CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Church Chair Industries, Inc. as a Green Product Directory sponsor. Church Chair is currently offering Green Foam, a new foam product made from renewable resources. It is an environmentally friendly alternative to standard foam in chair cushions. Environmental benefits include organic, halogen-free fire retardants. Church Chair offers more than 50 chair styles, as well as a free sample chair program. Call (800) 331-5411, e-mail sales1@churchchair.com, or go to www.churchchair.com.

CLEVELAND, OHIO—GE Consumer & Industrial’s new program-start UltraStart Watt–Miser T5 Systems for retail, property management, commercial and industrial applications deliver a multitude of performance advantages compared with standard T5 systems. The systems offer wattage savings with lumen equivalency, parallel operation that keeps the unit operational despite a lamp failure, fast start times and a continuous cathode cutout functionality that reduces ballast wattage consumption and maximizes fixture efficiency at higher temperatures. Upon initial installation, a 4-lamp F54-T5-WM-ECO fixture with the new ultra-efficient linear fluorescent T5 ballast (GE454MVPS90–E) from GE delivers 20,000 lumens while consuming just 216 watts (93 lumens per watt)...

ATLANTA—Mold contamination can cause rapid deterioration of construction and furnishing materials, leading to excessive project costs for replacement and project delays. Mold growing on these materials also can become a source of indoor air pollutants, which can lead to serious health problems, including allergic reactions and asthma attacks, and potential liability for those who design, build, operate, finance and insure the buildings in which people live and work. Manufacturers are taking the initiative to develop mold resistant products as well as taking the necessary steps to generate confidence in these products by clearly demonstrating how well they resist mold growth....

ROCKVILLE, MD.—SmartCube, the next generation minibar released in 2006, has replaced AutoClassic as the No. 1 fully automated minibar in the U.S. hotel market. Over the past 12 years, Minibar Systems has installed thousands of the AutoClassic line of automated minibars throughout North America. As the co-designer of the AutoClassic, Minibar Systems will continue to support all hotels with AutoClassic for the next several years and advises hotels that have the AutoClassic system to call 1-877-464-6422 for immediate technical, operational and spare parts support. Smartcube, a ground-breaking next-generation product from Minibar Systems, combines cutting edge technology, upgradeability, eco-friendly materials, upscale...

DES PLAINES, ILL.—Luxury bedding manufacturer United Feather & Down will introduce SilverFill with X-STATIC: a patent-pending new fill made with X-STATIC silver fibers, during the 2007 International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York, from November 10-13, 2007, booth number 3546. United Feather & Down is the sole manufacturer of pillows, comforters, and mattress pads with X-STATIC, a patented fiber with pure silver permanently bonded to it, delivering natural, permanent protection from odor and bacteria. During the show, considered to be the world’s largest showcase and exchange of industry products, trends and developments, United Feather & Down will...

GERMANTOWN, Md.—Telkonet, Inc., a leading technology solutions provider for broadband networking, end-to-end service support and energy management, announced that its established Preferred Provider Status for the Vantage Hospitality Group, Inc. has been extended to encompass Telkonet’s energy management solution. With Telkonet SmartEnergy, owners of Vantage’s Americas Best Value Inns and Lexington Collection hotels have the opportunity to significantly reduce in-room energy consumption by eliminating the wasteful heating and cooling of unoccupied rooms. In addition, Telkonet offers a comprehensive range of services, including wired and wireless high-speed Internet access (HSIA) and proactive customer support, all managed from a single centralized management...

VANCOUVER, B.C.—JRS Amenities, a market leader in custom and branded amenities, has introduced a luxurious guestroom amenity brand for the hospitality industry—BIODROGA Spa Sensation. This amenity collection offers guests natural and effective substances to achieve a feeling of indulgence and all-round well-being. “For almost two decades, JRS Amenities has equipped the finest hotels, resorts and airlines with some of the most desired items in guestrooms and in-flight kits—brand amenities,” says Susan Howard Memory, president and founder of JRS Amenities. “Guests appreciate the choices properties take to provide exceptional quality amenities, and BIODROGA Spa Sensation offers the ultimate in facial, hair...

DES PLAINES, ILL.—Geberit North America introduces the Geberit Concealed Tank and Carrier System. It gives a bathroom an entirely new dimension by mounting the toilet on the wall instead of the floor—allowing the freedom to create an individual style with installation flexibility. The Geberit System makes it possible to position components in any part of the bathroom, while concealing the functional components. The system’s flexibility and adaptability is also designed for installation ease. Engineered for long life and reliability, the system utilizes a steel frame supporting up to 880 pounds. Using a minimum of standard tools, the system attaches...

MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA—Rheem Water Heating recently became the first industry manufacturer to offer computer software specifically intended for sizing tankless water heaters for residential and commercial installations. Based on the widely used CertiSpec software for Rheem-Ruud commercial water heaters, the new EZ-Spec tankless software application is now available for download at www.rheemtankless.com in the “Products” menu. Simple to use, the new EZ-Spec offers drop-down menus and easy-to-understand fields. The user selects a specific application (single-family home, townhome/apartment; restaurant, school, health club, laundromat, hotel, etc.) from a drop-down menu and then enters relevant sizing data, fuel type, number of hot-water fixtures, input...

SAINT PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc. announced that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Site Controls, LLC, a leading provider of energy management and business intelligence solutions. Under terms of the agreement, Ecolab will make a minority investment in Site Controls and create a joint venture called Total Enterprise Control (TEC), which will focus on providing energy management and remote monitoring solutions to Ecolab’s customers. “Rising operational and energy costs are one of the top concerns of our customers,” says Jim Miller, executive vice president, Ecolab Institutional Sector North America. “We saw in Site Controls the potential to provide a...