DALLAS—The fastest, easiest path to reducing an organization’s operational costs is to upgrade its buildings’ HVAC systems. Improvements to commercial heating, cooling and ventilation equipment provide both immediate and long-term benefits, including lower energy bills, fewer service calls and less downtime. These savings can be significant, but the key to achieving them is system verification—proof that the system is providing the benefits it was designed for and working the way it should. Lennox Industries presents five steps below—any of which can reduce operational costs painlessly. Taken together, all five will control operational costs dramatically for now and for years to...

SEATTLE—GreenExpo365.com, an online resource center and virtual hub for the green building and design community, is now an approved education provider for the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Continuing Education System (CES). This makes it easier for design professionals to earn AIA credits on sustainable practice in one easy-to-access location. Interested participants can visit the GreenExpo365.com Launch Pad to view a course catalog of on-demand, AIA-registered presentations from green insiders such as best-selling author and architect Sarah Susanka, architect Peter Pfeiffer, the NAHB Research Center, and other industry experts. The site also includes a schedule of upcoming “live” AIA-registered presentations...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes DECONGREEN INC. as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. The company’s protocol to eradicate bed bugs is EPA registered, non-toxic, and kills on contact. DECONGREEN also offers a solution for bacteria-caused odors—destroying the bacteria on contact. Mold, smoke damage, viruses and fungi can also be treated with DECONGREEN products.For more information, e-mail greg@decongreeninc.com, call (877) 293-3266, ext. 1, or go to www.decongreeninc.com.

KEMP, TEXAS—Larson Electronics’ magnalight.com announced the addition of the SPLED-5 solar powered area light with rechargeable 12 hour run time battery. The SPLED-5 LED light can be surface mounted or affixed to a pole or rail. The 8 watt solar panel powers a 5 watt LED light that dims and brightens automatically based on an integrated motion detector. An integrated day and night sensor will trigger the light to come on in dim mode once the ambient light reaches a low lumens threshold, like late evening or dusk.Featuring a motion detector and low light sensor, the SPLED-5 solar powered...

SAN DIEGO—In this new age of evolving plug-and-play appliances, electronics, and even automobiles, NOVI Industries, Inc. is innovating traditional bathroom construction methods by manufacturing custom-built, prefabricated modular bathrooms with the introduction of InoviaPods.  InoviaPods are manufactured off-site with efficient quality control procedures, strict health and safety standards and built using environmentally-friendly materials such as light-gauge steel framing and magnesium-oxide board sheathing. These major structural components have several advantages: fire proofing; and resistant to water infiltration, pests, mold and mildew, as well as seismic activities. They are completely non-toxic materials. Built to clients’ specifications and needs such as size, layout, finishes,...

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—Dr. Diana Driscoll, CEO of Keller, Texas-based Ridgeline Hospitality LLC, spoke at the recent annual Midwest Lodging Investors Summit in Chicago, rolling out her four-tiered program for “green” assistance for hotels owners and operators. The session entitled, “Is Green Still Relevant?”, included an in-depth look at the cost of “going green” in a difficult economy. Jonathan F. Douglas, AIA and managing principal of VOA Associates, Inc., served as moderator of the panel and Nicholas G. Rumanes, vice president of development of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., served as co-panelist. Because much of the hospitality segment has suffered in the...

LONDON—Expedia Affiliate Network (EAN), a dedicated division within Expedia Inc. focused on co-branded and private label partnerships, recently launched a new website and charity program, TravelRelief.org, where at least 8 percent of the hotel booking price will be donated to participating charitable organizations. If a customer books a hotel at the total price of $300, there is a $24 donation per transaction on TravelRelief.org to a customer selected charity. The TravelRelief program is co-branded with Hotels.com, a subsidiary of Expedia Inc. “TravelRelief was designed to provide nonprofits with a way to convert moral support into funds that can help make...

VERO BEACH, FLA.—Kimpton’s oceanfront Vero Beach Hotel & Spa announced its receipt of the Environmental Certification-Silver by Green Seal (GS-33), a nonprofit organization that uses science-based standards to measure sustainability. Located on South Florida’s Treasure Coast, the Vero Beach Hotel & Spa is the first of only two hotel properties in Florida to be certified Silver by Green Seal. An endeavor that required an extensive time commitment and many operational changes on behalf of the hotel, the Silver level certification is the second among three levels of environmental achievement recognized by the GS-33 standard and signifies that a property...

TROY, OHIO—Hobart has launched Advansys, an advanced warewashing system. Advansys technology includes innovations that save operators time and money, makes the equipment easier to maintain and service, and improves productivity. The first product available in the Advansys line is Hobart’s new Advansys Ventless Door Type, which was introduced earlier this year as the AM Select Ventless warewasher. The unit is a recipient of this year’s National Restaurant Association Kitchen Innovations award, which recognizes groundbreaking foodservice equipment as selected by an independent panel of experts and received the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) Product of the Year award for 2010. The patent-pending...

BOULDER, COLO.—HOMER Energy has designated Sustainable Travel International (STI) as its exclusive partner in the marketing of HOMER software and services to the travel and tourism industry. As part of the arrangement, STI will offer HOMER software and services to its global network and membership at preferred rates. In return, HOMER Energy will partner with STI on renewable energy projects in destinations around the world. HOMER Energy modeling software helps users plan power systems that combine renewable energy with storage or conventional backup. Some resorts operate off the grid while others use backup diesel engines to cope with power interruptions...