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....

LAS VEGAS—For the third consecutive year, Caesars Entertainment Corp. is distributing 45,000 energy efficient light bulbs such as Compact Florescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) to low-income residents in the communities they serve across the United States. Energy saving light bulbs are environmentally friendly and reduce energy costs substantially when compared to conventional incandescent light bulbs. Many of these bulbs last 10 times longer and produce 75 percent less heat, reducing home cooling costs. “We recognize the most incremental changes often make the biggest difference at our resorts and in the communities we serve,” said Gwen Migita, corporate director Sustainability and Community...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing updated standards for light fixtures to qualify for the Energy Star label—an efficiency program that has saved consumers money on their energy bills while contributing to cleaner air and protecting people’s health since 1992. Effective October 1, 2011, to qualify for the Energy Star label light fixtures will need to increase efficiency 30 percent above currently qualified fluorescent-based fixtures. In 2013, performance requirements will increase further, providing 40 percent higher efficiency compared to currently qualified models. Light fixtures that earn the Energy Star save consumers money on their energy bills and...

TORRANCE, CALIF.—Continuing to add to its line of energy-efficient LED replacements for incandescent and halogen light bulbs, LEDtronics announces its new series of PAR-style high-power, high-efficacy lamps with highest-grade LEDs and Fresnel lens. Operating either in 120VAC dimmable or in a wide voltage input range of 90-290VAC, the line of Edison medium screw-base and GU24 bi-pin base bulbs come in various PAR20, PAR30 and PAR38 styles. With energy consumption ranging from 7 watts (PAR20) through 12 watts (PAR30) and up to 15 watts (PAR38), the lamps directly replace incandescents and halogen lamps that consume up to 100 watts, and even...

SANTA CLARA, CALIF.—WattStopper announced it has received a 2011 Building Operating Management Top Product Award for its PW-103N multi-way wall switch occupancy sensor with LED nightlight. The sensor provides code-compliant lighting control in a wide variety of applications. The factory default setting is for manual-on operation, to ensure that optimal energy efficiency is available. Lighting remains on as long as any one of the connected sensors detects occupancy. When the space is no longer occupied, lighting will automatically turn off following a time delay that begins when the last sensor ceases to detect occupancy. Lighting can be turned off manually...

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...

NEW HYDE, N.Y.—Evolve Guest Controls announced that it has designed, developed, and implemented the single largest successful Z-Wave deployment of wireless lighting and energy management devices to date. This deployment of Evolve’s LCD Director Series Energy Management System is located at The Wynn Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The installation includes more than 65,000 devices residing in more than 2,700 rooms and suites. Using Evolve’s LCD Director Series, each guest has the ability to wirelessly control each room’s motorized draperies/sheers, communicate privacy please/service room to housekeeping, activate various lighting scenes, adjust the temperature, and put the room into energy...

ZIONSVILLE, IND.—Fanimation has introduced The Landan LED Ceiling Fan. The Landan features a dimmable LED (light emitting diode) luminaire, which is designed with a frosted white glass shade and CREE LEDs on top to create an up-light glow, and an LED cluster to provide quality down-lighting. The up-light includes eight LEDs that consume only 10 watts and produce 627 lumens, which is the approximate equivalent to one 60-watt candelabra bulb. The down-light uses 12 LEDs that consume 15 watts to deliver 855 lumens, which is the approximate equivalent to two 40-watt candelabra bulbs. The LED fixture offers a CRI (color...

DANVERS, MASS.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Energy (DOE) have awarded Osram Sylvania a 2011 Energy Star Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting the environment through energy efficiency. This is the tenth consecutive year the company has received an Energy Star award.Osram Sylvania is committed to promoting energy efficiency among consumers, businesses and within its own operations, company-wide. Since becoming an Energy Star partner in 1999 and receiving its first Energy Star award in 2002, Osram Sylvania has made advancements in energy saving lighting technology.“Receiving our tenth consecutive Energy Star Partner...

ITHACA, N.Y.—In one of the first empirical studies of the effects of energy saving treatments on hotel guests’ satisfaction, Cornell University researchers have found that carefully designed conservation treatments do not diminish the guest experience. The study, sponsored by Philips, was conducted at the Statler Hotel, the four-diamond hotel operated as a teaching and research laboratory by the Cornell School of Hotel Administration. Conducted by Associate Professor Alex Susskind and Professor Rohit Verma, the study tested reduced television power levels and alterations in bathroom lighting in the guestrooms. The study, “Hotel Guests’ Reactions to Guest Room Sustainability Initiatives,” by...