down, and the...

SYRACUSE, N.Y.—America’s newest, environmentally sustainable hotel is now open near the campus of Syracuse University. Hotel Skyler is only the third hotel in the United States to seek Platinum certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Woodbine Group, owners of the Genessee Grande and Parkview hotels, renovated the former Temple Adath Yeshurun building—constructed in 1921—to create a one-of-a-kind 58-room boutique hotel. Hotel Skyler features some of the most advanced green design elements of any hotel in the United States. The building is heated and cooled with a geothermal heat pump, just...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes VingCard Elsafe as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Orion by VingCard Elsafe is an award-winning intelligent energy management solution that is helping hotels and resorts worldwide reduce their carbon footprint and boost energy savings. This innovative system allows for the management of guestroom temperatures from a remote, centralized location. Orion provides hoteliers with the ability to automatically adjust A/C settings as guests travel in and out of the guestrooms, therefore reducing overall energy consumption and saving valuable environmental resources, while ensuring guest comfort. Orion by VingCard...

DALLAS—The Omni Dallas Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Dallas, has outlined its sustainability plan which will lead to the property’s LEED Silver New Construction (NC) certification upon opening. The plan includes use of recycled and regionally-sourced materials, reduced construction pollution and water conservation initiatives. “Earning the LEED Silver New Construction status will be a tremendous accomplishment—one made possible by the tremendous efforts of the City, Matthews Southwest, Balfour/Russell/Pegasus, 5Gstudio_collaborative, BOKA Powell, Vivian-Nichols Associates and every team member who has a hand in keeping the project focused on sustainability,” said Nils Stolzlechner, general manager of the Omni Dallas Hotel....

WAITSFIELD, VT.—In a gala gathering at Burlington, Vermont’s ECHO Center on April 14, Freeaire Refrigeration was awarded the Green Mountain Environmental Leadership Award in the “What a Great Idea!” category. This inaugural award celebrates environmental stewards and initiatives that have encouraged long-term conservation of Vermont’s rich and diverse natural environment, and is sponsored by Free Press Media and ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center. Freeaire Refrigeration is an emerging leader in energy-efficiency solutions for commercial refrigeration and has innovatively realized technology that allows cold outside air to be used for cooling. Freeaire systems greatly increase the efficiency of commercial refrigeration systems...

WAKEFIELD, QUEBEC—Less than three months remain before the July 1 opening of the new 10,000-square-foot addition to the Wakefield Inn Mill & Spa. The 13-room addition, named the Eco River Lodge, is being built to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. “It is conceivable we might make Silver,” says innkeeper Robert Milling, adding that his goal is the first tier of certification. What will help the inn qualify for LEED is its passive solar design, use of local materials, and highly efficient geothermal heating and cooling system. Set within Gatineau Park, within a 25-minute drive of...

MEMPHIS, TENN.—Memphis-based Cooper Hotels, the largest multi-unit operator of hotels in Tennessee, announced the completion of the installation of a solar thermal system at the company’s Hilton Knoxville Airport hotel. The emissions-free, completely silent system provides energy to heat almost 2,000 gallons of water per day for the five-story, 238-room hotel. In addition to being pollution-free and helping to reduce global warming, the new system also helps to preserve natural gas resources. “Cooper Hotels is committed to creating more sustainable lodging in Tennessee,” said Pace Cooper, Cooper Hotels’ president and CEO. “In addition to the Hilton Knoxville Airport solar project,...

NIANTIC, CONN.—When the Bardessono Hotel in Yountville, Calif., deployed the Room Expeditor (REX) tool from MTech in March 2009, it became the first property in the world to equip its room attendants with an iPod Touch to instruct them on which is the next most important “vacant” room to clean, based on a collection of variables. Today, the 62-room luxury property, managed by MTM Luxury Lodging, is first once again to benefit from streamlined technology integration between MTech’s REX and INNCOM’s Integrated Room Automaton System (IRAS) that now alerts staff when stay-over rooms also are ready to be refreshed. “Being...