TROY, OHIO—The Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability (HCFS) has awarded a $5,000 grant to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, in recognition of foodservice sustainability initiatives that educate and benefit visitors to the conservatory as well as the Pittsburgh community. This marks the fifth year for the HCFS grant, which is awarded to a business or organization judged to have the best-executed foodservice sustainability project. “It’s very encouraging to hear about sustainability projects taking place across North America in foodservice operations of K-12 schools, colleges and universities, businesses, healthcare facilities, and community and nonprofit organizations,” said Rick Cartwright, vice...

TRAVELERS REST, S.C.—T&S Brass, a manufacturer of plumbing and foodservice equipment, recently launched its new EC-3122 above-deck electronic sensor faucet. With upgraded features and styling, the EC-3122 is the first in a new platform of above-deck electronic models to be added to the company’s ChekPoint sensor faucet line later this year.Designed with convenience, ease-of-maintenance, security and conservation in mind, the EC-3122 has all above-deck features, including a manual mixing valve built into the faucet body itself and above-deck electronics and programmable controls. These include water shut-off delay, auto timeout, sensor range and auto flush.Like other T&S ChekPoint faucets, the...

COOPERSBURG, PA.—Light control manufacturer Lutron Electronics announced the launch of Radio Shadow sensor. The new wireless sensor communicates outdoor light levels to a Lutron Quantum Total Light Management System. During low-light conditions, the sensor overrides pre-programmed shade levels to raise shades and maximize exterior views.A Lutron Quantum system automatically and unobtrusively controls electric light and daylight using daylight sensors, occupancy/vacancy sensors, and automated Sivoia QS roller shades. Within Quantum, the Lutron Hyperion solar-adaptive shading system anticipates the position of the sun and automatically knows when to adjust the shades to avoid glare and minimize heat gain, while the new...

CANMORE, ALBERTA—Bellstar Hotels & Resorts, based out of Calgary with properties located in Canmore, Kicking Horse and the Okanagan Valley, officially joined the EcoStay Program. Guests now have the opportunity to completely neutralize the impact of their stay on the environment. Bellstar Hotels & Resorts, with a collection of unique boutique condo resorts, is one of the fastest growing resort management and development companies in Western Canada. EcoStay is a national initiative that helps hotels measure their carbon footprint, identify and fund reduction strategies and balance off their greenhouse gas emissions through carbon offsetting. Under the program, Bellstar’s...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Valley Forge Fabrics has introduced its first faux leather collection protected by Nano-Tex technology. Executives from Valley Forge and Applied Textiles recently met in Southern China to tour the newly opened state-of-the-art facility dedicated to performance enhancement. The factory was built specifically to better support the growing demand for Nano-Tex.Nano-Tex technology has usually been applied to woven fabrics, increasing their stain repellency characteristics. Now, as a result of the partnership between Valley Forge and Applied Textiles, nanotechnology-based textile enhancements are available on faux leathers in the hospitality interiors market. Valley Forge is the first company that has...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Green Lodging News has added a Continental Girbau Vendor Case Study to its website. The case study profiles the Westin Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio, Texas, and its replacement of aging, inefficient washers with more efficient Continental Girbau models and a water reclamation system. The installation is saving the hotel from 300,000 to 350,000 gallons of water each month. As part of the washer purchase, the hotel’s owners took advantage of a $29,000 rebate from the San Antonio Water System.The Westin’s laundry now features two 130-pound capacity Continental E-Series soft-mount washers; a 55-pound capacity Continental E-Series soft-mount washer;...

INWOOD, N.Y.—Laundrylux announced that Great Lakes Commercial Sales is now an authorized Electrolux and Wascomat distributor for coin and on-premises laundry equipment. “We are pleased to welcome Dan Naumann and the Great Lakes team to the Electrolux and Wascomat distributor network,” says Laundrylux president Howard Herman. “After 20 years in the business, industry leader Great Lakes is a super addition to our family. Everyone at Laundrylux is looking forward to working with Great Lakes to further expand the business and our relationship.”“I’ve worked with Dan Naumann and the Great Lakes team for many years now,” says Bryan Rausch, regional...

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—TRSA has launched its Hygienically Clean certification program to recognize textile services companies’ commitment to cleanliness through third-party, quantified biological testing and inspection. The certification process eliminates subjectivity by verifying that textiles cleaned in these facilities meet hygiene standards appropriate for any type of business that uses garments, linens, towels, floor mats, mops and other professionally laundered items. A specific designation for laundries with medical work (Hygienically Clean—Healthcare) is available and another will soon be offered for those who serve restaurants and other businesses where food safety is paramount (Hygienically Clean—Food Service). To attain a Hygienically Clean certification, a laundry...

DALLAS—Kimberly-Clark Corp. announced its Water for Life focus area as part of the company’s Sustainability 2015 strategy. The announcement came during Earth Week last month to draw attention to the global importance of fresh water and the sustainable management of fresh water resources. Kimberly-Clark’s Water for Life program provides a platform on which to collaborate with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to provide clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene education to communities around the world. “Water was chosen as a sustainability focus area, as the availability of potable water is a serious global issue and also has a significant impact on our...

HOUSTON—Toshiba International Corp. announced that it has introduced a new BR30 lamp that provides significant energy savings compared to incandescent bulbs. The new lamp is ideal for accent lighting. Toshiba’s new BR30 650 Series is a direct replacement for 65W incandescent lamps and offers outputs of up to 650 lumens. In addition, the lamp is dimmable and contains no mercury or lead. The BR30 lasts up to 20 times longer and uses up to 79 percent less energy than its incandescent equivalents, and is rated to last 40,000 hours. “This new BR30 produces gorgeous light with an even glow, offers...