NEW YORK—The Architec Dry Urinal by Duravit and Prof. Frank Huster embraces responsible water use and environmental conservation through innovation in design. Thanks to a hose membrane integrated into its outlet, Architec Dry flushes without any water. This dry flush technology means it is operated without any water pipes and tap fittings thus serving as a cost-effective alternative to urinals with a conventional flush. In addition to its easy maintenance and cleanability, the membrane only requires replacement after 7,500 uses.“Water is one of our most precious resources,” says Duravit USA president Tim Schroeder, “and at Duravit, we are always...

OSHKOSH, WIS.—Continental Girbau Inc. recently released the Compact 5-in-One Ironing System. A space-saving ironer/folder, the Compact processes up to 82 feet of linen per minute and works seamlessly with an optional feeder, stacker and small-piece accumulator to quickly accomplish feeding, ironing, folding, stacking and accumulating. Continental and OnePress models are available in 24- and 32-inch diameters; 130-inch finishing widths; and natural gas or liquid propane heat sources. Girbau Industrial (GI) models are available in 24-, 32- and 48-inch diameters; 102- and 130-inch finishing widths; and natural gas or liquid propane heat sources.All models offer high-volume linen handling to laundries that...

KINGSPORT, TENN.—Solutia Inc., a subsidiary of Eastman Chemical Company and a global leader in performance materials and specialty chemicals, has been recognized by Architectural Products magazine’s Product Innovation Awards for the second year in a row. EnerLogic 70 window film series won in the Solar Control and Shading/Site-Generated Energy category.EnerLogic 70 is the next generation of glass insulation technology. Built on the success of EnerLogic 35, which launched in 2010, EnerLogic 70 window film combines low-e performance with a virtually invisible appearance, offering four-season window insulation.“With visible light transmission of up to 70 percent, EnerLogic 70 offers energy savings...

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—Native Trails, the maker of luxury, sustainable furnishings for kitchens and baths, has expanded its collection of hand crafted accessories and furnishings. The Harmony and Solace Mirrors are part of the brand’s Renewal Series, which consists of bath furnishings and accessories made from bamboo.“We continually look for ways to enrich people’s surroundings with good design and sustainable materials,” said founder and CEO of Native Trails, Naomi Neilson Howard. “The Renewal Series illustrates bamboo’s warm persona, providing myriad choices in bath furniture and mirrors for designers and homeowners to create distinction and depth in their living spaces.”Artisan...

ALPHARETTA, GA.—Hampton Inn Batesville, located in Southeast Indiana and part of the Hampton brand, has completed a large-scale sustainability project through The Refinishing Touch’s furniture asset management solutions. The Refinishing Touch completed on-site furniture refinishing to case goods in 66 rooms at the Batesville location, restoring the original condition of wardrobes, desks, nightstands, headboards, bathroom vanities and luggage benches.The refinishing project was completed using non-toxic lacquers with low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), maintaining indoor air quality and ensuring safety. Hampton Inn Batesville saved 92.5 percent in budget costs by refinishing, when compared to buying new furniture—reducing the project’s total...

BUFFALO, N.Y.—Salvatore’s Grand Hotel has just entered into an agreement to become the first hotel in the world to benefit from joint technology integration between ZENO Controls LLC and its newly acquired division, Verve Living Systems. Last month ZENO, developer of the ZENO wireless gateway and universal controller, announced the purchase of the Verve Living Systems product line of guestroom switches, sensors and thermostats, as well as HVAC, lighting and load controls.Buffalo’s famed independent boutique hotel will immediately begin installation of the Verve Keycard Switch that will provide point-to-point communication with the room PTAC air conditioners and be centrally...

SUNRISE, FLA.—Advantix Systems, a manufacturer of energy efficient liquid desiccant air-conditioning and cooling technology, and the Desarrollos Hotelco Group, announced their partnership to deliver Advantix’s liquid desiccant technology to the Caribbean’s hospitality industry. Advantix’s units utilize liquid desiccant, a salt water solution, to provide three important benefits for hotels: significantly lower energy costs, humidity control and improved indoor air quality. Conventional air-conditioning systems have one method for cooling air: chilling the air to its dew point to remove humidity and then reheating that air to a comfortable temperature, an intensive process that requires much energy. Advantix’s units simultaneously remove humidity...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Green Lodging News has just added a new case study to its website. The case study focuses on the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers and its installation of Telkonet motion sensing thermostats in every single one of the 1,214 rooms of the hotel. The installation was done as part of the Commercial Buildings Initiative (CBI)—a component of Retrofit Chicago that aims to dramatically reduce the energy needs of Chicago’s commercial buildings.A team of roughly 10 workers were employed for nearly a month, alongside the building engineers and the team from Telkonet. The Sheraton was eligible for a rebate...

PETERBOROUGH, ONTARIO—Enviro-Solutions, a manufacturer of green cleaning products, announces the beginning of an ongoing feature on its Facebook site called “Ask Mike…About Green Cleaning.”The idea for the new feature came about as a result of questions posted on another social media site the company runs—Enviro-Solutions and Customers—which is a members-only site on LinkedIn.“We found we were receiving quite a few questions about green cleaning,” says Mike Sawchuk, vice president and general manager of Enviro-Solutions. “Because of this, we decided to open this up to more people and put it on Facebook.”One of the most common questions that Sawchuk thought...

TRAVELERS REST, S.C.—T&S Brass, a manufacturer of plumbing and foodservice equipment, has received a New Product Innovation Award from the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE). The award, given for the company’s EC-3122-HG above-deck electronic sensor faucet with hydrogenerator, was announced on October 29 during ASPE’s Convention and Exposition in Charlotte, N.C. The 2012 awards recognized 15 of the most exciting new products introduced to the plumbing industry in the past two years.The EC-3122 is the newest above-deck electronic sensor faucet model in T&S’s ChekPoint sensor faucet line. Combined with a hydrogenerator which allows the faucet to power itself,...