BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—iTouchFaucets, a California-based company, has just launched its patented smartfaucet to help hotels reduce water wastage in compliance with authorities. While most people are familiar with the motion sensor infrared faucets which offers no temperature control or the old fashioned unsanitary mini dial system for temperature control, iTouchFaucets is an electronic touchpad that can retrofit and replace existing faucet handles, allowing users to activate the waterflow and temperature with the touch of a finger or knuckle with various preset timers to cut off water supply.This electronic touchpad allows hotel designers to mix and match various faucet designs...

WOODRIDGE, ILL.—Danze, Inc., known for its design innovation in decorative plumbing, has announced the addition of Polished Nickel to the finish choices available on its popular Mid-town Collection. The Polished Nickel finish is a unique alternative to Chrome and provides dimension and depth to the fixtures. It serves as an interesting option between Chrome and Brushed Nickel.The finish is available on several Mid-town bathroom products, including: single handle lavatory faucet (D225562PNV); two handle widespread lavatory faucet (D304062PNV); Roman tub faucet (D300962PNVT); tub and shower trim kit (D500062PNVT); pressure balance shower faucet (D500562PNVT); Mono Chic 5x8” rectangular showerhead (D460059); thermostatic...

NATIONAL REPORT—Experts agree that, at any one time, about 15 to 20 percent of toilets are leaking. They leak for many different reasons—faulty fill valves, bad fill valve seals, corrosion and faulty flappers are some examples. Leaks often go undetected by guests, housekeepers and maintenance personnel. One leaky toilet can lose about 75,000 gallons of water annually. This adds significantly to water and sewage costs. In some instances leaks can result in flooding—an even more expensive scenario for a hotel owner.At least two companies have developed solutions to either stop toilet leaks or detect them so that costs can...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—INTEREL, a leading manufacturer of integrated room technologies in the luxury hospitality industry, introduced its latest technology solution to hoteliers recently at the Hotel Show Dubai.“For a number of years, hoteliers around the world have focused on reducing their properties’ energy consumption and costs to make their operations greener and more sustainable, and we see great results in this space,” said Florian Gallini, Group CEO of INTEREL. “However, water consumption remains a huge challenge for hotels.”On average, an overnight guest staying in a luxury hotel consumes 300 to 1,400 liters of water depending on usage profile and geographic...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the 2015 WaterSense award winners for creating, rebating, communicating and educating consumers about WaterSense-labeled products, homes and programs. These 17 winners and more than 1,700 other WaterSense partners have helped Americans save 1.1 trillion gallons of water and $21.7 billion in water and energy bills since 2006.WaterSense announced the 2015 Sustained Excellence Award winners, Partners of the Year, and Excellence Award winners at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas.“EPA is proud to honor these WaterSense partners for making a difference every day in communities across the country,” said...

ST. PAUL, MINN.—Ecolab Inc., in partnership with the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), announced that its manufacturing plant in Taicang, China, is the first site in the world to be independently certified under the AWS’s global standard for water stewardship.The AWS Standard is an ISEAL-compliant framework developed to promote sustainable freshwater use and to evaluate water stewardship practices, developed through a four-year, multi-stakeholder, water roundtable process that included diverse business, public sector and civil society interests from around the world. This globally consistent and locally adaptable standard outlines a set of water stewardship criteria and indicators for how water...

SANTA MONICA, CALIF.—Shore Hotel recently installed an AquaRecycle Laundry Water Recycle System, which will reduce carbon emissions and its laundry water usage by 80 percent. The new system will allow the hotel to reclaim and reuse its laundry wastewater, conserving precious resources all while offering its guests premium eco-conscious accommodations.“California is in a four-year drought, and as we sought ways to answer Governor Brown’s call to conserve water, our engineering team looked for ways to reduce our water usage on property,” says Shore Hotel General Manager Joe Velasquez. “AquaRecycle allows the hotel to recycle our laundry wastewater, which results...

“How much water does an outdoor waterpark use?” I am frequently asked that question, but the answer isn’t as simple as it seems. Calculations for outdoor waterparks are heavily dependent on factors that simply don’t apply to their indoor counterparts, namely those related to climate and the environment. There is no way around it—outdoor waterparks require large amounts of water. Public perception often assumes that the outdoor waterpark is constantly being refilled with a giant spigot that is tapping the community’s water supply, which may be at a premium. Water use, however, is not water consumption. Facilities that practice proactive...

TRAVELERS REST, S.C.—Global producer and distributor of  commercial foodservice and plumbing products T&S Brass and Bronze Works has been named the 2015 Manufacturer of the Year (small/midsize category) by the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. The Palmetto Vision Award was announced at a gala in Columbia earlier this month.In accepting the award, Operations Manager Gary Cole paid tribute to T&S associates, saying, “The Theisen family moved their commercial foodservice and plumbing manufacturing facility to Travelers Rest in 1978 and, through the hard work and dedication of a great group of people, the company has developed into one of the...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes WET-TECH as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. WET-TECH develops, designs, manufactures, installs and services energy and water saving EnviroSaver II ozone equipment. The company’s equipment is presently installed on tunnel washers as well as conventional washer/extractor equipment. WET-TECH’s specially designed small bubble ozone infusion provides a high quality wash while maintaining savings in fuel energy, electrical energy, water, sewage and chemical costs. The EnviroSaver II offers a low operating cost and a quick ROI. WET-TECH offers a three-year parts warranty. Call (508) 831-4229, e-mail jackreiff@wet-tech.com,...