BOSTON—The Mohawk Group is shaving weeks off the environmental product specification process for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) with its new LEED PLUS Calculator. It was unveiled at the 2008 U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Greenbuild International Conference and Expo (Greenbuild) November 19 to 21 in Boston. Powered by ecoScorecard from Viridity Inc., the LEED PLUS Calculator is a Web-based tool that allows users to search building products and calculate the USGBC’s LEED points, along with several other industry environmental ratings, in minutes. “We understand the design community has a plethora of green building product options, but...

BOSTON—The Seaport Hotel announced the implementation of an innovative, chlorine-reducing water treatment system to its indoor pool, making Seaport the first hotel in the United States to utilize this green technology. “At Seaport, we believe in providing guests with a safe and healthy, luxury experience while minimizing our impact on the environment,” said Matthew V. Moore, Seaport director of rooms and environmental programs. “With that in mind, the latest addition to our property’s extensive green program will reduce our use of chemicals and provide a superior pool experience.” Indoor pools, such as Seaport’s, especially benefit from this system provided by Grander...

LAGRANGE, GA.—Milliken Hospitality announced that all of its carpet collections—broadloom and modular—are now certified to the NSF/ANSI 140-2007 Sustainable Carpet Assessment Standard. All collections also achieved carbon neutral certification from the Leonardo Academy without purchased credits. “Milliken Hospitality has made a commitment to certify all carpet products without exception and meet the highest environmental standards for this industry,” said Bill Gregory, Milliken’s director of sustainability. Milliken carpet collections attain carbon neutral certification from the Leonardo Academy with credits earned internally from reduced emissions and forest sequestration. Customers for modular products have the option of ES backing with NSF-140 Gold...

MONTVALE, N.J.—BioHitech’s high-volume organic waste decomposition technology, launched earlier this year, received the award for Innovation in Green Technology at this year’s International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show. The company’s GOHBio 1001 Series was recognized. The decomposition unit, which is energy efficient and made of stainless steel, breaks down food waste into a liquid within 24 hours; enabling it to be safely disposed of down the drain. Resultantly, greenhouse gases are reduced, landfill space and fuel are preserved, and ultimately, dependency on fossil fuels and other foreign oil sources declines. Additionally, overall costs associated with work flow efficiencies, janitorial supplies and...

DAVIE, FLA.—With both the environment and the economy weighing heavily on most hotel owner/operators today, the timing is ideal for the introduction of a new air-conditioning process that not only eliminates wasted energy usage but also results in better indoor air quality. This treatment process is being introduced by ChemTron, an industry leader in providing energy efficiency. One of the best ideas for quick cost savings is cleaning and maintaining air conditioners. Air-conditioning represents 50 to 70 percent of a hotel’s total utility bill. ChemTron has been working for 20 years to perfect a cleaning process that makes money for...

LOS ANGELES—The California Integrated Waste Management Board has chosen carpet manufacturer Bentley Prince Street, Inc. as the recipient of the 2008 CalRecycle Sustainable Business Award. The award is the highest honor from the Board’s annual Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP), and honors a business that has taken extraordinary measures to reduce waste by cutting the amount of trash it produces, conserving resources and reducing waste disposal in landfills. “As California’s largest commercial carpet manufacturer, we believe we have a responsibility to help move our state toward a zero-waste future as we work toward our Mission Zero goal of eliminating our...

SHEFFIELD, MASS.—Cypress Hotel & Spa, a leading designer and manufacturer of luxury bathrobes, towels, slippers, and sheets for the hospitality and spa industry for more than 25 years, introduced its exclusive new MicroCotton Green EarthTM towels to the spa market during the 2008 ISPA Conference & Expo. The conference was held earlier this month in Las Vegas. The MicroCotton Green Earth towel is engineered to maximize absorbency, durability and eco-conservation. They are made from super-fine, Extra-Long Staple (ELS) cotton; a variety of cotton known for its sustainable consumption and also recognized worldwide for its superior softness. Green Earth towels are...

ASHLAND CITY, TENN.—In its October issue, Consulting-Specifying Engineer (CSE)—a monthly publication with a circulation of more than 46,000 mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers—named A. O. Smith’s Cyclone Xi commercial water heater as a gold winner in its 2008 Product of the Year competition. “Competition was fierce this year; the judges had a hard time narrowing the finalists down to three for each category,” said Jim Langhenry, CSE publisher. “We take this as a sign that manufacturers are investing more in new-product R&D, which is a huge win for the building industry and the environment.” The innovative design of the Cyclone Xi...

BOSTON—The Turkish Towel Co. has introduced a new line of certified organic towels to help American hotels, spas and consumers opt for a more Earth-friendly option. In fact, two luxury boutique hotels opening in the spring have already placed orders to ensure their guests have plush towels that do not have a negative impact on the environment. Cotton uses approximately 25 percent of the world’s insecticides and, according to a recent study, is responsible for approximately 16 percent of global pesticides—more than any other crop. As consumers look for greener products, the hotel and spa industry will have to change...

NEW YORK—Business Technology Partners (BTP), a premiere New York City-based IT consulting and managed services firm, announced a strategic relationship with Control4, a leader in IP-based, ZigBee wireless control, automation, and entertainment systems. The relationship enables the companies to provide a complete end-to-end solution, including technology design and integration of entertainment and control systems for hotels and mixed-use commercial developments. The implementation of Control4 technology enhances the hotel guest experience by providing luxury, convenience, and enhanced services options. Through the use of a single remote, hotel guests will be able to operate the television and entertainment options, call room...