WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Alliance to Save Energy vowed to fight budget cuts for federal energy efficiency programs proposed Thursday by the Trump administration, including the elimination of the successful ENERGY STAR program and sharp reductions at the Department of Energy (DOE). “This is a destructive proposal that walks away from decades of bipartisan support for energy efficiency going back to the Reagan administration and beyond,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. “We oppose these cuts in the strongest possible terms and will do everything we can to fight them in Congress.” “This budget ignores the fact that energy efficiency creates jobs and economic growth,” Callahan adds....

NATIONAL REPORT—A Computerized Maintenance and Management System (CMMS) has the potential to help companies improve the way their manufacturing process impacts the environment around them in addition to ultimately decreasing their production costs. CMMS systems have the ability to track maintenance activities, the costs for the equipment that require maintenance, and work flow, but those are just the benefits on the manufacturing side. The environmental benefits provided by a CMMS make them very worthwhile for a manufacturing business to invest in. Reduced Material Waste The amount of materials used and wasted is tragically high in many industries. It is possible to...

NEW YORK—Up on the roof of the Conrad New York, a luxury waterfront, all-suite hotel located in the heart of lower Manhattan’s Battery Park City, Executive Chef Gerron Douglas can be found year-round, overseeing a garden that even in the winter produces root vegetables, squash and some herbs. The rooftop garden and green roof have been in place since the LEED Gold certified hotel was renovated six years ago. “There is always something there,” Douglas says. “We adjust based on the season.” In the warmer months the garden produces lettuce, mustard greens and tomatoes. Douglas adds, “We really try...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Association announced the recipients of the 2017 Kitchen Innovations (KI) Awards, honoring forward-thinking equipment and technologies that increase efficiencies and productivity for back-of-the-house operations and benefit restaurant operators. Each recipient and their product will be showcased in the interactive Kitchen Innovations Pavilion at the 2017 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, held from May 20 to 23 in Chicago at McCormick Place. “The engineers and inventors who develop these KI Award innovations work tirelessly to solve the challenges of back-of-the-house operations, to the great benefit of restaurant operators,” says Atour Eyvazian, Convention Chair for NRA Show 2017 and multiunit owner of...

NATIONAL REPORT—In any discussion about sustainability, it is likely that carbon will enter the discussion at one point or another. In any conversation about sustainability in the kitchen, carbon also has a place, but in more ways than one. It is not only the carbon emissions from running the lighting, appliances and HVAC system, it is the actual carbon buildup on pots, pans and other items. This buildup is a barrier to heat, which means it can take longer for items to cook or bake. The longer ovens or stoves run, the higher the energy bill and related environmental...

In my years covering green lodging I have written quite a few articles about equipment and technology found in the kitchen to help one save energy, water and reduce waste—bio-digesters, pre-rinse spray valves, warewashers, variable-speed hood controllers, and more. You can read about such topics on the Green Lodging News website in the “Kitchen & Laundry” category. Every time I chat with a supplier I learn something new and that was certainly the case today when I interviewed Craig Gavson, CEO of Hyginix LLC. In case you are not familiar with Hyginix, they manufacture the FOG Tank, a heated...

WASHINGON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council released its LEED in Motion: Venues report, which highlights the efforts of convention centers, sports venues, performing arts centers, community centers and public assembly spaces to transform their environmental, social and economic footprint through LEED certification. The report showcases some of the most impressive green venues around the world. “The scope and scale of the venues industry is enormous, and the leaders creating these spaces have an important role to play in reducing environmental impact,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, President & CEO of USGBC. “By incorporating green practices, venues around the world are positively impacting their triple bottom...

TROY, OHIO—Hobart launched the new CLeN-series dishwashers at the NAFEM Show in Orlando earlier this month. The CLeN was featured in NAFEM’s WHAT’S HOT! WHAT’S COOL! product gallery. “Our mission is to help customers experience greater efficiency, reliability and cost savings with their dishwashing equipment,” said Tim Peters, Product Line Manager for Hobart. “As demand grows for ‘green’ benefits, increased cost savings, and simplified labor practices, the CLeN helps customers achieve those requirements through superior product innovation and performance.” Hobart’s CLeN Warewasher turns dishwashing into a science, using industry-leading technology to clean dishes and kitchen ware in less time and at...

LAGRANGE, GA.—It was more than 20 years ago that Interface, the maker of carpet tile, set a very ambitious goal: to have no negative impact on the planet by the year 2020. It called its decades-long project “Mission Zero.” With less than three years to go until 2020, Green Lodging News spoke with Interface’s Mikhail Davis to learn how close the company is to reaching its goal. Davis, based in San Francisco, is Director of Restorative Enterprise and a Certified Biomimicry Specialist. Davis says two of Interface’s key metrics are energy use per unit of production and how much of...

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—1 Hotels, the mission-driven luxury lifestyle hotel brand, has opened the doors of its third property and first ground-up development, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. Remaining true to 1 Hotels founder, Barry Sternlicht’s, core philosophy, “The world around us is beautiful, and we want to keep it that way.” According to Starwood Capital, the property cultivates the best of eco-conscious design, sustainable architecture, cause-oriented partnerships, and unrivaled service. Situated at Pier 1, just south of the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, in Brooklyn Bridge Park with sweeping waterfront views of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty, 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge was developed by...