ERIE, PA.—Zurn Engineered Water Solutions, a manufacturer of commercial plumbing products, has introduced the HydroVantage sustainable hydro generator flush valve. The HydroVantage flush valve is designed to create energy during each flush cycle. As water passes through the valve, the turbine spins, creating electrical energy which is then stored in a rechargeable cell. This stored energy then powers the electrical needs of the flush valve for subsequent flushes. It eliminates the need for external electrical power or battery replacement for more than 10 years under normal operating conditions. The HydroVantage flush valve provides optimal energy efficiency, low maintenance and ease...

CHICAGO—Technomic, a leading fact-based research firm, recently released findings that outline an overwhelming response from consumers in regard to their green dining expectations. The survey reported consumers displaying strong feelings about how they value the verification of green claims. In addition, those consumers chose which type of certifier or recognizer is most trustworthy in providing green distinctions to restaurants. In the survey findings, 82 percent said they will decrease or stop going to a restaurant that is falsely claiming to be green. Ninety-four percent trust a restaurant’s green claims when they are verified by an organization as being true....

KENNER, LA.—Pellerin Milnor Corporation announces new laundry planning files for prospective customers for all industries, including healthcare, hospitality, athletics, rental, corrections, firefighter and architecture. These comprehensive and complimentary booklets are designed to assist in choosing the right machinery for any facilities’ laundry needs. The Laundry Planning Files include new Milnor installation success stories, washer-extractor capacities worksheets based on linen type, and general guidelines for setting up an on-premises laundry. Call (504) 712-7656 or e-mail mktg@milnor.com for a free laundry planning file. Go to Milnor.

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes room3seven as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. The company offers the new reCollect2 guestroom recycler for hotels and resorts. Made in the United States, it consists of two independent hubs that sit within a decorative set-base. They are easy to use and empty and are made from materials with recycled content. They are non-toxic and BPA-free. “We’ve developed a product that truly stands for something,” says room3seven president Ann Riphenburg. “The reCollect2 was designed for both functionality and high fashion in order to meet and support...

SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS—Is green going mainstream? Travelocity reports green hotel bookings in the first quarter were 65 percent higher than their non-green counterparts. And now the company has formed a relationship with EC3 Global—a certifier of sustainable travel and tourism organizations—to show consumers sustainable hotels throughout Asia-Pacific. Unlike some travel sites, Travelocity does not accept “self-certified” hotels for its Green Hotel Directory. “It’s important that our eco-friendly leaf icon in the hotel shopping path is a symbol consumers can trust,” says Alison Presley, manager of Travelocity’s Travel for Good program. “There is no way to verify that a self-certified hotel is...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Control4, a leader in IP-based home and hospitality control systems, announced that the Control4 platform is being used to enhance the guest experience at the luxurious Elbow Beach Resort in Bermuda. Each of the resort’s 98 guestrooms and suites, situated in secluded cottages scattered across 50 acres of gardens, is now equipped with a Control4 system. Guests use a single Control4 remote and simple, on-screen interface to control the television, Blu-ray player and satellite TV receiver. The hotel can upgrade the ZigBee-based wireless Control4 system with additional capabilities, such as lighting control and energy management, without complex rewiring...

PORTLAND, ORE.—LeanPath announces the introduction of WasteLOGGER, a software solution for food waste tracking that helps any restaurant, hotel, caterer, or foodservice operation prevent, minimize and avoid pre-consumer food waste (which includes overproduction, spoilage, expiration, trim waste). The software runs on existing computers and does not require specialized tracking equipment. WasteLOGGER was previewed at the 2010 National Restaurant Show in Chicago and will be available commercially this summer. Food waste management is a core element of any strategy for sustainable foodservice operations and represents a significant opportunity to enhance efficiency and save resources. “The EPA’s food waste management...

MORROW, GA.—TOTO USA, a leader in premium high-efficiency plumbing products and green manufacturing practices, announced that it has further expanded its sustainable logistics initiatives by adding UPS’s new carbon neutral shipping program to its energy-efficient supply chain. Globally, TOTO is the first major company to do so. Adding UPS’s carbon neutral shipping program to its sustainability practices enables TOTO to offset the carbon dioxide emissions generated by the transport of its small package shipments within the United States. A deciding factor in TOTO’s decision to adopt UPS’s new initiative is the fact that UPS’s carbon neutral shipping program is verified...

NORTH WALPOLE, N.H.—Len-Tex Corporation, a manufacturer of commercial wallcovering, announced that Arc-Com Fabrics, Inc. of Orangeburg, N.Y., has been named as a new sales partner for its Surface iQ PVC-free wallcoverings. Arc-Com is now the third channel partner representing this vinyl alternative, joining Carnegie Fabrics of Rockville Center, N.Y., and MDC Wallcoverings of Elk Grove, Ill. The new partnership will allow expanded market presence for the Surface iQ product line, broaden its availability to the A&D community and provide more options for sustainable design solutions. “We’re very pleased to establish this new partnership with Arc-Com,” said Don Lennon, president...

MONTREAL—The Circul-Aire subsidiary of Dectron Internationale, Roswell, Ga., has introduced Circulaire Cleanaire, efficient and sustainable gas-phase air filtration media for removing chemical odors and airborne gaseous contaminants in industrial complexes, laboratories, office buildings, healthcare facilities, schools, hotels, museums, and other commercial buildings where indoor air quality (IAQ) is critical. The Circulaire Cleanaire proprietary process produces a randomly-shaped, coarse-surfaced, granular media resulting in multi-faceted macro surface adsorption capacity that’s superior to the industry’s conventional smooth-surfaced and symmetrically-shaped media pellets. Each granule’s rough surface increases contact and adsorption with air stream gaseous contaminants, thus creating a more efficient and adsorbent...