SECAUCUS, N.J.—Panasonic Eco Solutions North America introduces the Eco Products Division, formerly known as Panasonic Home & Environment Company. The new Eco Products Division houses Panasonic’s ventilation fan business, which includes 18 advanced lines of high-performance, Energy Star-rated ventilation solutions that improve indoor air quality and comply with the latest building standards and codes. “At Panasonic, we strive to go beyond providing superior eco products to our customers by offering them comprehensive solutions,” said Dan Silver, vice president, Panasonic Eco Products Division. “The integration of our ventilation fan business with other PESNA units such as Solar Panels, Lighting Controls and...

NEW YORK—GROHE introduces its New Tempesta shower heads and hand showers, allowing users to personalize their daily bath experience through four distinct spray pattern options. GROHE’s New Tempesta, currently available in Cosmopolitan, Timeless and Authentic design motifs to complement a variety of bathroom faucet selections, blends three styles with high-performance function. The line also offers a range of four unique, adjustable spray patterns, including: • Rain—A soft, delicate pattern mimicking soothing rain droplets for full and even coverage;• Rain 0²—An air-infused, rich spray. Soft, individual drops are enhanced with air so they become bigger while water consumption decreases;• Massage—A...

CHEROKEE, N.C.—When the expansion to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel is completed, guests will be welcomed under a green roof situated atop the canopy at the casino’s main entrance. The LiveRoof Hybrid Green Roof System from LiveRoof, LLC was selected for the 22,800-square-foot project. Riverbend Nursery, Inc., a wholesale container nursery in LiveRoof’s national network of licensed regional growers, cultivated the green roof plants.“In keeping with the Cherokee tradition, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel looks to sustainable practices to protect the environment,” said Brooks Robinson, senior vice president and general manager, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel. “The addition of...

ITHACA, N.Y.—A new paper in the Cornell Hospitality Industry Perspectives series highlights Energy University, developed by Schneider Electric for the benefit of building managers in all industries, including the hospitality industry. Available at no charge from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR), the white paper, “Energy University: An Innovative Private-Sector Solution to Energy Education,” was written by R. Sean O’Kane and Susan Hartman, both of Schneider Electric.“Our model is similar to the CHR, since we provide all our course materials and information without charge,” said O’Kane, who is Schneider’s director of hotel strategic alliances. “Also like Cornell we...

DALLAS—MPI and MPI Foundation announced a substantial upgrade of its Sustainable Event Measurement Tool (SEMT) now residing on the evolution Platform. The enhanced functionality of SEMT 2.0 will help meetings and events professionals save money, reduce resources and elevate their sustainability credentials.The tool provides unique measurement capabilities that allow planners and suppliers to track—and take steps to reduce—their environmental impact. It also answers the hospitality industry’s demands for a common disclosure platform and aligned reporting.“SEMT 2.0 is the painkiller for sustainability headaches,” says Bruce MacMillan, MPI president and CEO. “We’ve developed something that’s never been done before, a rigorous...

VISTA, CALIF.—Waterless Co., Inc., the oldest and one of the largest companies in the United States manufacturing no-water urinals and other restroom products, announces the official launch of its new Facebook Fan page. The site has been in the planning stages for the past few months. The company already has a successful blog, which is primarily used to discuss water conservation and efficiency issues. According to Niki Bradley, marketing manager for Waterless, the goals of the new Facebook site are to foster interaction between the company and its customers and potential customers, bolster brand identity, and enhance customer service.“We...

PULASKI, N.Y.—PURE Global announced that PURE Allergy Friendly Rooms has been awarded the PTPA (Parent Tested Parent Approved) Winner’s Seal of Approval. PTPA Media has North America’s largest volunteer parent testing community, with more than 40,000 parents and was rated the Most Trusted Seal by 22,000 parents.The PTPA Winner’s Seal is evidence of a product’s excellence from having been evaluated by unbiased parent testers.Independent parent volunteers evaluate products in their own homes or on a commercial site—in this instance several hotels across North America—to ensure that PTPA winners are chosen based on merit and consumer experience, not on commercial...

NEW YORK—GTC Greening the Cleaning announced that its new and improved line of cleaning products is now third-party tested and verified. An independent lab has certified that every single product is as green as its label indicates. “This is big news as most green cleaning products on the market do not have their claims verified and tested by a third party,” said Deirdre Imus, founder and president of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center. “Here at GTC, we’re proud to be continually raising the bar for green cleaning.”Deirdre developed the award winning GTC program and product line back in...

SALT LAKE CITY—Control4, a provider of IP-based home and hospitality control systems, has completed installation of the Control4 hospitality solution in three revitalized Dorchester Group hotels including 45 Park Lane in London, and Hotel Bel Air and Beverly Hills Hotel, both located in Los Angeles.“Our vision at the Dorchester Hotel Group was to integrate state-of-the-art technology to deliver a guest experience reflective of our upscale properties,” said Mark Campbell, chief information officer at Dorchester Collection. “Building on the growing popularity of home automation, we wanted a hotel room solution that vastly improved the comfort of our guests by allowing...

MINNEAPOLIS—New B-Vintage vertical water source heat pumps from Mammoth, Inc. range in size from two to six tons and offer efficiency ratings up to 22.0 EER and 5.2 COP. The unique ability to overcome up to three inches of static pressure enables the use of up to 99 percent efficient HEPA filtration in units serving individual zones. These capabilities enhance the ability of designers to use geothermal and boiler/tower water source heat pump systems, and to maximize points for LEED certification.“These units represent an industry first,” said Dennis Nelsen, product manager for Mammoth. “In the past, high-efficiency filters weren’t...