NATIONAL REPORT—Fortunately for the lodging industry, the options for energy-efficient interior lighting have grown substantially over the last several years. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) have become more affordable and compact, offer better light quality, and include reduced levels of mercury and lead—a real advantage for the environment. Linear fluorescents also have improved and an increasing number of LED lighting products have become available. Green Lodging News recently spoke with a number of lighting companies to uncover the newest energy-efficient hotel interior lighting products. Below is a summary from each company (listed in alphabetical order): Aero-Tech Light Bulb Co.—Ray Schlosser, president...

CLEVELAND, OHIO— GE Consumer & Industrial’s Lighting division, a leader in the development of energy-efficient lighting products, announced advancements to the light bulb invented by GE’s founder, Thomas Edison, that potentially will elevate the energy efficiency of this 125-year-old technology to levels comparable to compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), delivering significant environmental benefits. Over the next several years, these advancements will lead to the introduction of high-efficiency incandescent lamps that provide the same high light quality, brightness and color as current incandescent lamps while saving energy and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. The new high-efficiency incandescent (HEI) lamp, which...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—GE Consumer & Industrial has changed the name of its light-emitting diode (LED) company, GELcore, LLC, to Lumination, LLC. The new name reflects the fast–growing business unit’s vision of imagination with light, and embraces GE’s heritage of innovation and optimism for the future. “Our name change emphasizes an important element of our growth strategy,” says David Elien, president of Lumination. “Our focus since our inception has been lighting applications that leverage the benefits of LEDs to drive real value for customers. We remain committed to delivering best–in–class LED lighting solutions in key segments such as signage, architecture,...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Mirage’s $7 billion City Center project, an 18-million-square-foot development that will encompass 76 acres of the Las Vegas Strip between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts, is moving closer to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification one big bucket of dirt at a time. Construction has been underway for nine months now and foundations have been poured for each of the project’s seven towers. Set to open in late 2009, the mixed-use project will include the following: a soaring 60-story, 4,000-room hotel tower, casino and convention center; a five-star, 400-room Mandarin Oriental; 400-room Harmon...

SAINT CHARLES, MO.—Pineapple Hospitality’s new compact fluorescent (CFL) Fresh Bulb not only improves the guest experience by providing superior light quality and eliminating strong odors, but it also demonstrates a commitment to helping preserve the planet’s precious resources. “Environmentally conscious customers will appreciate knowing their stays at your hotel will have less impact on the environment, and this leaves a positive impression of your property,” says Ray Burger, president of Pineapple Hospitality. “You also benefit, as the Fresh Bulb provides a complete payback in just a few months and a 20-fold overall return on investment in lighting cost-savings....

NATIONAL REPORT—As a marketing concept, EcoRooms have been around since 1995. It was then that Upland, Calif.-based Green Suites International developed the idea. For whatever reason—confusion in the marketplace caused by the introduction of other Green Room concepts, or a lack of eco-consciousness within the industry—EcoRooms never took hold. Today, however, an increasing number of hotel owners and operators are discovering the value in promoting their environmentally friendly guest rooms as EcoRooms. What exactly is an EcoRoom? According to Dan Bornholdt, president of Green Suites International, an EcoRoom is a guestroom that includes at least a dozen products that are...

SOMERSET, N.J.—Philips Lighting Co., the U.S.-based lighting company affiliated with Royal Philips Electronics, was recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the first company in the United States to launch a companywide effort towards meeting the EPA’s National Partnership for Environmental Priorities (NPEP) waste minimization standards. As a new partner in the national program, Philips Lighting has committed to reducing the amount of mercury used in the manufacturing of its fluorescent lamps by 780 pounds by the end of 2007. In addition, the company has committed to eliminating the amount of lead in all of its...

NASHVILLE, TENN.—Universal Lighting Technologies introduces the latest addition to the Basic-12 family of ballasts with the B260IUNVHP for use with F96T12 and energy-saving F96T12ES lamps. This new Basic-12 ballast is designed to replace traditional magnetic T12 ballasts in existing or new fixtures while reducing energy consumption by more than 15 percent. Basic-12 ballasts provide the same amount of light as magnetic T12 ballasts with reduced operating costs and improved lamp performance. Plus, electronic ballasts are significantly quieter than their magnetic counterparts. Basic-12 ballasts fully comply with today’s new federal ballast efficiency requirements for installation into new fixtures as...

NEW YORK—Last week’s International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show, which drew more than 35,000 people, was packed with innovative products to help hoteliers clean naturally, save energy and water, and minimize waste generation. Also on hand were vendors offering everything from environmentally friendly wall coverings to nontoxic tub refinishing. Here are a just a few highlights from the 1,250 companies who exhibited at the lodging industry’s No. 1 trade event. Action Comax Environmental Inc., Newark, N.J., introduced its BioX high-volume organic waste decomposition system. Inside of a large steel container, food waste is broken down to liquid through biological decompostion. It...

DENVER—Osram Sylvania announced that it has developed a business association with Veolia Environmental Services, the largest lamp and ballast recycler in North America, to provide environmentally responsible recycling alternatives. As a leader in environmentally preferable, energy-efficient lighting solutions, Osram is now expanding its range of lighting and recycling solutions by offering the sale of Recyclepak, Veolia’s proprietary recycling kit, through www.sylvania.com/recycle. Using the Recyclepak makes recycling easy for large or small quantities of spent lamps and ballasts. Prepaid packaging allows for a convenient way to manage lighting waste. One price includes everything needed for complete lamp and ballast...