EAST LONGMEADOW, MASS.—Excel Dryer, Inc. introduces the new ThinAir Hand Dryer, a high-efficiency surface-mounted model that protrudes no more than four inches from the wall, making it ADA-Compliant. ThinAir dries hands in 15 seconds, operates on 960 watts.“The ThinAir Hand Dryer eliminates the need to recess the dryer into a restroom wall to achieve ADA compliance, which is beneficial for facilities with walls that are difficult to modify,” said Excel Dryer Vice President of Marketing, William Gagnon. “ThinAir has a lower cost of ownership than other hand dryers, and is easier to install making it a cost effective and...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Six of Los Angeles’ largest hotels are being recognized by Green Seal, the leading science-based eco-label, for meeting its rigorous environmental standard required for certification and for helping to make the city a national leader in hotel sustainability.With a total of 5,242 guestrooms in L.A. now certified, the hotels recognized—the Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City, the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel, the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites, the Westin Los Angeles Airport, the Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Airport and the Hilton Los Angeles Airport—have enabled the city to offer more Green Seal-certified rooms than any other major U.S. city.The...

DALLAS—Committed to making the world a better place one trip at a time, Travelocity selected Courtney Vaudreuil, a local resident of Los Angeles, as the first of three travel award recipients for this year’s Travel for Good program. Courtney will receive an all-expense-paid voluntourism trip to Central America to assist and help improve the lives of animals in developing countries with World Vets. In addition, Travelocity will make a $10,000 donation directly to World Vets.“Animal causes have always been very close to my heart and it’s really important for me that people have compassion and empathy for animals,” said...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the 2015 WaterSense award winners for creating, rebating, communicating and educating consumers about WaterSense-labeled products, homes and programs. These 17 winners and more than 1,700 other WaterSense partners have helped Americans save 1.1 trillion gallons of water and $21.7 billion in water and energy bills since 2006.WaterSense announced the 2015 Sustained Excellence Award winners, Partners of the Year, and Excellence Award winners at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas.“EPA is proud to honor these WaterSense partners for making a difference every day in communities across the country,” said...

SAVANNAH, GA.—Green Badger has released it latest software version, which includes functionality for LEED v4—the latest green building system update from the USGBC and much more. While LEED version 4 is the largest new feature, additional functionality includes credit-specific documentation guidance, activity tracking by project, report customization, and enhanced site inspection capabilities. Since Green Badger’s introduction in fall 2013, widespread adoption within the A/E/C industry has occurred, with seven of the 10 largest green general contractors now using the software solution for LEED and green building documentation. With its easy and convenient functionality to automate and document LEED credits,...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes JRS Amenities as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. JRS Amenities is featuring its MOSAIC Dispenser—a bulk, refillable amenity dispensing solution that can eliminate 99 percent of waste from single-use amenity bottles. A typical 100-bed hotel can exceed 50,000 small amenity bottles and 10,000 soaps per year. MOSAIC could save this hotel up to 33,000 ounces of unused product (based on 1/3 usage). The MOSAIC system reduces labor costs by decreasing housekeeping time. Dispensers are easily cleaned and typically refilled only once or twice a month....

MORRIS PLAINS, N.J.—Honeywell announced that one of its new insulating materials was given the top 2015 innovation award by a leading industry group. Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent (LBA), a critical material used in energy-efficient polyurethane foam insulation, was named the winner of the 2015 Polyurethane Innovation Award by the American Chemistry Council’s Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI).Foam blowing agents allow closed-cell polyurethane foam insulation to expand and provide the majority of the foam’s excellent insulating properties. Solstice LBA has a global warming potential that is significantly lower than higher global warming hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) blowing agents while providing excellent...

CHICAGO—Selecting a new carpet extractor can be a harrowing experience for both a veteran carpet cleaning technician as well as a newbie or cleaning contractor just venturing into the carpet cleaning arena. Because of this, Doug Berjer with CFR (continuous flow recycling), manufacturer of professional carpet cleaning tools and equipment, offers the following 10 tips to select the right machine:1. Brand: Look for a brand that has been around for a while. In the carpet cleaning industry, quality brands last; inferior brands fade away.2. Type: There are two types of extractors: truckmount and portable. For multi-story locations and greater...

ADVANCE, N.C.—Beaufurn, the manufacturer of fashion-forward, functional designs, announced that it has hired Phyllis Burke Russell as Director of Design and Marketing. Burke Russell brings to Beaufurn an extensive background in marketing, visual merchandising, branding and product development. She has held executive positions of significant responsibility for marketing, strategic growth and sales analysis at furniture companies in China and Saudi Arabia. With regard to product design and development, Burke Russell has trained design staffs at firms in several countries. She began her career at Drexel Heritage.Beaufurn’s President Thomas Bongaerts stated, “We are extremely pleased to have Phyllis join our...

VERNON HILLS, ILL.—Scotsman Ice Systems has named Robert Croker as regional sales manager for the West. In this role, he will be responsible for driving sales in the region through distribution and key accounts.Croker brings more than 25 years of experience in the foodservice industry—most recently with a leading glasswashing and dishwashing equipment manufacturer, where he had an established track record of steady sales growth. Croker’s past experience also includes serving as a foodservice equipment manufacturer’s representative and in corporate hospitality sales management.“Robert’s wealth of foodservice industry knowledge and experience make him an asset to the Scotsman team and...