LOS ANGELES— Bentley Prince Street recently launched an innovative simulation technology system, named the “Zoom Room,” in its newly opened Chicago showroom during the NeoCon World’s Trade Fair. Developed by Tricycle, this 3D visualization tool provides customers with instantaneous life-sized recreations of custom color carpet products in an actual room environment, providing an effective design tool with significant environmental benefits. The Zoom Room meets today’s designers’ needs for technology-driven visualization to speed up and assist in their design and specification process. It also reduces environmental impact by decreasing sample production, preserving non-renewable resources and reducing landfill waste. ...

FRANKLIN PARK, ILL.—Sloan Valve Co. has expanded its Guildmark Collection with a new palate of bold, decorative finishes for select sensor-operated faucets and manual Flushometers. The broadened array of finishes, which come with either satin or polished coatings, includes fresh, contemporary colors such as Verdi (green) and Coco Bronze, in addition to classic favorites such as Nickel and Brass. New choices include Satin Copper, Polished Copper and Black finishes in the Powder Coated collection, as well as Antique Bronze, Coco Bronze and Verdi in the Vintage collection. These finishes fit the décor of restrooms in all types of...

HOLIDAY ISLAND, ARK.—Better Living, a manufacturing company based in northwest Arkansas, has introduced a line of Sun Aire purifiers. They incorporate custom UVC dual-frequency lamp technology and a lifetime/washable 0.5 micron pre-filter to save the lodging industry up to 50 percent in housekeeping time. Using a patented cool, safe, photon process just like sunlight, Sun Aire purifiers can be taken into a guestroom and run while housekeepers do their chores. Unlike ozone machines that need to be run while the room is unoccupied, Sun Aire purifiers do not produce anything harmful while eliminating airborne smoke/pet/ammonia odors, bacteria and...

GUILFORD, MAINE—Interface Fabrics, a leader in textile manufacturing, announces that its Terratex family of environmental textiles will now be available to meet a growing need for green products in the hospitality market. Introduced in 1996, Terratex has deeply penetrated the corporate market with its branded family of environmental textiles. Terratex fabrics are made from 100 percent recycled and/or renewable materials and are sold through jobbers, furniture manufacturers and re-manufacturers in the commercial interiors industry. “Hotels and resorts, feeling an increased corporate responsibility to preserve the beautiful places in which they are located, are also realizing that sustainable practices...

SAINT CHARLES, MO.—In less than half a year, FreshStay—lodging’s fastest-growing online network of smoke-free properties—has united 247 nonsmoking hospitality establishments located in 192 cities in nine nations. Most recently, FreshStay welcomed the 21c Museum Hotel as a member—making Kentucky the 48th state to join the FreshStay organization. “Now that the 21c Museum Hotel—a one-of-a-kind boutique property in Louisville featuring original artwork throughout it—has joined FreshStay, our members represent 48 of the 50 states,” says Ray Burger, founder of FreshStay. “Once smoke-free properties in Arkansas and Mississippi join our online union—and we’re working on those two now—we’ll have a...

MENOMONEE FALLS, WI.—Alto-Shaam has introduced the new Platinum Series ASC-2E half-size convection oven. With a capacity of nine half-size sheet pans, this model features solid welded construction, porcelain enamel interior and is equipped with 4-inch, heavy-duty equipment legs or an optional oven stand. The oven includes a solid stainless steel door with a double pane thermal window. The controlled velocity of convected air also helps prevent product damage from high-velocity air movement. The oven is also available with a standard manual control or an optional electronic control. Go to Alto-Shaam for more information.

DUNEDIN, FLA.—Leveraging the power of the Internet, sophisticated handheld technology and its own innovative software, Mintek Mobile Data Solutions is helping to change the way some of the world’s leading hotel companies manage their assets. At the core of the Dunedin, Fla.-based company’s solutions is its Lodging Asset Management Suite—WinTrack PM, Maintenance Portal, Asset Director, Work Order Kiosk and Alerts. “Increasingly, hotel and management companies are recognizing the potential savings possible through implementation of a comprehensive, automated asset management plan,” says Mark Sokol, director of product marketing for Mintek. “Some of the most important benefits include extended asset...

MENOMONEE FALLS, WI—Alto-Shaam announces the introduction of a new gas fryer featuring a heat exchanger system that provides a maximum 94 percent level of efficiency to reduce connected gas demand. The heat exchanger design delivers a more rapid recovery of oil temperatures for the shortest possible cooking times even when frying the heaviest loads. The fryer includes a programmable, solid state control, a built-in oil filtration system with a reusable filter, and a heavy-duty 1/2 hp pump with front access reset. The high volume gas fryer has a 75-pound oil capacity and dual basket auto-lift system. Go to...

ONTARIO, CANADA—The EcoLogo Program, formerly known as the Environmental Choice Program, has instituted a new Fraud Advisory service to help purchasers—government, business, as well as consumers—make sure the products they select are indeed green. The advisory, which has been added to the organization’s Web site, www.ecologo.org, will list manufacturers and products falsely claiming product certification and bearing the organization’s EcoLogo label. The EcoLogo is one of North America’s most widely recognized environmental certification labels. “This is an important step not only to protect consumers and the EcoLogo but to protect the green movement,” says Scott McDougall, president...

LOS ANGELES—McGraw-Hill Construction has launched a new magazine dedicated to the growing market for environmentally responsible green buildings. “GreenSource, The Magazine of Sustainable Design” will present news, features, case studies of important projects, and green product information to more than 40,000 architects, interior designers, building owners, and members of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). McGraw-Hill Construction editors will collaborate on GreenSource and the related Web site with editors from BuildingGreen Inc.—an information company that provides green product information and policy analysis for building industry professionals and policy makers. BuildingGreen editors will assist with editorial content, green product...