HOUSTON—In an effort to even further reduce their carbon footprint, Hilton Americas-Houston, the city’s largest hotel and first Green Seal certified hotel in Texas, is now even greener with the installation of the AquaRecycle water recycling system in the hotel’s laundry. The laundry facility, covering 27,000 square feet and rivaling most commercial laundry plants in both size and capacity, is by far the largest hotel laundry in the city, washing and finishing more than 675,000 pounds of linens per month. The two Lavatec tunnel washers wash 100 pounds of linens every two and half minutes, with a maximum working capacity...

ATLANTA—Simmons Bedding Company announced that all of the polyurethane foams in the company’s mattress lines have earned the CertiPUR-US certification seal, verifying that the foams are low-VOC and free from ozone-depleting CFCs. The certified foam products are made without PBDE fire retardants, lead, mercury, formaldehyde, prohibited phthalates and other potentially harmful materials. Simmons played an instrumental role in facilitating the CertiPUR-US certification process for each of its foam suppliers, encouraging them to achieve the certification as a way to address growing consumer concerns about the safety of polyurethane foams. “Consumers today are paying very close attention to what’s inside...

GREENSBORO, N.C.—Columbia Forest Products was named a 2010 Corporate Sustainable Standard-Setter by the Rainforest Alliance at the organization’s gala dinner and awards ceremony on May 12 in New York City. The honor recognizes companies that have worked with the Rainforest Alliance and exhibited outstanding leadership in efforts to promote sustainability. “Columbia Forest Products is one of those companies that truly understands the principles of sustainability, integrating them into the core of its business practices,” said Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance. “We consider the company to be a leader in its field.” Columbia is one of North America’s...

AURORA, OHIO—TCP, Inc., a leader in compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) manufacturing and technology, introduces a new fully dimmable CFL product line incorporating a patent-pending high performance CFL ballast design that features proprietary NXP GreenChip power management IC chip technology. This new design approach, dubbed TruDim Technology, results in a CFL with smoother full range dimming performance from 100 percent down to one percent. The dimming curve is designed to more accurately match the human eye’s reactions, which is more pleasing to the end-user. “In the past, customers have had to put up with dimming CFLs that don’t dim...

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Telkonet, Inc. announced that the SmartEnergy system has been chosen as a component of a utility rebate and incentive program administered by Conservation Services Group, Inc. The Premium Efficiency Cooling Program will provide incentives to participating contractors and lodging properties to install Telkonet SmartEnergy on heating and cooling equipment in the greater San Diego County area and in limited areas in southern Orange County. With typical HVAC run time savings of 30 percent, hotel and motel operators can reduce energy costs, advance green initiatives, and improve guest comfort with Telkonet’s energy management controllers and occupancy sensors. The Premium Efficiency...

NORTH OLMSTED, OHIO—Moen Incorporated’s Commercial Division introduces M•Power, a full line of sensor-operated flush valves featuring durability, water savings and sanitary protection for commercial restrooms. The M•Power line offers a number of options, including standard flow, high efficiency, dual flush and pint flush models. All M•Power flush valves require little or no maintenance, offering lower lifetime costs for a facility. As an added benefit, installing Moen’s M•Power flush valves contributes to a building’s eligibility to obtain LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification, earning the building up to two points in the Water Use Reduction category. “M•Power...

DALLAS—Two proven ecopreneurs and ecological advocates have launched CompostMania.com, a comprehensive online destination for all things composting, including state-of-the-art products and educational resources for beginners to seasoned composters. “CompostMania.com provides composting products for the most advanced gardener to families who want to start teaching their children about the importance of being good stewards of the environment,” said CompostMania.com founder and CEO Robert Olivier. “Our goal at CompostMania.com is to encourage consumers to reconnect with their local ecosystem through composting and organic gardening, which will promote the Earth’s natural lifecycle.” CompostMania.com offers composting, gardening and water harvesting products. Specialty indoor...

LAS VEGAS—Royal Philips Electronics has unveiled its 12-watt EnduraLED light bulb, an LED replacement for a 60-watt incandescent light bulb. Shown for the first time at the Lightfair International trade show, it marks an important breakthrough in the use of LED lighting technology in everyday applications. The bulb will deliver up to 80 percent energy savings and last 25 times longer than its century-old predecessor. The significance of developing an LED equivalent to the 60-watt has been recognized by many international organizations, including the U.S. Department of Energy, which created the L-prize competition to spur development of this highly sought...

NEW YORK—The new Everywhere pattern, from the All Spaces collection by Sina Pearson Textiles, is made of 100 percent polyurethane, is available in a wide variety of colors, and offers enhanced durability, germ resistance and easy cleanability. Everywhere’s 20 solid colors, ranging from cool neutrals, earth tones to vivid brights, won’t fade in sunlight, and stay cool to the touch even in the hottest temperatures. The polyurethane incorporates Cleangene technology and is easily cleanable. It offers anti-microbial, anti-bacterial and mildew resistant properties. And, with an abrasion resistance test result of one million double rubs, and the most stringent standards for...

EAST LONGMEADOW, MASS.—Made in USA Certified, Inc., a leader in independent, third party assurance verification for genuine Made in USA products, announced that the XLERATOR line of high-speed, energy-efficient hand dryers have been granted the Made in USA Certified Seal of Certification. The American made XLERATOR is the only hand dryer that is MADE IN USA CERTIFIED, working in compliance with the Buy American provision of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), which ensures that stimulus money continues to support American innovation and manufacturing while restoring and renovating federal facilities into high-performance, green buildings. Unlike conventional hand dryers’ 30 to...