CLEVELAND, OHIO—Two new lamps from GE Consumer & Industrial—a 7-watt GE Energy Smart LED PAR20 lamp and a 10-watt GE Energy Smart LED PAR30 lamp—enable restaurants, retailers and other commercial customers to make significant strides toward general lighting with white light-emitting diodes (LEDs). These products, available as spots or floods, feature advanced optical control to concentrate the white LED light on the targeted area and effectively diminish wasted extraneous light. “One noticeable technology achievement is the superior beam,” says Gus Lanese, manager of growth initiatives, GE Consumer & Industrial. “It’s a better directed light. Some retailer customers have already purchased...

LAKE ELMO, MINN.—PTAC MAGIC, which specializes in the installation and recycling of Packaged Terminal Air-Conditioning (PTAC) units for hotels and resort properties, announced that it is now offering free pickup of working PTACs to hoteliers across the United States. According to David Triemert, president of the Lake Elmo, Minn.-based company, the majority of PTAC air conditioners that are replaced with new units during hotel renovation projects may still have a useful life. Triemert says he receives a number of phone calls each day, about half from motel operators, who are interested in inexpensive, used PTACs. Triemert tries to source local...

SUNNYVALE, CALIF.—UL Environment Inc. announced it has validated environmental claims for Serious Materials’ new drywall product, EcoRock. This represents the first validation of claims by UL Environment since its launch in January 2009, and the first product in the 115-year history of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) to receive an Environmental Claims Validation. UL Environment is a wholly-owned subsidiary of UL, a world leader in product safety testing services. UL Environment validated Serious Materials’ environmental claims for EcoRock by performing assessments and laboratory tests. An audit was conducted for recycled content, environmental chamber tests were performed to determine volatile organic compound (VOC)...

SAINT-GEORGES, QUEBEC—Victor Group, a leading North American textile company, and a leader in the development of environmentally friendly fabrics, has joined the Sustainable Furnishings Council (SFC) as a Silver Corporate Exemplary Member, earning the distinction of being the first textile manufacturer to join at this level. The Sustainable Furnishings Council is a nonprofit balanced coalition of industry players founded in High Point, N.C., in October 2006 to promote sustainable practices among manufacturers, retailers, and consumers alike. The SFC recognizes the scientific consensus that the world is experiencing global climate change. SFC members acknowledge the tremendous urgency, and take immediate steps...

NASHVILLE—Uniguest, a leading public computer kiosk company, announced that it has joined the EPEAT Partner Reseller Program, to support the hospitality industry with its “green” purchasing decisions. EPEAT (www.epeat.net) is the preeminent environmental ratings system for desktops, laptops and monitors, with 30 manufacturers currently registering a total of 1,141 products in the system. The EPEAT system rates products as Bronze, Silver, or Gold based on a multi-attribute standard (IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products) encompassing 51 environmental performance criteria. “Our customers are seeking environmentally-friendly product choices,” said Shawn Thomas, CEO of Uniguest. “However, most do not...

PHOENIX—On Friday, June 26, Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, located in Dover, Delaware, became the 700th lodging property to complete iStayGreen.org’s online self-audit. The hotel and casino earned a 4 Green Eco-Leaf Rating. The eco-rating allows the public to know the specific environmental initiatives in place at a property. Properties complete the comprehensive online self-audit and earn a Green Eco-Leaf Rating ranging from one to five Eco-Leafs with 5 Green Eco-Leafs being the highest level attainable. Ratings are based on environmental initiatives in place at the property. Only 14 properties have earned the 5 Green Eco-Leaf Rating thus far; eight...

LOUISVILLE, KY.—The design vision of global lifestyle brand Joseph Abboud comes to commercial interiors for the first time with the introduction of a wallcovering collection for Versa. The 14-pattern collection is inspired by Joseph Abboud’s roots in menswear, incorporating tailored details, textures resembling nubby linens, brushed silks and burnished suedes, and designs influenced by glen plaids, paisleys, stripes and damasks. Earthy organic looks also emphasize artisanal, irregular, handcrafted qualities and include interpretations of burled wood, foliage and weathered materials. Made of Type II, 20-ounce vinyl, the collection features deeply embossed 3-D textures and 20 percent recycled content reclaimed and recycled...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Green Lodging News has just added a new case study to its website. The case study focuses on the Nottawsaga Inn Resort in Alliston, Ont., and how it implemented new dehumidification technology from Dectron Internationale to eliminate the challenging eye and lung irritation nuisance of every indoor pool—chloramines. The year-round convention/resort facility 40 miles north of Toronto includes Canada’s first indoor pool facility to use gas-phase air purification—part of its new dehumidifier purchase—to combat chemical odors that are common among natatoriums. Indoor air quality (IAQ) improved quickly and significantly as a result of eliminating chloramines. “Within 48 hours of...

BOYLSTON, MASS.—Restaurants can now run their operations on waste vegetable oil, thanks to the development of Vegawatt from Owl Power Company. This new product enables restaurants to reduce their need for electricity and natural gas supplied from utility companies by using their waste vegetable oil to create electricity and hot water. Owl Power is a developer of clean energy systems and the Massachusetts-based company has been hard at work for the last four years creating, testing, and now unveiling the Vegawatt, a cogeneration system that uses waste vegetable oil as fuel to generate on-site electricity and hot water. “It’s with great...

ALPHARETTA, GA.—The Liberty Hotel, in Cleburne, Texas, has reopened following a refinishing and refurbishment project with The Refinishing Touch. The hotel appointed The Refinishing Touch to preserve and enhance its furniture while preserving the environment. The Refinishing Touch is a leader in on-site, environmentally safe furniture refinishing and reupholstery services. The company enables its 20,000 customers across government, hotel, hospitality and academia to save up to 80 percent of their budgets and maintain environmental sustainability. The Liberty Hotel boasts a range of original and unique features, from its elegant lobby, custom-made chandeliers, original black and white terrazzo flooring, and guestrooms...