NORTH OLMSTED, OHIO—Moen Inc. has announced its membership in the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The mission of USGBC, a nonprofit organization, is to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life. “The USGBC is expanding our country’s green building practices and education, and Moen feels strongly in enhancing these pursuits, as well,” said Dennis McKinney, Moen’s director of environmental health. “Sustainability and environmental responsibility are increasingly important issues in today’s society, and we hope our membership in the USGBC will...

VISTA, CALIF.—Waterless Co., LLC announced that it has updated its website’s listing of the company’s distributors and representatives in the United States as well as countries around the world. The update is necessary, according to Klaus Reichardt, managing partner and founder of Waterless Co., because several new distributor/representatives have recently been added. “We now have representation in pretty much every state in the U.S.,” Reichardt says. “And we have expanded our worldwide representation to such countries as Guatemala, Malaysia, India, New Zealand, Jamaica, and others.” According to Reichardt, the expansion of representation is the result of two key developments that have...

ANDERSON, CALIF.—Gaia at Anderson, a new 122-room green hotel, has opened here. It is the second Gaia hotel in California to be developed and opened by Wen-I Chang. The first was the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa in American Canyon. That 133-room property opened in October 2006. Chang is also developing a third hotel in Merced, Calif., a 141-room property. Chang expects the Gaia at Anderson hotel to achieve a LEED Silver or Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa was the first U.S. hotel to earn LEED Gold. In building...

WISCONSIN DELLS, WISC.—Kalahari Resorts’ long-standing commitment to energy efficient operations continues as it adds the AquaRecycle system, a laundry water recycling and filtration system which will allow Kalahari Resorts to reuse 70 percent of its laundry water. The AquaRecycle system’s chemical-free filtration and treatment recycle process will provide clean, disinfected and pre-heated water to the laundry systems at Kalahari Resort properties in Wisconsin Dells, Wisc., Sandusky, Ohio, and eventually a third resort in Fredericksburg, Va. Home to a 740-room hotel in Wisconsin and an 884-room hotel in Ohio, Kalahari Resorts estimates the AquaRecycle system, which is expected to be operating...

LAS VEGAS—The Palazzo Las Vegas, a Las Vegas Sands Corp. property, announced that the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) made its green status official with the presentation of a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certificate at an award ceremony held on Wednesday, April 9. Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons and David E. Rodgers, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency at the U.S. Department of Energy, were also on hand to honor this accomplishment. During the ceremony Governor Gibbons issued a proclamation in recognition of The Palazzo’s commitment to energy conservation. The DOE presented The Palazzo with “The Energy...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—WaterPure International, Inc. announced an agreement to place two Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs) test units at a major international hotel chain. The two AWGs are part of a WaterPure environmental green initiative program targeting the lodging industry. The company is offering AWGs for evaluation at various hotels and expects to strategically position units throughout the lodging industry. AWGs from WaterPure produce three to five gallons of absolutely pure chilled or heated healthy drinking water each day using a condensation process that extracts moisture from the atmosphere. Similar in appearance to a traditional bottled water stand, the AWGs contradict...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—Hilton Hotels revealed that it delivered energy savings of more than 10 percent in 2007 across its portfolio of more than 80 properties in Europe. Water consumption also fell by 5 percent, the equivalent to nearly 75 Olympic sized swimming pools. “In just two years we are seeing some very real and tangible results across Europe,” says Wolfgang M. Neumann, president of Hilton Hotels-Europe. “We made a commitment in January 2006 to think green, take action and responsibility to switch to more environmentally sustainable methods of working. Today’s results speak for themselves.” Hilton has made these impressive reductions through...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International, Inc. and the state of Amazonas signed an agreement to support the first project of its kind to help protect 1.4 million acres of endangered rainforest. This innovative partnership between government and the private sector is one of the first in the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation. Marriott has committed $2 million to fund an environmental management plan administered by the newly created Amazonas Sustainable Foundation. By year end, Marriott guests and group customers will also be able to offset the greenhouse gas emissions generated from their hotel stays by contributing to this rainforest...

NATIONAL REPORT—Not so long ago, ice machines were not purchased based on energy or water efficiency. That all changed when the economy began to experience some bumps five to 10 years back, which is when most hotel chains began to take a much closer look at their operational costs. In response to concerns about costs, as well as environmental impact, manufacturers of ice machines began producing more efficient equipment. The results have definitely been favorable. In the last five years, according to experts, ice machine energy efficiency has improved by about 15 to 20 percent, and some models are...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—One of the most recognized hotel brands in the world is getting a makeover. Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.’s largest and most global brand, has launched a comprehensive new design of its lobbies and guestsrooms that will significantly enhance its portfolio of hotels and resorts. Included in the new guestroom design are bath and shower fixtures and a dual-flush commode that will reduce water usage by up to 30 percent. Sheraton and its owners are undertaking an aggressive multi-year strategy to improve the quality and consistency of the brand portfolio that includes $1.3...