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Water Conservation

Profits go down the drain, literally, when water is not conserved. Fortunately, there are many measures that can be taken to reduce consumption--both inside and outside of the hotel building. Green Lodging News highlights the latest news and best practices. Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

Water Conservation

Home Water Conservation
Profits go down the drain, literally, when water is not conserved. Fortunately, there are many measures that can be taken to reduce consumption--both inside and outside of the hotel building. Green Lodging News highlights the latest news and best practices. Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

The Nines Hotel Carves Out a Home in Historic Portland Building

PORTLAND, ORE.—Almost 100 years old, the historic Meier & Frank department store here is being converted to a 331-room Starwood Luxury Collection hotel called The Nines. The upper nine floors will be the home for the hotel; the lower five floors are being refurbished by Macy’s, Inc. and will open as a Macy’s department store. The Nines, which is being developed by Denver-based Sage Hospitality Resources, has Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification as its goal. The hotel is slated to open in summer 2008. SERA Architects, Inc., Portland, Ore., is the architectural firm on the project...

SteamSuite Revamps Hotel Bath by Converting Ordinary Showers into Luxury Steam Showers

DIAMOND BAR, CALIF.—SteamSuite, a high-end steam shower manufacturer, has created an amenity that provides guests with a relaxing spa environment in the privacy of their own room, while also enabling hotels to save exponentially on their water bill while adding an up-charge to guests’ overall room charges. “Steam bathing is clinically proven to release toxins from the body, improve respiration and circulation, and ease tense muscles,” says SteamSuite president Jari Ristola. “The benefits of steam not only improve a guest’s experience at your hotel, but encourage them to return.” It is a fact that the steam shower is a more functional...

Luxury Spas Take Measures to Save Energy, Preserve the Environment

NATIONAL REPORT—Operating a spa in an environmentally responsible manner requires a lot more than using natural personal care products. Yes, offering such treatments is smart and provides a competitive advantage, but it is just a small part of running a “green” operation. How you manage water, lighting, heating and cooling, cleaning, purchasing, and even cooking is much more important. What those who have implemented green programs have discovered is that they need not sacrifice luxury—or profits—for sustainability. To compete with leaders such as Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, El Monte Sagrado Living Resort & Spa and others that operate green spas,...

Sloan Valve Company Chooses 100 percent Renewable Energy

CHICAGO—Sloan Valve Co., a leading manufacturer of commercial plumbing systems, has made a landmark purchase of renewable energy credits to offset 100 percent of the electricity used in its manufacturing facility in Franklin Park, Ill. This is the largest renewable energy purchase in the plumbing industry, making Sloan the first flush valve manufacturer to purchase renewable energy credits to offset its electricity use. This purchase is also the largest corporate purchase of renewable energy in the state of Illinois. “Sloan Valve Co. is a leader in the sustainability movement, and that involves caring about our communities and respecting our environment,”...

Ozone Water Technologies Opens New Office in Tryon, N.C.

TRYON, N.C.—Ozone Water Technologies Inc. announces the opening of its new office in Tryon, N.C. The company moved to a larger space to accommodate the increase in business volume and to add a parts and service warehouse. Jim Gross, president of Ozone Water Technologies, says his company is experiencing tremendous growth and will add more staff to meet these current needs. Ozone Water Technologies will expand with a complete new product line and parts warehouse for the North American market. The company has also developed a significant presence in markets outside of the United States for its ozone washing...

Vendors Use HITEC to Introduce Innovative Energy-Saving Products

ORLANDO, FLA.—Some of the world’s leading technology companies gathered here June 25-28 at HITEC to unveil their latest products and chat about their plans for the coming year. The hub of activity at the trade show and conference was the Guestroom 2010 exhibit, where one could find everything from energy-efficient hair dryers to recyclable carpet. Elsewhere on the show floor, companies displayed new, state-of-the-art environmental systems. The following are highlights from Guestroom 2010: Andis Co. featured its fast-drying Quiet Ionic Lighted Hair Dryer. It generates negative ions that dry hair faster by breaking up water molecules. Faster drying time means less...

How to Quench Your Hotel’s Thirst During Drought Conditions

Florida is in the middle of one of its worst water shortages in recorded history. The water level of Lake Okeechobee in the southern part of the state is down to 8.91 feet. The normal level is 18 feet. Images shown recently on ABC News depicted the problem clearly: boats stuck in the mud and a pier overlooking nothing but cracked, dry earth. In Flagstaff, Ariz., a community of 62,000 people, the man-made reservoir that provides the water for 40 percent of the population is down to 18 percent of normal level. It is the eighth straight year of...

New Sandpearl Resort Designed to Meet LEED Certification Standards

CLEARWATER BEACH, FLA.—The Sandpearl Resort, slated to open in August, has been designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) certification requirements. JMC Communities, the resort’s developer and owner, is resolute in following the specific LEED requirements, which include elements that preserve the beauty of Clearwater Beach so that it can be shared with generations to come. A prime example is the resort’s salt bromine pool filtration system, which, while costing twice as much as a standard system to install, was a required element of the owner. The Sandpearl resort is passionate about not putting chlorine waste into...

Sloan Valve Wins Design Award for Sensor Flushometer

FRANKLIN PARK, ILL.—Sloan Valve Co. has received a Platinum-level award in the 2006-2007 Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX) competition—the highest award level given by design professionals on the judging committee—for its sensor-operated Royal Smooth Flushometer. “Sloan is proud to be recognized for the design excellence of our Royal Smooth Flushometer,” says Susan Kennedy, director of marketing for Sloan Valve Co. “It’s an honor to be singled out for the high-quality, water-efficient features that Sloan builds into its Flushometers.” The Royal Smooth Flushometer provides automatic, infrared, adaptive sensing operation without the need for AC hookups or wall alterations....

GLN Welcomes Neifer Installations as Directory Partner

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Neifer Installations (1968) Ltd., Coquitlam, British Columbia, as a Green Product Directory Partner. In Canada, Neifer sells DynOzone, the only washer/extractor with an integrated ozone system. DynOzone enables hoteliers to save on hot water, chemicals, drying time and water usage. Ozone also sanitizes and disinfects without harsh chemicals. Because the ozone is integrated, there are no additional connections or floor space needed. Call (604) 516-6030, go to www.neifer.com, or e-mail neifer@shaw.ca for information.