AUBURN, N.H.—Aquawing Ozone Injection Systems (AWOIS) LLC, in Auburn, N.H., recently released a new laundry ozone injection system engineered to serve the hospitality market, including hotels, motels and B&Bs, according to Brett Daniels, the company’s vice president. The new ozone system works by infusing a continual flow of ozone, at a consistent concentration, into the wash process to properly clean moderately soiled linens and towels. The system, according to Daniels, produces cleaner linens over traditional washing, while significantly reducing the use of natural gas, water and chemicals, as well as resulting costs. “This system was created to address the laundry...

DALLAS—The fastest, easiest path to reducing an organization’s operational costs is to upgrade its buildings’ HVAC systems. Improvements to commercial heating, cooling and ventilation equipment provide both immediate and long-term benefits, including lower energy bills, fewer service calls and less downtime. These savings can be significant, but the key to achieving them is system verification—proof that the system is providing the benefits it was designed for and working the way it should. Lennox Industries presents five steps below—any of which can reduce operational costs painlessly. Taken together, all five will control operational costs dramatically for now and for years to...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hampton Hotels, the international brand of nearly 1,800 mid-priced Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, and Hampton by Hilton Hotels, announced that the Hampton Inn and Suites Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport achieved LEED Silver certification, as recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It is the first Hampton Hotel property to earn this recognition for sustainable building design, construction and operations. “This is a wonderful accomplishment for Hampton Hotels, and we are proud to add the Hampton Inn & Suites Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport with LEED Silver certification to our Hampton family,” said Phil Cordell, global head, Focused Service and...

ORLANDO—INNCOM International recently unveiled a new Radio Frequency (RF) Tabletop/Bedside Controller as part of its Integrated Room Automation System (IRAS) that is completely customizable. It is a multi-purpose device that features customizable touchscreen guest control of room temperature, lighting, drapes and alarm clock. The Internet-enabled TBL-80LCD can also display guest services information and online communications, automated CRM information delivery and easy staff reporting functions. INNCOM’s Privacy/Make-up Room, its patented ecoMODE, and in room/outdoor temperature also are part of the branded and customized display. INNCOM debuted its TBL-80LCD at the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC). Also on display was...

ORLANDO—INNCOM International and SAFLOK recently displayed their joint collaboration of a radio-frequency (RF) interface for energy management at the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC) that provides a cost-effective EMS for hotels by allowing the electronic door lock and thermostat to communicate wirelessly. The joint integration, introduced first in November 2009, was quickly adopted across the industry due to its ability to allow hotels to use the door lock to communicate via RF to the thermostat. Every time the door is opened, it communicates to the thermostat and enables energy management algorithms to take effect and thus reduce...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Green Lodging News has just added a new case study to its website. The case study focuses on the Fontainebleau Miami Beach and its installation of dehumidification and HVAC control technology from Dectron Internationale, Roswell, Ga. The engineering firm for the project was TLC Engineering for Architecture (TLC), Fort Myers, Fla. Four DRY-O-TRON model DA-5 dehumidifiers manufactured by Dectron were installed in four aquatic areas: the men’s spa, the women’s spa, the rain shower/co-ed pool, and wet treatment area. The result of the investment for the Fontainebleau Miami Beach: $16,000 in annual energy savings.To read the complete case...

BOSTON—Spend some time chatting with Brian Gorski, director of engineering at the 498-room Hyatt Regency Boston and you will quickly understand how the all-electric hotel has been able to slice its annual power consumption by a whopping 42 percent—from 12.3 million kilowatt hours of usage per year to 7.1 million. The drop in energy consumption did not happen in just one year but over a time period of approximately 10 to 12 years when approximately $3 million was spent on improvements in infrastructure, equipment and other systems to improve energy efficiency. NStar, the Massachusetts-based, investor-owned electric and gas utility,...

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL—Phoebus Energy, developer of the Hybrid Water Heating System, launches its expansion into the hotel industry with successful installations at Hagoshrim and Inbal Hotels in Israel. Hotels and resorts consume large amounts of fossil fuel to heat water for showers, space heating and swimming pools. Fossil fuel costs represent a significant percentage of the total energy expenses at hotels and are extremely volatile. The Hybrid Water Heating System packages modern heat pump technology with intelligent Web-based monitoring and control software. The Phoebus Energy solution reduces fossil fuel consumption and carbon emissions while significantly reducing energy costs at hotel facilities. “The...

NIANTIC, CONN.—The Saybrook Point Inn & Spa is one the first properties in Connecticut to be certified for a new program that allows hotels, motels and other lodging owners to market their businesses as “green” in order to protect the environment. Installing the e4 Smart Digital Thermostat with ecoMODE from INNCOM International Inc. played a big role in helping the premiere four diamond waterfront New England inn and spa to achieve “Connecticut Green Lodging—Accommodating You and Our Environment” status. The Connecticut Green Lodging program is a joint effort of the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Connecticut Commission...

NATIONAL REPORT—Fuel cell power systems, installed at properties such as the Hilton New York, Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, and Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino, have worked reliably for years now but have failed to catch on in a big way throughout the lodging industry. Cost and availability of funding have certainly been reasons and the recent recession certainly has not helped. A lack of a serious marketing push by suppliers has contributed to the technology’s slow acceptance and systems have also not been available for smaller hotels. Some recent developments, however, could make fuel cells a more...