FREESTONE, CALIF.—Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary announces the completion of their new greywater system and constructed wetlands. With water becoming as prized as gold, Osmosis is striving for efficiency, recycling its greywater, while creating a spa-like sanctuary for nearby Northern California wildlife. More than 14 months in the making and considered a landmark project, the new Osmosis constructed wetlands is the first of its kind completed in Sonoma County. Saving nearly 1,000 gallons of water per day, Osmosis’ latest green milestone also paves the way for other local businesses seeking to transform used water into sustenance for thriving gardens. “Greywater is...

VISTA, CALIF.— Waterless No-Flush Urinals reports that seven of their no-water urinal systems are now made using a 30 percent soybean-based resin. This resin is formulated using a variety of renewably sourced raw materials, including vegetable oils, ethanol and other bio-derived compounds. According to Klaus Reichardt, founder and managing partner of Waterless No-Flush Urinals, the technology that was developed in 1999 to process this soybean resin has advanced to the point that it is now suitable for a variety of applications. In addition to urinals, the resin is used in the manufacturing of boats, cars, buses, and building and...

PISCATAWAY, N.J.—Based on the simple premise of “push 1 for 1 and push 2 for 2,” dual flush toilets have become a breakout green product success story. Because most perform as well as or better than their conventional counterparts, while saving up to 25 percent on water, dual flush toilets are truly conservation without sacrifice. Until now, dual flush toilets relied on the push of water to cleanse the bowl in what is known as a washdown flush. Even the most enthusiastic dual flush owners would admit to keeping a brush and towel nearby: the former to thoroughly clean the...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added a ClearWater Tech, LLC case study to the Green Lodging News website. The case study details the positive impact of the installation of an ozone laundry system at the Apple Farm Inn and Suites in San Luis Obispo, Calif. The case study documents the savings the ozone system generated in numerous charts and graphs. The payback time on the system was just 7.7 months, with more than $22,000 in annual labor savings. Overall, the ozone laundry system has saved the Apple Farm Inn nearly 40...

NORTH OLMSTED, OHIO—Moen’s Commercial Division announces M•Press, a new line of metering faucets that provide durability and energy cost savings. Moen’s exclusive sealed silicon metering mechanism found in the new M•Press faucets provides consistent water flow with accurate timing and proper shut-off every time, while providing protection against impurities and clogs in the waterway. In addition, the M•Press metering cartridge uses an internal pressure-balancing spool, so varying water pressures will not affect the performance of the faucet—whether it’s on the first floor or the penthouse suite. “When specifying a faucet, there is a lot to consider—maintenance costs, cost of water...

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—When The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte opens in October, it will be the first LEED hotel to open in the greater Charlotte, N.C. area and the first Ritz-Carlton property anywhere to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED designation (the company is also pursuing LEED for its new Lake Tahoe property expected to open later this year). The 146-room hotel has been designed to earn LEED Gold certification once it opens, to be followed by LEED Gold for Existing Buildings certification a year later. The luxury hotel, which is managed by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., will minimize its environmental impact...

GATLINBURG, TENN.—The Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg, adjacent to The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, is on its way to becoming the first LEED certified hotel in Tennessee. The 118-unit property opened on May 28. According to Logan Coykendall, part owner of the hotel and owner of Hospitality Management Solutions, the Sevierville, Tenn.-based management company that operates it, the Hilton Garden Inn should achieve a “solid Silver” LEED rating later this year. LEED, a certification program for new and existing buildings run by the U.S. Green Building Council, offers four levels of certification: Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The decision to...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is commending the House of Representatives for passing landmark energy and climate legislation that includes several significant provisions to incentivize and accelerate the benefits of green building across the country. “From programs that would generate billions of dollars to spur and scale green retrofitting of our existing building stock to inclusion of the GREEN Act, which would create new opportunities for green affordable housing, this bill recognizes that green building is a major part of the solution to our economic and energy challenges,” said Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair, USGBC. “With...

FRANKLIN, TENN.—Franklin, Tenn.-based Leak Beeper installed their patented, toilet-leak detection devices in Metro Manor Apartments, a 170-unit building in Nashville, Tenn. over a three-week period from mid-October to early November. With nine months of complete usage data available after the installation, the Leak Beeper was able to reduce the building’s water consumption by a monthly average of 37 percent. Specifically, gallons of water used per unit, per day fell from a pre-installation average of 81.9 gallons to a post-installation average of 52 gallons. Pre-installation average total gallons per day used by the building fell from 13,930 gallons to a...

NORTH OLMSTED, OHIO—Moen Incorporated’s Commercial Division, a leader in hands-free flush- valve technology, introduces a new line of easy-to-operate FreeHand High Efficiency flush valves. These valves promote water and energy savings by using an infrared sensor beam to activate a flush cycle when a user is in range, ensuring efficient water use and sanitary protection. FreeHand High Efficiency flush valves also help to promote water savings with new low flow rates. Water closet flush valves feature a flow rate of 1.28 gallons per minute (gpm), a 20 percent savings from the industry standard of 1.6 gpm. FreeHand High Efficiency Urinal...