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...

GRAND ISLAND, N.Y.—Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics (SGTF), a global leader in the manufacture of glass textile wallcoverings as well as a broad line of reinforcement materials for exterior and interior residential and commercial construction, announced that Roos International is now the exclusive distributor of SGTF’s Novelio Paintable Wallcovering in the United States and Canada. Novelio products are easy-to-apply and ready-to-paint professional wallcoverings. Novelio is very durable and provides additional benefits by being mold-resistant, hygienic and fire-proof. The Novelio collection of wallcoverings is available in a large variety of standard and custom designs. Roos International is one of the original pioneers...

VANCOUVER, B.C.—Waste-Not-Basket Inc. has just released a new recycling basket. The plastic baskets are a natural follow-up to a wicker recycling basket first introduced more than 10 years ago by Susan Memory, company president and founder. “We continue to provide a way for hotel guests to divert waste from landfills, pump up employee morale and save properties money,” she says. “And the baskets look nice and are easy to handle.” The baskets are made from a minimum of 80 percent recycled content. Their unique stacking capability makes them streamlined for shipping and transport, so they are low emission delivery...

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—EverGlow, a leading manufacturer of photoluminescent signs and markings, announced that its exit signs and exit path markings are now code compliant throughout the United States. Most local building and fire codes currently allow the replacement of electrical exit signs with photoluminescent exit signs. And increasingly, local and model codes require the use of exit signs above the door and at floor level—excellent applications for the use of both electrical exit signs (above the door) and photoluminescent exit signs (at floor level). Photoluminescent (non-electrical) emergency lighting, in the form of code compliant exit signs and exit path markings, represent...