At first glance I thought it was a walk-in cooler. I quickly realized it was really a grow room for vegetables, flowers and herbs. What a great idea for chefs interested in using fresh ingredients in the kitchen. The grow room from Eden Grow Rooms was just one of the cool products I came across while walking The NAFEM trade show floor in Orlando. The event was held February 7 to 9 at the Orange County Convention Center.
In my NAFEM Show wrap-up article I highlight many of the latest products that can help you save energy, water and reduce waste in your food and beverage operations. With more than 500 exhibitors represented at the show, it was impossible to mention every advancement but I tried to include what I considered to be highlights.
It really is amazing what can influence the energy you use in the kitchen—stoves, ventilation, warewashers…even the pots and pans you use. Eneron, for example, was at the show with cookware it says is 30 percent to 50 percent more energy efficient than what is typically used in a kitchen. What is all comes down to is surface area under a pot. The greater the surface area, the greater the efficiency.
Advancements in Controls
Sophisticated electronic controls are making everything from ovens to coolers to air curtains more efficient and vendors that offer water-using products (food waste scrapping systems, for example), are finding ways to reduce water consumption by as much as 50 percent.
There was just one vendor on hand—Red Devil Equipment—offering balers and waste compactors. I came across two vendors selling food waste decomposition systems: T&S Brass thanks to its recent acquisition of EnviroPure Systems, and Champion Industries with its EnviroPure System. (See our Product & Service Directory for other suppliers offering these types of systems.) Increasingly, composting—whether done on-site or off-site—is becoming an integral part of a hotel’s sustainability program.
Several companies were at the show with solutions for cooking oil recycling, transportation and storage and it seemed like everywhere I turned there was a company offering water filtration systems for use with ice machines, warewashers, coffee/tea/espresso machines and other items in need of chlorine removal and the elimination of scale buildup (key to energy efficiency).
The next NAFEM Show will not be held until February 2015 but you can attend the National Restaurant Show from May 18 to 21 in Chicago to learn again about the latest green advancements in foodservice products and equipment.
GLN Adds Green Suites Hotel Solutions, Greenview as Directory Partners
Green Lodging News welcomes Green Suites Hotel Solutions and Greenview as Green Product & Service Directory partner. Green Suites Hotel Solutions offers amenity dispensers in four different designs. Dispensers offer savings from 30 to 70 percent when compared to traditional bottles and bars. Dispensers are available with high quality, name brand products (pre-filled or bulk) such as Sonoma, Paya, Aromaland, Scan, and Natura. Green Suites Hotel Solutions’ EcoSense Dispenser Program is a no-cost capital program that reduces dispenser costs to just pennies per occupied room per day. Call (800) 224-4451, e-mail sales@greensuites.com, or click here for more details.
Greenview works with meeting and event planners to develop, implement, measure, and report out sustainable event programs. Greenview helps events set overall strategies for their sustainability programs and then carry them out credibly through applying frameworks such as ISO 20121, the APEX/ASTM Green Meetings Standards, and the Global Reporting Initiative Event Organizers Sector Supplement. Call Cara Unterkofler, Director, Sustainable Event Programs, Greenview, at (571) 210-2272, or e-mail cara@gviewadvisors.com.
Greenview also specializes in guiding hospitality and tourism companies through the process of corporate responsibility and sustainability reporting, particularly producing reports aligned with the Global Reporting Initiative and responding to the Carbon Disclosure Project. Greenview can play an advisory role as well as manage the entire process and write reports. Greenview also helps clients respond to investor and client ESG surveys such as GRESB and GS Sustain. Call Eric Ricaurte, Founder, at (202) 280-0203, or e-mail eric@gviewadvisors.com.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (216) 848-1406, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (216) 848-1406, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
Planning Advertising for 2013?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2013. Many excellent spots are available on the website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2013 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (216) 848-1406, or by e-mail at editor@greenlodgingnews.com. A media kit can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all of those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
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As always, I can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
