FRESNO, CALIF.—Jain Irrigation, Inc., a world leader in irrigation technology, announces the general availability release of JAIN Unity, an automatic irrigation control system and environmental data services platform. Unity is the first-ever smart irrigation solution for landscape management fully powered by artificial intelligence and predictive analytics. Jain Unity gives users (contractors, water managers, home and building owners) direct access to view how much water the plants in their landscape requires, along with real-time visibility to the efficiency of their irrigation system for eliminating water waste. Arcadis and Bluefield Research recently released a report that is projecting over 36 percent...

I spoke with Kristen Pryor this past week. Kristen is the general manager of the LEED Silver Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley in Colorado. She has been General Manager of the 240-room property for almost five years and has overseen many of the property’s green initiatives. Several of the hotel’s programs caught my attention—some because of their uniqueness and others because they address issues that many of you are currently facing. First, the resort is in the process of phasing out all single-use plastic bottles. This will be done by May 1. No longer will plastic water...

MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS.—Bradley Corp., an industry leader in providing state-of-the-art hand washing solutions, introduces a new line of matching Verge soap dispensers and faucets. These complete sets offer cohesive and striking designs that further enhance the sophisticated look of Verge washbasins and work seamlessly with any other basin. With advanced sensing technology for reliability and durability, the Verge soap and faucet pairs come in four styles and six finishes. “Specifying the Verge family of soap dispensers and faucets harmonizes designers’ looks and adds a beautiful and unified design element to washbasins,” says Laura Stang, Senior Product and Portfolio Manager, Bradley Corp....

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., a global leader in water, food safety and public health technologies and services, has been named to the Water Security List, with an A rating by CDP, the nonprofit global environmental disclosure platform. This year’s CDP Water Security A List recognized 71 companies globally for their sustainable water management initiatives. “Ecolab’s inclusion on the A List is recognition of our work to advance sustainable and strategic water management with our customers and in our own operations,” said Emilio Tenuta, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ecolab. “As we enter this new decade, we are expanding our capabilities to...

NATIONAL REPORT—Advancements in textile technology are making it easier for hoteliers to incorporate towels and robes into a property’s sustainability program—product that requires less water and detergent to wash and less time to dry. The textile fiber type can vary but suppliers are currently offering material ranging from Extra Long Staple (ELS) cotton, to microfibers derived from plastic bottles, to TENCEL+Plus Lyocell derived from eucalyptus and other botanicals. In just the last few months, Majestic International began selling earthright towels and robes made from ELS cotton. According to Wendy Thompson, President, Majestic International, towels come in bath mat, wash cloth,...

MINNEAPOLIS—When it rains on the 1.6 million square foot Minneapolis Convention Center, that water is collected in an underground rainwater storage area that holds up to 250,000 gallons of water. According to Jessica Klimisch, Marketing Manager for MCC, that water is used for irrigation around MCC and diverts an estimated 5.4 million gallons of runoff annually from the Mississippi River. The rainwater collection system is just one of many green initiatives at the LEED Certified MCC. For example, kitchen areas and restrooms have been upgraded with fixtures that use 50 percent less water. Atop the center are 2,613 solar panels...

NATIONAL REPORT—While only a small percentage of hotels in the United States currently use steam cleaners in their daily cleaning, an increasing number of properties are discovering that steam cleaning is an effective way to disinfect, deodorize and clean while eliminating chemicals and using a minimal amount of water. Steve Marks, V.P. Sales for Vapamore, says steam cleaning goes hand in hand with other green cleaning methods and is ideal for the sanitizing and cleaning of mattresses, carpeting, drapery, furniture, grout, the coils in HVAC systems, any type of bathroom cleaning, and much more. “You can use it in the back...

Several years ago, when many hotel properties around the world were first starting to get serious about sustainability, they paid close attention to a book, Responsible Hospitality, written by Rebecca Hawkins and Paulina Bohdanowicz. This book is considered the first book to bring together environmental and sustainability concepts and help define how far the hospitality industry should go to achieve them. The book listed taking conservation measures, many of which were revolutionary for the day. Among them were the following: Older windows should be replaced with double- and triple- glazed windows to reduce energy consumption. High thermal mass construction materials...

PLACENCIA, BELIZE—Ray Caye is a small (20-unit) island resort with a very large focus on sustainability. The property is 17 miles off the coast of Belize and a short flight from Belize City, then a boat ride. It has been open for eight years but is reopening in January as Ray Caye. This is a decidedly upscale resort but there has been as much investment in environmental elements as in accommodations, according to Dasha Shivers, the resort’s General Manager. Seriously Solar On the solar front, the resort has a solar array of 100 KW (total of all installed solar panels); a...

DELAVAN, WIS.— Alternative Utility Services, Inc. (AUS Energy), a national leader in comprehensive energy services, launched WaterWatch, a cloud-based water management service for property management companies and building owners. Water and sewer bills are rapidly becoming the highest utility expense, and one of the easiest ways for property owners and operators to control these rising costs is to avoid paying for water they don’t use, particularly when that water use comes as the result of leaks in faucets, irrigation systems, toilets, and more. In fact, the American Water Works Assn. reports that just a single leaking toilet has the potential...