CINCINNATI—At this year’s International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show, Procter & Gamble Professional will reiterate its environmental philosophy by showcasing products backed by P&G Professional’s Green Guarantee. According to P&G, the products offer outstanding performance while meeting high standards for human and environmental safety. All P&G products are held to high human and environmental safety, so products such as Febreze Fabric Refresher and Mr. Clean Finished Floor Cleaner can be used in hotels and motels that require green products. These products meet or exceed the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Preferred Purchasing guidelines and the criteria of the GS-37 standard...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Pineapple Hospitality, Saint Charles, Mo., as a sponsor. Pineapple, led by Ray Burger, president, has been providing green products, programs and services to the hospitality industry for more than 10 years. Pineapple’s products include the following: greenSPA amenity and dispenser system, which includes Neutrogena products; Project Planet towel and linen reuse cards; Oxygenics showerheads; NUMI teas; ecorooms program; General Electric lighting products; Guestat thermostats; Wattstopper Motion Sensor Nightlights; Nature’s Mist deodorizer; Hillyard green cleaning products; Preserve recyclable toothbrushes; Oreck vacuums; and the odor-eating Fresh Bulb. “I...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Project Planet Corp. as a Green Product Directory partner. Project Planet is the lodging industry’s leading provider of promotional materials for linen and towel reuse programs. Project Planet’s colorful in-room materials have a significant impact on guest participation. The Dawsonville, Ga.-based company’s materials can be found in more than 5,000 hotels worldwide. Project Planet’s programs reduce energy, water, labor and chemical costs. The company sells a variety of products including pillow toppers, door hangers and more. Go to Project Planet Corp. for more information or...

DUNEDIN, FLA.—For the second consecutive year, Mintek Mobile Data Solutions, a leading provider of turn-key, mobile data solutions, ranks among the top 500 global software and services providers—based on 2005 revenues—according to the October issue of Software Magazine. “We are excited to be included again on this prestigious list,” says Lind Hutton, executive vice president and C.O.O. of Dunedin, Fla.-based Mintek. “We have experienced tremendous growth since launching our business in 1987. That growth has been driven by our focus on understanding the business challenges of our customers and developing unique solutions that meet their needs.” The...

ATLANTA—InterfaceFLOR Commercial introduces TacTiles, a new installation system designed to enhance the flexibility and efficiency of InterfaceFLOR modular carpet. TacTiles are patent-pending 3-by-3 inch adhesive squares made from a chemically inert polymer, the same polymer used to make soda bottles. They are affixed to the backing of adjoining InterfaceFLOR carpet tiles, bonding the tiles to each other to create a “floating floor.” Because TacTiles contain no liquid components, their use virtually eliminates the issue of volatile organic compounds, so they can be installed almost anywhere at any time, even in an occupied space. TacTiles allow installers to...

PISCATAWAY, N.J.—The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced that commercial property owners can potentially enjoy significant tax deductions by making their buildings more energy efficient, and in its Notice, also officially approved Trane’s TRACE 700 software to certify energy savings. Trane’s TRACE 700 software, the first of four programs accepted by the IRS for energy savings certification, enables building owners to translate energy savings into tax deductions. The commercial building deduction, enacted in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, allows taxpayers to deduct the cost of energy efficient property installed in commercial buildings. Buildings that achieve...

MALVERN, PA.—USA Technologies has introduced the EnergyMiser Conversion Program to help vending machine owners and operators nationwide convert their installed vending machines to meet Energy Star requirements. The EnergyMiser Conversion Program is a comprehensive turnkey package of services and technology provided by USA Technologies for bottlers to capitalize on the new Energy Star Refurbishment Program. The announcement comes days after the Environmental Protection Agency announced the Rebuilt Beverage Vending Machine Program under which older and existing machines will be able to qualify for Energy Star eligibility and carry the Energy Star label. “The EPA’s Rebuilt Beverage...

CHICAGO—The International Executive Housekeepers Assn. (IEHA) has honored Stephen Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group, with the 2006 William D. Joyner Achievement Award. The accolade, established in 1998, recognizes an individual considered by the IEHA to have helped the organization grow and who has contributed research, technical assistance, articles in Executive Housekeeping Today magazine and written books or guidelines. The award was presented to Ashkin at the IEHA banquet during the International Sanitary Supply Assn. (ISSA) 2006 convention in Chicago on October 5, 2006. “I feel privileged and thankful to be selected for this award,” Ashkin says....

BOSTON—A new ZigBee wireless environmental automation system is enabling hotels and other facilities to eliminate energy waste and slash energy costs up to 40 percent. Invented by Riga Development, the new WiSuite Environmental Management System uses Ember’s ZigBee wireless networking technology to let property owners automate and control the energy efficiency of every room, without compromising the comfort of occupants. ZigBee is a global wireless industry standard designed for remote monitoring, control and sensor networks. WiSuite yields huge savings by dramatically reducing wasteful electric and fuel consumption of HVAC systems. Because it’s wireless, WiSuite can be retrofitted...

CHICAGO—At the recent ISSA/Interclean trade show in Chicago, Tornado Industries released its Commitment to Environmental Sustainability, establishing the company’s goals when it comes to cleaning, health, and protecting the environment. Tornado, which recently became a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, is an 80-year-old manufacturer of professional carpet and floor care equipment based in Chicago. According to its statement, the company has manufactured and will continue to manufacture products that, “enhance indoor air quality (IAQ), use less water and chemical, create less noise, and contribute to source reduction.” Mike Schaffer, president of Tornado Industries, says...