The Beverly Hills Waldorf Astoria opened in 2017. As you can imagine, no expense was spared to ensure its guests would enjoy some of the most elegant accommodations to be found, not just in Southern California, but anywhere in the world. Moreover, with room rates ranging from $700 to more than $4,000 per night, their guests expected nothing less. However, along with the elegant accommodations, the hotel took some very practical design steps, especially regarding water efficiency. Considering that one traditional urinal can use as much as 35,000 gallons of water per year, planners called for the men’s rooms in...

ORLANDO, FLA.—The NAFEM Show, held every two years, wrapped up in Orlando on February 9 at the Orange County Convention Center. More than 600 suppliers featured their latest products to help restaurateurs and hoteliers save money, energy, water and reduce waste. It would be impossible to mention every product showcased in a single article. The following is just a sampling of some cool products found among the many aisles at the show: Bluewater unveiled its Bluewater Pro 400 and Bluewater Spirit water purifier model lines that help foodservice professionals deliver fresh produce, achieve clean glassware and cutlery, and offer coffee...

SINGAPORE—Greenview has released its 106-page Green Lodging Trends Report 2018. The Report is the lodging industry’s annual exercise to assess and catalyze green innovation, best practices, and awareness regarding the state of sustainability across hotels worldwide. The Report highlights and summarizes responses to 115 survey questions in these categories: Energy Management, Waste Management, Water Conservation, Health & Wellness, Back of House, Communications, Staff Involvement, Community Involvement, and Climate Action & Certification. Greenview received data for 4,544 hotels across 61 countries. Of the overall data set, 2,202 properties were classified as City/Urban Hotels, 814 as Suburban Hotels, 607 as Resorts, 296...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News welcomes Sharc Energy Systems to its Green Product & Service Directory in the Waste Heat Recovery/Recycling category. Every day, a tremendous amount of warm water is used once before ultimately being discarded down the drain. Wastewater provides the ultimate renewable energy source, with an inexhaustible supply of thermal energy. SHARC Energy Systems, the world’s largest waste heat recovery company, offers two innovative products that use wastewater as an energy source. The SHARC and PIRANHA reuse thermal energy in wastewater to provide cost-effective and environmentally clean domestic hot water pre-heating and space heating and air conditioning....

OVERLAND PARK, KAN.—Bluewater will unveil its Bluewater Pro 400 and Bluewater Spirit model lines at NAFEM in Orlando, Fla., from February 7 to 9, to showcase innovative products and technologies that help foodservice professionals deliver fresh produce, achieve clean glassware and cutlery, and offer great-tasting coffee and other water-based drinks. As a show bringing together over 500 movers-and-shakers from across the foodservice segments, NAFEM is the ideal venue for Bluewater to show the performance of its water purifiers, which remove practically all chemical contaminants, heavy metals, pathogenic bacteria and other impurities impacting food quality from tap water. “This is our first time at...

TROY, OHIO—Advanced commercial dishwashers, cooking equipment, food prep equipment and refrigeration equipment from the ITW Food Equipment Group family of premium brands are making their debut at one of the industry’s most important biannual events; The NAFEM Show 2019. ITW Food Equipment Group and its brands Hobart, Baxter, Traulsen, Vulcan, Wolf, Berkel, Stero, Somat and Gaylord, are bringing new and industry-leading products to The NAFEM Show, running February 7 to 9 in Orlando, Fla. More than 100 energy-, labor- and cost-saving products will be on display at ITW booths (#3435, #3651, #3644, and #3646), as will Hobart Service, the only...

NATIONAL REPORT—Using different technologies, two innovative suppliers are making sure that the energy housed in laundry machines is not just sent down the drain after each wash load. Hotel owners investing in such systems are saving money, water, energy and helping to reduce their environmental impact at the same time. The two companies are AquaRecycle and SHARC International Systems. While AquaRecycle has been helping hoteliers for many years, SHARC International Systems is just beginning to establish a presence in the lodging industry. AquaRecycle specializes in recycling laundry waste water. AquaRecycle has more than 400 systems installed worldwide and has recycled...

SANTA FE, N.M.—La Fonda on the Plaza Hotel has been named “Sustainability Champion” in the Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide 2018 Awards of Excellence. Each year, the Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence honor the most exemplary historic hotels, hoteliers, and leadership practices in multiple categories. The winners were chosen from more than 200 nominees. “Congratulations to the recipients of the 2018 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Director, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “These 2018 winners represent more than 400 years of history and include the finest legendary and iconic historic...

MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA—Cannúa, a first-of-its-kind, 18-room boutique hotel set within a protected forest in Antioquia, Colombia, is scheduled to open in April 2019. Rooted in permaculture design principles and taking a holistic approach to sustainability, this 27-acre mountain-side property intends to forge a new era of experiential travel within the region. Guests of Cannúa will be among the first to explore this renewed, flourishing destination—one of the most biologically diverse and temperate in the world—through exquisite accommodation, natural encounters, and excursions designed to build a sense of community among neighbors, partners and visitors. “As Colombia continues to evolve as a destination of natural and cultural wonders, we’re proud to be...

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—Hydrofinity (formerly known as Xeros), announced that it signed a series of regional full-service sales and distribution service agreements across the United States for its sustainable near-waterless commercial laundry systems. These partnerships follow on the agreements Hydrofinity signed with Eastern Laundry System (ELS) covering New England, New York and New Jersey and with Your Laundry Source in Georgia, which is covering its home state as well as Alabama and South Carolina. Hydrofinity’s new regional sales and service partners include: Viking Services, SAESPY and ECW, covering California; Clean Source, covering Texas, Oklahoma and Arizona; RJ Kool, covering the Midwest; Industrial Laundry...