MORROW, GA.—TOTO, a provider of high-performance toilets, enters the ultra high-efficiency toilet (UHET) arena with the Drake II 1G. The new Drake II 1G—with its proven Double Cyclone technology—represents the continued evolution of TOTO’s Drake II HET. It delivers ultra-high-efficiency flushing using only one gallon of water. TOTO’s Double Cyclone technology features two water jets, instead of rim holes. These jets, positioned on each side of the bowl’s interior, deliver powerful swirls of water. The flushing action is strong and all types of waste are flushed away effectively. The bowl and rim are cleansed thoroughly with the flush....

DENVER—Marriott International, Inc. announced the first TownePlace Suites hotel to open as part of its LEED Volume Program—the TownePlace Suites Denver Airport at Gateway Park in Colorado. TownePlace Suites is Marriott’s second brand to construct a hotel built using its LEED Volume program. The hotel will be the brand’s first property using the LEED Volume prototype.Certified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the LEED Volume Program eases the process for property developers, such as hotel owners who want to build a LEED-certified hotel. Volume certification provides a streamlined path to LEED certification based on a pre-approved prototype...

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.—When you have 744 guestrooms in multiple buildings, a spa, restaurants, and three 18-hole golf courses—all on 3,000 acres—maintaining a high level of operational efficiency is always a challenge. At The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo., however, the management team has been able to keep up with aging infrastructure thanks to owners who have poured $300 million into the property since 1995. It was in 1995 that renovations began on the historic hotel that was first constructed in 1918.“The main hotel building was built to 1918 energy standards,” says Terry McHale, The Broadmoor’s director of facilities. “It...

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—Niagara Conservation, a manufacturer of water and energy-saving products, has partnered with Green Plumbers USA, an organization with an accredited training program that helps plumbers to understand their evolving role in improving the environment and public health. The two organizations will work together to customize water and energy efficiency projects for the nation’s leading utilities, using eco-friendly Niagara products and certified Green Plumber Contractors.“We’re extremely pleased to partner with Green Plumbers USA, an organization whose commitment to environmental sustainability aligns well with our company’s conservation goals,” says Carl Wehmeyer, Niagara Conservation’s executive vice president. “In a time...

Was your property built before 1993? If so, chances are you’re losing money with every flush and use of the sink and shower. After all, you can’t control your hotel guest’s use of utilities. However, you can control your operating costs, and through simple, environmentally friendly renovations to plumbing and electric, you can significantly lower expensive water/sewer and electric bills. Let’s say that you have a 25-year-old, 100-room property with a 50 percent occupancy rate that hasn’t had any updates to toilets, shower heads, sink aerators or continuously operated common area lighting. A guestroom toilet is flushed 15 times a day...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Results of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) 2012 Lodging Survey provide strong evidence that the greening of the U.S. lodging industry is continuing. Funded by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF) and conducted by STR, 52,155 U.S. hotel properties were polled in the survey that is conducted every two years. Similar data has been collected since 1988. There was a healthy response rate of 23 percent to this year’s survey.While most of the questions were repeated from previous years, there were new questions as well. For example, hoteliers were asked for the first time...

CONCORD, CALIF.—It got official as it can get earlier this year on June 5. It was on that day that the Hilton Concord in Concord, Calif., was designated the Sustainability Flagship by Interstate Hotels & Resorts in a proclamation released by the Office of the Mayor of the City of Concord. The 329-key hotel was selected by Interstate to be the green prototype of what could be rolled out across the company’s other five wholly-owned and managed hotels. “Our plan is to implement similar programs and technologies at our other five wholly-owned hotels as part of our annual planned capital...

TUCSON, ARIZ.—Noted green building expert, author, water crisis guru and sustainability planning consultant, Jerry Yudelson has released a three-part video series entitled “Water Wars” on his YouTube video channel. The videos are based on Yudelson’s book, “Dry Run: Preventing the Next Urban Water Crisis,” which outlines how cities can prepare for a coming era of water scarcity throughout the United States and much of the world, brought about by global climate change, increasing urban populations and a growing “water footprint” from human activity. The green building consultant spoke about the “Water Wars” videos, by saying, “What we are trying to accomplish...

NEW YORK—Barclay the Bee has landed in the InterContinental New York Barclay’s guestrooms with a question—“to wash, or not to wash”? The hotel’s friendly messaging mascot is highlighting an important aspect of the InterContinental New York Barclay’s sustainable initiatives—water savings—with a new “Don’t Wash” symbol and fun in-room message delivery. A Bee-shaped cut-out sign designed to sit in a holder on nightstands features Barclay the Bee holding a message advising guests of the hotel’s commitment to every-other-day sheet and towel washing. Guests who desire every day service simply remove the bee card from its holder and place it on...

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—ClearWater Tech, LLC, a manufacturer of ozone systems for water and air purification, announced it is now a preferred vendor with the Best Western International Group. ClearWater Tech is the manufacturer of EcoTex Ozone Laundry Systems. EcoTex is used worldwide in the hospitality and senior care market.In the spring of 2011, an EcoTex Laundry Ozone System was installed at the Best Western Plus—Tempe By The Mall facility in Tempe, Ariz. With the installation of the EcoTex ozone laundry system and modification of the washer formulas, the facility has reduced its hot water/natural gas by 86 percent,...