SPOKANE, WASH.—Ecova, a total energy and sustainability management company, announced a new Water Outlier Investigation service to help multi-site commercial and industrial companies optimize their water performance. Together, Ecova’s Resource Benchmarking Report and new Water Outlier Investigation services identify facilities that are performing above or below the norm for all facilities—and provide customized solutions to reduce consumption at those targeted sites.“Water prices are on the rise, climbing by almost 30 percent in the past four years for the commercial and industrial sector as we found in our recent Big Data Whitepaper,” said Bob Zak, senior vice president, facility solutions,...

PISCATAWAY, N.J.—American Standard is the first plumbing manufacturer to offer 1.1 gallons per flush (gpf) manual flushometer toilet systems that use 14 percent less water than 1.28 gpf high efficiency toilet (HET) flushometer systems, and 31 percent less than 1.6 gpf systems. These toilet systems consist of a 1.1 gpf manual toilet flush valve combined with either an American Standard Afwall or Madera universal toilet bowl.An ideal solution for architects and specifying engineers focused on water conservation, these new toilet system flush valves significantly reduce water use without sacrificing performance. This level of water savings will contribute toward LEED...

PISCATAWAY, N.J.—New high efficiency urinal flush valves from American Standard offer Selectronic hands-free function, flexible power options, reduced maintenance and reliable performance.Using just 0.25 gallons per flush (gpf), these sensor-operated flush valves for urinals offer 75 percent water savings compared to a standard 1.0 gpf valve and 50 percent when compared to a 0.5 gpf high efficiency urinal (HEU) flush valve. These flush valves are engineered to eliminate routine maintenance—each employs a self-cleaning piston with integral wiper spring to significantly reduce clogs and reduce upkeep time by facility staff.In states like California and Texas that already require the use...

NATIONAL REPORT—Conservation efforts in the hospitality industry are on the rise. When you consider the rising levels of energy consumption and the related costs—both to the environment and your bottom line—you begin to see how beneficial implementing your own green initiatives can be. Fact: 97 percent of the Earth’s water is non-potable oceanic saltwater. Of the 3 percent remaining freshwater, close to three-quarters of that is confined to icecaps and the poles, which means that less than 1 percent of the water on this planet is accessible and fit for human consumption. At last count, the hospitality industry alone utilized an...

UVALDE, TEXAS—Inside a greenhouse on the grounds of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Service Center in Uvalde, Dr. Raul Cabrera recently inspected several groups of ornamental plants for signs of damage or distress. “This is the first component of our practical gray-water investigation,” explained Cabrera, who along with colleagues from the Uvalde center and the Texas Center for Applied Technology started research in late 2012 to confirm the potential use of gray water for home landscape irrigation. Gray water, explained Cabrera, is basically the soapy water that remains after tap water has been run through a washing machine or...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—Wyndham Worldwide, one of the world’s largest hospitality companies, has received a Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program for its newest building on the company’s corporate headquarters campus in Parsippany, N.J. The campus previously received two Silver-level LEED designations, making it the first and only company in New Jersey to hold LEED certifications in both Commercial Interiors and Existing Building Operations and Maintenance.“A tremendous amount of thoughtful planning goes into the design, construction and operation of our buildings,” said Frank Campana, senior vice president, corporate real estate and...

PORDENONE, ITALY—Electrolux Professional announced that the range of high spin washers that have earned the Energy Star has now increased to include washers with a capacity larger than 105 litres (up to 45 pounds).Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Established in 1992 to help save money and protect the environment, it provides customers with guidelines on energy efficient products and practices. The strict conditions that a product must fulfil before qualifying for the government-backed label are reliable insurance that the product contributes significant measurable energy...

NATIONAL REPORT—Getting guests to forego linen laundering is one way to reduce linen-related costs and their associated environmental footprint. Another way is to choose linen that is inherently environmentally advantageous—in other words, its reduced footprint is built into its very fibers. Still another way is to choose a supplier that not only is concerned about the product itself but also the supply chain behind it, how it is made, and what happens to it at the end of its life.When considering environmental impact, there is no perfect sheet or pillow case. Cotton, unless it is certified organic, requires a...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has finalized the first WaterSense specification for a commercial kitchen product. EPA estimates that approximately 51 billion gallons of water is used every year to rinse dishes by close to 1 million food service establishments in the country. Pre-rinse spray valves—which remove excess food waste from dishes prior to dishwashing—are now eligible to earn the WaterSense label and help food service establishments save water, energy, and money.If every U.S. commercial food service establishment installed and used a WaterSense labeled pre-rinse spray valve, the country could save more than 10 billion gallons of...

MANCHESTER, N.H.—Xeros, the innovator of an ultra low water cleaning system, announced that it has officially opened its North American headquarters in Manchester, N.H. The company also named three industry veterans to lead its North American sales and operations and to support its current customers. The appointees include Jonathan Benjamin as President North America; David Kaupp, Vice President of Marketing; and Jim Basler as Director of Operations.Through the use of polymer bead technology, the patented Xeros System for commercial laundry uses 70 percent less water, up to 50 percent less energy, and approximately 50 percent less detergent, to deliver...