DALLAS—Matt Mladenka, director of marketing and sales for East Teak Fine Hardwoods, Inc., recently passed the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Associate accreditation exam. The accreditation will help Mladenka—who is the first person on East Teak’s staff to earn the credential—to consult with architects, designers and contractors in applying potential LEED credits. “As sustainable practices become increasingly important in the construction industry, it is imperative that our staff is knowledgeable not only about our green product line, but green building practices in general,” Mladenka said. “The ability to discuss the entire building process,...

CANTON, MASS.—Pro-Link, Inc., a jansan marketing and buying group, has introduced a new line of cleaning chemicals called BioLink that are biobased and certified green. Biobased chemicals are made with natural, renewable resources such as soybeans, coconuts, and corn. However, the new product line takes sustainability a step further, meeting or exceeding the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) BioPreferred program’s minimum for biocontent. In addition, they have been formulated in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Design for the Environment (DfE) formulation initiative. According to Diane Mahana, marketing manager for Pro-Link, the new line will be...

WINCHESTER, VA.—Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP), a leader in innovative facility maintenance solutions, announces a new concept in cleaning. The DVAC 1 Pass Cleaning Solution combines multiple cleaning tasks into one to reduce non-productive labor time. The award-winning DVAC 1 Pass Cleaning Solution is a dolly-integrated vacuum that allows cleaning professionals to collect waste and recycling, dust, and vacuum in a single pass, optimizing both productivity and cleaning quality. “Direct labor is responsible for more than 60 percent of the overall costs of contract cleaners, so products that increase worker productivity have a tremendous impact on their bottom line,” said...

ALBUQUERQUE—American Clay Enterprises has introduced an addition to its line of natural, sustainable and healthy plasters for interior walls and ceilings. The product is lime putty. It can be used for gauging, or adding to, American Clay’s Earth Plasters and also mixed to make limewash. One primary element that makes American Clay lime products uniquely more sustainable—and LEED friendly—than most lime putty used in the United States is that the lime is U.S. sourced. The lime putty was previewed at Greenbuild International Expo in November in Phoenix. American Clay has long wanted a U.S.-made Lime Putty to augment the breadth...

PORTLAND, ORE.—The Hilton Portland & Executive Tower announced that the property has been certified under the Green Key Eco-Rating Program. The Hilton was awarded four Keys on a scale of five Keys, and is the first hospitality property in Oregon to receive this designation. This rating is based on the Hilton having mature sustainability programs in place that involve management, employees, guests, and the public, and which have shown substantial and measurable results. Designed specifically for hotel operations, the Green Key Eco-Rating Program is a comprehensive environmental audit that is self-administered by the staff at the participating property, covering a...

FAIRFIELD, N.J.—Green & Black’s Organic chocolate, a division of Cadbury, is now offering an individually wrapped chocolate disc specifically designed for the hospitality and food service industries—thanks to Strategic Green Incentives, a division of NouveautesUSA, Inc. In addition to the chocolate amenity, Strategic Green Incentives has designed a Towel Reuse Program with Green & Black’s Organic chocolate. Strategic Green Incentives is focused on creating programs that prompt travelers to participate. Customized and co-branded tent cards and postcards distributed with Green & Black’s Organic chocolate carry the message that supports a property’s sustainability initiative while reducing water and energy costs. Distributed...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Green Lodging News has just added a new case study to its website. The case study focuses on the LEED-certified Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg’s new laundry operations that include two Continental Girbau 55-pound capacity soft-mount washer-extractors, each with an ozone system, and three Continental Girbau 75-pound capacity high-efficiency drying tumblers. Jeff Large of Laundry Systems of Tennessee worked closely with the Hilton Garden Inn to design the on-premise laundry. Over the next five years, the new equipment is expected to save more than $60,000. “The laundry will pay for itself in 48 months,” Large says. “Right now, everyone wants...

ALPHARETTA, GA.—The Refinishing Touch, a specialist in environmentally safe and sustainable on-site furniture refinishing, upholstery and armoire modifications, has launched a government-approved television recycling program that will reduce the amount of electronic waste created by its customer organizations during furniture remodeling projects. The Refinishing Touch has experience gained from working with some of the largest organizations in the country, from hotel chains such as Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, Wyndham and Starwood to government organizations such as The White House, U.S. Congress, Department of Defense, U.S. military forces, and the U.S. Coastguard. In recent years, several hotel chains have commissioned The...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Energy Eye as a Founding Sponsor. Founded in 2001, Energy Eye’s HVAC energy management systems have been successfully used to control all types of heating and air-conditioning systems—driving immediate, day one cash-flow positive investments to hoteliers worldwide. The company’s EYEPOWER Solution is currently being used by hotels and resorts ranging from under 30 rooms to more than 600 rooms, across the United States, as well as in Mexico, the Caribbean, Australia, Asia and the Middle East. The EYEPOWER solution has been installed in many property types, including limited...

MOONACHIE, N.J.—BULBRITE introduces dimmable compact fluorescents (CFLs) featuring the new Coil, R30 and R40. BULBRITE is a leading supplier of energy-efficient light source solutions and an educational resource for lamping technology. BULBRITE dimmable Coil, R30 and R40 CFLs are ideal for use with portable lamps, recessed and track task lighting. The dimmable CFLs offer a savings of up to 77 percent in energy costs. Producing a warm white light, the bulbs offer a continuous smooth dimming down to 20 percent lumen output and work with most incandescent dimmers. They have a minimum starting temperature of 0 degrees F. Integrated...