CARLISLE, PA.—Carlisle Energy Services, a newly formed division of Carlisle Construction Materials and a leading manufacturer of energy-efficient single-ply roofing systems, announced it has signed a long-term sales contract worth up to $320 million with Solyndra, Inc., a manufacturer of proprietary photovoltaic (PV) systems designed to optimize solar electricity production on commercial rooftops. The multi-year sales contract adds to Solyndra’s previously announced order backlog. The solar panels for these contracts will be manufactured at Solyndra’s facilities in Fremont and Milpitas, Calif. According to John Altmeyer, CEO of Carlisle Construction Materials, “The Solyndra PV system is a natural fit for our...

ANN ARBOR, MICH.—NSF International Strategic Registrations (NSF-ISR), a North American leader in management systems registrations, announced it has obtained Greenhouse Gas (GHG) accreditation from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). NSF-ISR is one of seven verification bodies to receive approval in ANSI’s pilot program to accredit GHG verification bodies. The accreditation confirms that the GHG verifications performed by NSF-ISR are conducted to U.S. and international standards. GHG verification provides assurance that GHG emissions and removals are properly accounted for in organizational inventories. “This accreditation from ANSI demonstrates NSF’s commitment to providing clients with the services they need...

BOULDER, COLO.—Sustainable Travel International, a leader in sustainable development and responsible tourism initiatives, released the first edition of its “Best Practices in Travel Philanthropy” tour operators and accommodation manuals which feature notable philanthropic initiatives worldwide. “With this release, travel and tourism companies share insights into their philanthropic initiatives, including success factors, benefits, challenges and lessons learned in providing giving back programs,” said Brian T. Mullis, president of Sustainable Travel International. “Consumer awareness with regard to the need to address environmental and social concerns is growing, and the travel industry may easily be at the forefront of this growing movement....

TRINITY, N.C.—Sealy Global Hospitality, one of the world’s leading hospitality mattress manufacturers, has created a new line of Sealy Posturepedic sleep systems with convertible pillowtops. They were created specifically for hospitality environments looking to balance the demand from customers for greener practices without compromising cost or comfort. While conventional pillowtops cannot be detatched from mattresses, the innovative reversible pillowtop on the Sealy Posturepedic Convertible Collection mattress has been engineered to be easily removed, rotated or replaced by a single person using VELCRO brand fasteners, which adhere the pillowtop to the mattress’ core. Rotating and inverting the pillowtop allows for four...

BOSTON—Ember, a leading provider of low-power wireless mesh networking systems, will end 2008 with a flourish, setting company records for product shipments and revenue. Building on the foundation from the previous year, Ember has shipped a record quantity of its ZigBee/802.15.4 semiconductors in 2008, more than all the previous years combined. This achievement reflects its position as a leading vendor of ZigBee technology. It also validates the market acceptance of ZigBee as the wireless standard of choice for sensor and control networks, particularly for applications impacting energy management such as smart metering, as well as in home control and...

NEWPORT NEWS, VA.—Ferguson, the country’s largest wholesale distributor of plumbing supplies, launches “National Green Month,” which will run the entire month of January, nationwide. The program highlights Ferguson’s extensive offering of green products, as well as Ferguson’s showroom consultants’ in-depth product knowledge. “Our objective is to be the premier provider of green solutions,” said Gail Kaufman, Wolseley North America’s director of green business and customer programs. “Through our expansive product offerings, to our industry expertise, our associates are committed to helping customers make small steps to help the environment.” Ferguson sells a broad range of green products across several categories that...

MIAMI—Cambean Hospitality, a Miami Beach-based hospitality group that owns and manages four boutique hotel properties in the South Beach area, has announced the selection of Plan A Public Relations & Marketing, Inc. to manage their marketing and communications activities. Plan A will be responsible for increasing exposure and building brand recognition for Cambean Hospitality and their properties, as well as the re-launch of the historic Clifton South Beach as a green hotel in early 2009. “Cambean Hospitality has built a solid reputation for excellence in owning and managing four exclusive properties in the Miami Beach area,” stated Brian Scheinblum, president...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Valley Forge Fabrics has appointed Kimberly Roeser vice president of the company’s worldwide sales force. Kimberly’s successful career in hospitality spans 20 years and includes a consistent focus on design and quality. After graduating from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science degree, Kimberly became a published residential designer for Worells Interiors of Palm Beach, Fla. Kimberly merged her love for high design with her innate ability to communicate well when she changed her career path and went to work for Bamboo Abbott. Her role included selling decorative window blinds as well as private label items. It...

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—Traulsen’s line of refrigerators and freezers—the G-Series—is expanding its product line to include hot-food holding cabinets. The affordable price and proven reliability mean higher value and lower total cost of ownership. The new Energy Star qualified G-Series hot-food holding cabinets, which include one- and two-section reach-in and pass-thru configurations, save energy and allow for a smaller environmental footprint. “Particularly in tougher economic times, Traulsen’s G-Series provides excellent value for foodservice operators and growing chains striving to drive down costs while maintaining quality, and the hot-food holding cabinet is no exception in delivering on this expectation,” said John Davis,...

MINNEAPOLIS—New McQuay scroll-compressor Templifier water heaters reduce energy costs by recovering waste heat and making it available for space heating and domestic hot water. Ideal for hotels, McQuay Templifier units with scroll compressors range from 500 to 3,000 MBh and can heat water up to 160° F (71° C) compared to 140° F for competitive units. The Templifier’s hermetic scroll compressors feature low sound levels for quiet operation and use R-134a refrigerant, which has no ozone-depletion potential or phase-out schedule. The McQuay Open Choices control feature allows easy integration with the building automation system of choice using BACnet, LonTalk...