ROANOKE, VA.—The Comfort Suites in St. George, Utah has installed the new GEM Link Wireless guestroom energy management system and GEM Stat Digital Thermostats in all 122 guestroom suites, utilizing their existing GE Zoneline PTAC units. GEM Link Wireless reduces hotel/motel guestroom HVAC energy consumption 35 percent to 45 percent by resetting room temperature to an energy conserving level, pre-selected by the hotel, only while the guest is out of the room. GEM Link uses the reliable ZigBee wireless protocol and consists of wireless passive infrared (PIR) occupancy sensors, wireless door switches, and a transceiver control module connectable to...

RENO, NEV.—The Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Reno, Nev., is tapping into clean, reliable, renewable geothermal energy. A total of $8.1 million was invested in the project. Like the industry they represent, the privately held resort took a gamble—drill a well that taps into the geothermal aquifer, betting on finding water at the correct temperature that could be captured and converted to energy through a closed loop system. It would then be returned to the earth via a reinjection well, which would heat the entire resort’s water and mechanical heat via geothermal energy. Peppermill president, Bill Paganetti, engaged world-renowned geothermal...

NIANTIC, CONN.—At a time when many companies are cutting back on personnel and in other areas in order to save on costs, INNCOM International is in the hiring mode. Niantic-based INNCOM, which develops, manufactures and markets room automation systems for the international lodging industry, has added three experienced professionals to its sales force. John Chaffin is INNCOM’s new director of sales for the Southeast region, Kelly Miller takes over as director of sales for the Western region, and Adam Smalarz is now administrator of project sales and sales programs. “We understand that in these tough economic times, hotels have to...

LAS VEGAS—CityCenter announced that it has received three Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certifications from the U.S. Green Building Council for: ARIA Resort’s hotel tower; ARIA Resort’s convention center and theater; and Vdara Hotel. ARIA and Vdara will open in December on the Las Vegas Strip and are the first of CityCenter’s developments to be LEED certified. CityCenter anticipates Gold or Silver LEED certification for its remaining developments which include Las Vegas’ first Mandarin Oriental; Crystals, a 500,000-square-foot retail and entertainment district; Veer Towers, the community’s only strictly residential buildings; and The Harmon (opening late 2010),...

PERKASIE, PA.—Hotel owners and facility managers struggle with high energy costs because rooms are often left unoccupied with the HVAC system continuing to heat or cool at comfort set-point levels. With an onboard occupancy sensor incorporated into the case, PSG’s new OS-1 solves this problem. The OS-1 determines when a room is unoccupied and places it into set-back economy mode. To provide flexibility, the length of time without motion before going into set-back is configurable, as is the temperature setting of the setback economy mode, so that the property owner or manager maintains control over the room environment while...

ASPEN, COLO.—Altech Solar recently completed its latest solar installation at the St. Regis Resort in Aspen, Colorado. The St. Regis Resort contracted Altech Solar to install its custom solar thermal technology, which has already dramatically decreased the resort’s dependence on natural gas; the price of which has skyrocketed in recent years. Using the sun’s energy, more than 1,300 solar e-tubes mounted in solar array panels on the resort’s main building roof heat a liquid solution housed in vacuum tubes, resembling copper and glass torpedoes, to temperatures exceeding more than 2 million BTUs (British Thermal Units) per day. The heated solution...

MONTGOMERY, ALA.—The new integrated air-source HP-50 Heat Pump Water Heater from Rheem Water Heating offers an Energy Factor (EF) of 2.0, or more than twice the energy efficiency of a standard electric storage water heater. The new water heater qualifies for a federal tax credit as well as many state and utility rebates and incentives. Intended for residential applications, both new construction and drop-in replacement of existing water heaters, the unit has a storage capacity of 50 gallons and meets the qualifications for an Energy Star listing. Measuring only 21 inches in diameter and 75.5 inches tall, the new Rheem...

JACKSONVILLE, FLA.—When the ground gets dry at The Jenks House Bed & Breakfast in Jacksonville, Fla., owners Tom and Ila Rae Merten don’t tap into the city’s water supply. Thanks to a rainwater capture system, they have all the water they need. Installed earlier this summer at the two-guestroom B&B, the system guides water from the garage apartment roof into four 275-gallon storage tanks (1,100 total gallons). The tanks sit on racks in the garage. The roof is 675 square feet in size. One inch of rainfall results in 193 gallons of captured water. With Jacksonville getting an average...

DAVIE, FLA.—In spite of all the supporting data, most organizations underestimate the value of preventive maintenance, especially with HVAC systems, which are out of sight and out of mind until something goes wrong. The condensate drain pain in HVAC systems is the No. 1 source of microbial growth and contamination for air conditioner units. While annual air conditioner cleaning is essential to maintaining the efficiency of your units, it is also important to provide sustained pan protection in between cleanings. Pan Purge Strips are EPA registered condensate pan strips; they are used in hotels nationwide as part of the...

ASHEVILLE, N.C.—The Hilton Asheville, scheduled to open later this month, is one of the first major hotels in the United States to include a solar water heating system atop its roof. This system will be one of the largest installations in the Western North Carolina region. Water throughout the hotel, including the pool, will be solar heated, eliminating 25 tons of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent of planting 7,377 trees. The solar water heating system is just one of the hotel’s many environmentally focused features. The 165-room hotel is set in the heart of Biltmore Park Town Square, the...