COOPERSBURG, PA.—Energy-saving lighting control manufacturer Lutron Electronics announces enhanced Quantum system functionality enabling real-time energy metering of building loads. Lutron’s Quantum Total Light Management maximizes the efficient use of light to improve comfort and productivity, simplify operations and save energy. This system dims or switches all electric lighting and simultaneously controls daylight using automated shades. Quantum easily integrates with building management systems. Quantum systems have always incorporated energy-use calculation software to help evaluate and monitor overall lighting energy use. Now, with new Quantum Energy Metering, the system can also provide real-time energy measurement and verification including high-accuracy metering of lighting, HVAC...

NEW YORK—The Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium announced that BYD has joined the Consortium as a Contributing Member. A global leader in new energy solutions, BYD’s membership in the Consortium will contribute to establishing the new Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Index (HSPI), to set standards for evaluating sustainability practices and purchases industry wide. With more than 4.5 million hotel rooms in the United States, lighting is a critical element of design, which must be integrated throughout the development, redevelopment and renovations processes. “Our goal in joining the Consortium is to help the hospitality industry by establishing sustainability performance criteria that delivers real solutions...

PALO ALTO, CALIF.—Southwall Technologies Inc. and Pleotint LLC announced the world’s first installation of high-performance insulating glass that combines Southwall’s Heat Mirror suspended-film technology with Pleotint’s Sunlight Responsive Thermochromic (SRT) technology. The complementary technologies combine to deliver increased energy savings by reducing solar heat gain and glare during peak electrical usage hours, providing optimal daylighting during non-peak hours, while delivering maximum thermal insulation 24 hours a day. The product was manufactured by Southwall Insulating Glass and installed at Pleotint’s corporate headquarters in West Olive, Mich. The combined solution provides superior center of glass insulating performance of 0.13 (R8) with Argon...

ATLANTA—Acuity Brands, Inc., a provider of energy-efficient lighting, controls and daylighting solutions, has expanded its Sunoptics high-performance prismatic daylighting portfolio with the introduction of the SEAMLIGHT Curbless Daylighting System. The SEAMLIGHT System is designed for direct installation onto existing industrial standing seam roofing systems, creating new opportunities for the implementation of daylighting solutions. The Sunoptics high-performance prismatic skylights optimize indoor daylighting performance via a patented dome construction designed to capture more light at low sun angles, which maximizes the amount of light transmittance, while maintaining 100 percent diffusion and eliminating undesirable hot spots, glare and UV damage. Utilizing the same...

HONOLULU—AeroVironment announced that it has installed electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the Marriott Waikiki to serve hotel guests and respond to increased demand for sustainable practices in the tourism and hospitality industries. The new chargers are part of Hawaii’s growing charging infrastructure. In March of this year AeroVironment was selected to help lead the way to a cleaner transportation future through an $820,000 contract from the Hawaii EV Ready Grants Program. According to a recent study by TripAdvisor, eco-friendliness is an important consideration for travelers and the U.S. hospitality industry. In the travel website’s annual survey of more than...

SAN DIEGO—The Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina has initiated one of the most comprehensive public space recycling programs in the industry utilizing T2 Site Amenities “Upscale” Recycling Bins. “Recycling should be easy to be effective,” says John Ford, motel manager at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina. Plus, effective recycling reduces costs while obviously having a positive impact on the environment.” The Sheraton has addressed recycling from two aspects. The first is behind the scenes, as in composting. The second is recycling in public spaces and guestrooms for collection of paper, cans, bottles and plastic. Metro Receptacles Selected Ford also determined...

PALM BAY, FLA.—Car Charging Group Inc., a provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging services, announced that it has signed a contract with Laxmi Inc. of Palm Bay, Fla., owner of the Comfort Suites in Palm Bay, to provide electric car charging services at its hotel. “We’re pleased to announce our partnership with Laxmi Inc. of Palm Bay,” said Michael D. Farkas, chief executive officer of Car Charging Group. “Earlier this year, President Obama challenged the country to put one million EVs on the road by 2015. However, without a proper EV charging infrastructure this goal is not attainable. Through partnerships...

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.—Verve Living Systems, developers of wireless, battery-less control products, will be exhibiting a new line of energy-saving automation products during Greenbuild 2012. Greenbuild will be held in Toronto October 4 to 7. The new Verve product portfolio uses highly efficient radio frequency technology in an attractively designed family of sensors and control devices that enable significant energy savings without compromising comfort. The Verve product line consists of four primary categories of product: Occupancy Detection, HVAC Control, Lighting and Load Control, and User Interfaces. Verve sensors determine the occupancy state of a room, and communicate wirelessly with other Verve devices...

WAALWIJK, THE NETHERLANDS—Desso, a global carpet manufacturer renowned for its Cradle to Cradle design vision, has launched an interactive website for its Hospitality division. Visitors to the site can view Desso’s range of products and services for the hospitality sector, recolor or design their own carpet, and then see how it would look in a virtual environment. The Design Library includes a broad reflection of a total of 25,000 designs that Desso has created. A thousand of these, sourced from completed client projects and themed collections including recent collections such as “Intrinsic Energy” and “Renaissance Redux,” have been selected for...

AURORA, ONT.—CleanRiver Recycling Solutions, a division of Midpoint International, Inc., has introduced waste and recycling stations that make it easy to implement recycling programs and adjust to future changes. Transition TRH Series Configurable Recycling and Waste Stations use stream-specific, interchangeable opening plates and moveable internal dividers to accept multiple types of recyclables in a single unit that is easily configured—and reconfigured—to meet current and future waste stream requirements. “Twenty years of working with our customers to fine-tune their recycling programs has been engineered into this unique and forward-thinking recycling station to offer unprecedented flexibility in a compact footprint,” said CleanRiver...