NATIONAL REPORT—As you have probably heard in the news lately, California is experiencing its worst drought in recorded history. There was less rainfall in 2013 than in any year since California became a state 165 years ago. Precipitation and snowpack levels remain well below average, and there does not appear to be an end in sight. To mitigate impacts from the drought, California Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., issued Executive Order B-29-15 on April 1, 2015. This historic act by the Governor signaled the beginning of a new era of stringent water conservation for California. The Executive Order, as well...

VISTA, CALIF.—U.S.-based Waterless Co. Inc. has launched an updated new website, www.waterless.com, focused on the needs of the professional building, facility management, and professional cleaning industries. Waterless Co., which was founded by Klaus Reichardt in 1991, is the oldest manufacturer of no-water urinal systems in North America. The company also offers a variety of products to properly care for waterless urinals—many of which can be used to care for different brands of no-water urinals—which are available through the new site’s online store. “I am especially proud of this new site because it was created in-house by our marketing department,” says Reichardt....

TAMPA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Tampa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes ConservCo as a Founding Sponsor. ConservCo has been providing hospitality clients with water conservation consulting since 2008. The company performs comprehensive facilities water audits and landscape irrigation audits for hotel and golf resort operators worldwide. ConservCo’s goal in conducting the audit is to help the facility save money by reducing waste and lowering water, energy, and sewer utility expenses.ConservCo’s approach includes a three part process:1)    Gain an in-depth understanding of the property’s unique water use practices and specific conservation goals;2)    Conduct a thorough water audit to determine...

TAMPA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Tampa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added a Laundrylux case study to its website. The case study focuses on the Super 8 Ukiah and details owner Raakesh Patel’s decision to go with Electrolux washers with no upfront costs. There are no such costs because Patel opted for Laundrylux’s PLUS (Professional Laundry Utility Service) where he simply uses the equipment as needed and pays only for that usage. PLUS laundering becomes a utility service—just like water, gas, and electricity. Like any utility, one only pays for PLUS when it is used. There is no...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton Worldwide announced an initial three-year commitment with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to reduce its impact on the environment. As Hilton’s signature environmental partner, WWF will work with the company to evolve its global business practices. The collaboration also will further WWF’s mission to protect and conserve the Earth’s life-supporting resources by making the hospitality industry more sustainable.Hilton Worldwide properties around the world already contribute to the company’s waste reduction and water conservation targets through thousands of on-property projects. The collaboration with WWF builds on existing efforts in these areas and leverages the company’s initial work on sustainable...

DES PLAINES, ILL.—Geberit announces the newest addition to its line of concealed tank and carrier systems: the Omega Series. The Omega Series consists of a Duofix carrier frame with an Omega in-wall toilet tank for wall-hung toilets, plus a new range of dual-flush plates for fast, tool-free installation.The new Omega Series selection of dual-flush plates includes the Omega20 with round buttons, the Omega30 with square buttons, and the Omega60 that mounts evenly with wall surfaces. All are available in a variety of finishes and materials to match any décor. When paired with Geberit Omega dual-flush in-wall systems, they provide...

NATIONAL REPORT—At last month’s Clean Show in Atlanta, Ralph Daniels, President and CEO, Aquawing Ozone Injection Systems (AWOIS), thought about all of the ozone laundry companies that have exhibited at the show over the years—companies that, in many cases, are no longer in business. “The ones that have survived are the ones that offer local support,” Daniels says. “That is the key in hospitality.”AWOIS, and a handful of other companies like it, have stayed around because they offer not only local support but proven systems that can dramatically add efficiencies to laundry operations. By adding ozone to the laundering...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced the signing of a management agreement with Diamond Developers to launch the second Hotel Indigo in the U.A.E. Hotel Indigo is IHG’s boutique brand and each Hotel Indigo property is designed to reflect the local neighborhood it is located in. From the design of the building to the hotel’s artwork and locally-inspired menus, each Hotel Indigo property is unique to its surroundings, so no two properties are the same. In addition, guests can look forward to immersing in stories of the neighborhood through creatively crafted spaces reflecting the area’s heritage—a key cornerstone of...

LONDON—Building on the success of the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative, now used by more than 21,500 hotels around the world, the International Tourism Partnership (ITP) is announcing ambitious plans to standardize water measurement in the industry.Water scarcity is a recognized global problem, with demand for water projected to exceed supply by 40 percent by 2030. By the same year, more than a third of the world’s population will be living in areas of high water stress.As part of a rapidly growing tourism sector and a large consumer of water in its own right, the hotel industry needs to take...

The first hands-free, motion-sensing electronic faucets were installed in airports in the 1950s. Over the decades, they have made their way into more commercial locations such as hotel properties, and today they are the fixture of choice in many facilities. There is a good reason for this. Faucet handles specifically can be a hotbed of germs and bacteria. According to one study by the Hygiene Council, which does ongoing evaluations to monitor infection threats, 60 percent of faucets and faucet handles fail tests of basic hygiene standards and criteria due to heavily concentrated levels of bacteria, often from feces. Another...