ATLANTA—As the federal government prepares for the presidential transition in January, it will face challenges in dealing with increasingly complex issues and new directives from the Obama administration and the new Congress, especially concerning energy issues. A new report from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) provides a potential roadmap for addressing the nation’s dependence on foreign energy sources and its greenhouse gas emissions while growing the economy. “Buildings are often overlooked as an opportunity to reduce energy consumption and offer an excellent opportunity to achieve national energy goals,” says ASHRAE president Bill Harrison. Buildings are...

MINNEAPOLIS—New McQuay scroll-compressor Templifier water heaters reduce energy costs by recovering waste heat and making it available for space heating and domestic hot water. Ideal for hotels, McQuay Templifier units with scroll compressors range from 500 to 3,000 MBh and can heat water up to 160° F (71° C) compared to 140° F for competitive units. The Templifier’s hermetic scroll compressors feature low sound levels for quiet operation and use R-134a refrigerant, which has no ozone-depletion potential or phase-out schedule. The McQuay Open Choices control feature allows easy integration with the building automation system of choice using BACnet, LonTalk...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced that its flagship Element hotel—Element Lexington—is the first Starwood hotel to earn Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and the first hotel in Massachusetts to achieve this prestigious rating. Element Lexington earned LEED Gold certification in recognition of its superior performance in areas including water and energy conservation and improved indoor environmental quality measures. The hotel, which opened its doors in July 2008, expects to recoup its investment in green building in less than five years, due to associated operational savings....

YOUNTVILLE, CALIF.—The Napa Valley community of Yountville, Calif., with a population of a little more than 3,000 people, is now home to one of the greenest lodging establishments in the United States—the 62-room luxury Bardessono hotel, restaurant and spa. Set to open the first week of February, the development should earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification later in 2009. If it does reach that goal, it will be only the second hotel in the United States to do so. The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, N.C., is the other. The owner and developer of the property is...

ROANOKE, VA.—The Rodeway Inn located in Castaic, Calif., just five minutes from Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, Calif., has installed GEM System guestroom energy management in all 120 guestrooms, utilizing their existing Amana, Friedrich and GE PTAC units. GEM System is an innovative, infrared sensor-based guestroom energy management system that reduces guestroom energy costs by 35 percent to 45 percent. GEM System resets the room temperature to an energy conserving level, pre-selected by the hotel, only while the guest is out of the room. GEM System can connect to any brand and model of PTAC and will increase its...

ASHLAND CITY, TENN.—In its October issue, Consulting-Specifying Engineer (CSE)—a monthly publication with a circulation of more than 46,000 mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers—named A. O. Smith’s Cyclone Xi commercial water heater as a gold winner in its 2008 Product of the Year competition. “Competition was fierce this year; the judges had a hard time narrowing the finalists down to three for each category,” said Jim Langhenry, CSE publisher. “We take this as a sign that manufacturers are investing more in new-product R&D, which is a huge win for the building industry and the environment.” The innovative design of the Cyclone Xi...

NEW YORK—Business Technology Partners (BTP), a premiere New York City-based IT consulting and managed services firm, announced a strategic relationship with Control4, a leader in IP-based, ZigBee wireless control, automation, and entertainment systems. The relationship enables the companies to provide a complete end-to-end solution, including technology design and integration of entertainment and control systems for hotels and mixed-use commercial developments. The implementation of Control4 technology enhances the hotel guest experience by providing luxury, convenience, and enhanced services options. Through the use of a single remote, hotel guests will be able to operate the television and entertainment options, call room...

MINNEAPOLIS—McQuay now offers a complete line of R-410A large tonnage condensing units (50 to 140 tons) and split system air handling units. The condensing units feature an average EER of 10.6 which exceeds ASHRAE 90.1-2010 requirements and makes them ideal selections for sustainable buildings and LEED-certified projects. R-410A is an HFC refrigerant that has no ozone-depletion potential and faces no mandated phase-out date over a 20- to 30-year operating life expectancy, thus protecting both the owner’s investment and the environment. Per U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements, R-22 refrigerant cannot be used in new equipment as of 2010 and...

NIANTIC, CONN.—INNCOM International Inc., a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of guestroom automation systems for the international lodging industry, has enhanced the functionality of its newest solution—a design-centric energy management solution made of recyclable glass that controls room temperature, lighting and more. The complete Glass Series Smart Digital Thermostat, Switch and Tabletop Controller set are on display in booth 3232 at the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York. “Since the initial launch of the INNCOM Glass Series in June, we have enhanced this ‘green’ solution to be even more interactive for guests and energy-efficient for hotels,” said INNCOM...

Can older hotels become energy efficient in a simple and cost-effective way? Yes, and it starts in the guestroom with some easily installed equipment that has a fast payback. Using the guestroom keycard to send the room into occupied or unoccupied mode gives the guest the control they expect, while saving properties money in empty rooms. There are a number of ways a 15- or 20-year-old hotel can see increases in the bottom line without major renovations or loss of available room nights. We all know that simple fixes like changing a light bulb can have a noticeable decrease in...