ROANOKE, VA.—The Comfort Inn, Butte Montana, which is managed by Town Pump, Inc., has installed Lodging Technology’s GEM System Energy Management in all 145 guestrooms. GEM System, an infrared sensor-based guestroom energy management system, reduces room energy costs 35 percent to 45 percent by maintaining “management-preferred” temperatures in rooms while guests are out.

ATLANTA—As the federal government prepares for the presidential transition in January, it will face challenges in dealing with increasingly complex issues and new directives from the Obama administration and the new Congress, especially concerning energy issues. A new report from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) provides a potential roadmap for addressing the nation’s dependence on foreign energy sources and its greenhouse gas emissions while growing the economy. “Buildings are often overlooked as an opportunity to reduce energy consumption and offer an excellent opportunity to achieve national energy goals,” says ASHRAE president Bill Harrison. Buildings are responsible for 40 percent of the United States’ energy consumption.

CARLISLE, PA.—Carlisle Energy Services, a newly formed division of Carlisle Construction Materials and a leading manufacturer of energy-efficient single-ply roofing systems, announced it has signed a long-term sales contract worth up to $320 million with Solyndra, Inc., a manufacturer of proprietary photovoltaic (PV) systems designed to optimize solar electricity production on commercial rooftops.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Grosvenor, the international property development, investment and fund management group, is embarking on a $35 million renovation and re-branding of an old Holiday Inn hotel in Chevy Chase, Md. It closed earlier this year and will reopen as a Courtyard by Marriott in the spring of 2009. Grosvenor is seeking a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the newly renovated hotel. The renovation will include expanding the hotel from 214 to 226 rooms and creating 1,500 additional square feet of retail space just north of Saks Jandel with direct access to Wisconsin Avenue. Saks Jandel and other existing retail tenants at the adjacent Chevy Chase Plaza.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Solar Power International announced that its Solar Conference and Expo will be held in Anaheim, Calif., October 27 to 29, 2009 to accommodate the event’s rapid growth. Attendance at what was already the industry’s largest solar conference and expo in North America jumped from 12,500 in 2007 to 23,200 in 2008, according to the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the show organizers. The new location will be able to meet the increased demand for hotel accommodations, exhibition and meeting space, and will allow the event to deliver a positive experience for all participants while maintaining its reputation for excellence within the industry.

BOSTON—Ember, a leading provider of low-power wireless mesh networking systems, will end 2008 with a flourish, setting company records for product shipments and revenue. Building on the foundation from the previous year, Ember has shipped a record quantity of its ZigBee/802.15.4 semiconductors in 2008, more than all the previous years combined.

CHICAGO—Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in downtown Chicago launched an extensive recycling program and energy conservation program entitled, “When not in use, turn off the juice,” one year ago. A unique effort to compost biodegradable food material has been introduced, and Hyatt Regency McCormick Place bottles its own water at its restaurant, Shor, as well. The hotel’s green program has garnered successful results with the participation of both its entire staff and guests. In the past year, 76 tons of material (equaling 300 cubic yards) has been recycled, approximately 1,500 trees have been saved, and more than three tons of food has been composted.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS—Traulsen’s line of refrigerators and freezers—the G-Series—is expanding its product line to include hot-food holding cabinets. The affordable price and proven reliability mean higher value and lower total cost of ownership. The new Energy Star qualified G-Series hot-food holding cabinets save energy and allow for a smaller environmental footprint.

MINNEAPOLIS—New McQuay scroll-compressor Templifier water heaters reduce energy costs by recovering waste heat and making it available for space heating and domestic hot water. Ideal for hotels, McQuay Templifier units with scroll compressors range from 500 to 3,000 MBh and can heat water up to 160° F.

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Water Energy Laundry Consulting as a Green Product & Service Directory Partner. Water Energy Laundry Consulting offers numerous turn-key laundry solutions for the hospitality industry.