Wixom, Mich. (Vocus/PRWEB) February 25, 2009 — Ventech, maker of a revolutionary rapid heating system known as the Liquid Heat Generator™ (LHG), announced today four strategic agreements to distribute and sell the LHG in cold weather regions in the U.S. and Canada. The company seeks additional partnerships with bus dealers and distributor to widen its market reach.

Current and future partnerships will help Ventech distribute the LHG to school bus fleet owners and operators who need an effective solution to instantly heat the cabin of diesel-engine buses, while reducing idle time and emissions. The Liquid Heat Generator is an aftermarket application that can be installed on nearly a dozen of school bus model and engine combinations.

* Hoglund Bus Company, based outside of Minneapolis, is now an authorized dealer to sell, install and service the LHG through its two locations in Monticello, Minn., and Marshalltown, Iowa. The company carries an extensive inventory of new and used International Corporation school buses.
* Toowoomba North America, based in Winnipeg and represented in each Canadian province, is now a distributor and dealer of the LHG. The company is an authorized dealer for International Corporation school buses.
* Kerlin Bus Sales, based in Silver Lake, Indiana, will distribute and install the LHG through its network. The company carries a full line of Thomas Built Bus products ranging from large-size commercial vehicles to smaller activity buses.
* Capital City Bus Sales will sell and install the LHG through its main facility in Lansing, Michigan. The company sells and services International Corporation school buses.

Ventech selected these organizations based on their cold weather locations and their deep reach into the school transportation industry. By contacting Ventech directly (sales (at) ventechlhg (dot) com), other interested parties may inquire about distribution and sales of the LHG.

School buses, especially those with diesel and alternative fuel powered engines, suffer from inadequate cabin heat and slow warm-ups in cold climates. The LHG offers an effective alternative to help bus owners and operators heat vehicles instantly while reducing idle time. Unlike fuel-fired heaters, the LHG itself does not generate emissions.

“Ventech’s Liquid Heat Generator provides benefits on so many fronts. Our product replaces ineffective heating systems that have required long idling time and high fuel costs to heat interior cabins. Plus it helps reduce emissions, which has been a regulatory challenge for the school transportation industry,” said Jeremy Sanger, chief executive officer of Ventech.

In 2008, Ventech validated the Liquid Heat Generator and launched production at its plant in Wixom, Michigan. The company now is poised to supply school bus operators and school districts in North America. It also has aggressive plans to work with school bus original equipment manufacturers in the coming year.

Ventech will launch other initiatives to train dealers, distributors and end users to install and service the Liquid Heat Generator™. The LHG can be added as an aftermarket component or installed at the point of original bus production.

The Liquid Heat Generator is a major technological departure from fuel-fired heaters. Mounted at the engine’s belt drive, LHG converts mechanical energy from the fan belt to instantly heat coolant the moment the engine is started. The generated heat is then delivered to the vehicle’s heating system.

The product is simply installed within two hours. The LHG is low maintenance and requires no more than an annual site inspection, along with the fan belt.

About Ventech
Ventech develops, manufactures and distributes the Liquid Heat Generator™ technology to worldwide automotive, heavy-duty, emergency, off-highway, bus and military markets. The heaters are designed and built at Ventech’s corporate headquarters in Wixom, Michigan. The company was founded by Jeremy Sanger, who also is a principal of Puritan Automation, a provider of unique test and automation solutions. More information about Ventech and the LHG, visit www.ventechlhg.com.

Media Contact:
Julie Metea
On behalf of Ventech LHG
jmetea (at) messagecoach (dot) com
313-320-3937

Company Mailing Address:
Ventech LHG
29769 Anthony Drive
Wixom, Michigan 48393
248-668-1114

Shelton, CT (PRWEB) February 19, 2009 — Tomra of North America, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tomra Systems ASA (TOMRA) and leading global provider of advanced recycling solutions, today announced an agreement with Paddington Advertising Associates Inc. to offer four-color, billboard-quality ad space on TOMRA’s reverse vending machines (RVMs) located at retail stores throughout the US. TOMRA’s RVMs, which accept and sort recyclable beverage containers directly from consumers, also generate product-specific coupons and video messages to reach shoppers on their way into stores.

“TOMRA’s RVMs provide an excellent opportunity for advertisers to associate themselves with a positive activity such as recycling, while at the same time increasing exposure for their products or services,” said Warren Stoll, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Tomra of North America. “This new program will increase store traffic and customer loyalty, contributing to a much-needed economic boost to stores throughout the country.”

Ed Hamilton, Vice President, Paddington Advertising Associates Inc., said advertisers are reacting enthusiastically to the opportunity to reach shoppers with messages, coupons and incentives before they shop. “With the first truly GREEN In-Store Marketing program, shoppers are exposed to these messages not for a passing glance, but for an extended period of time, allowing an advertiser to introduce a new product, promote a cause marketing effort or tell their story. The shopper then enters the store more informed and with a valuable offer in hand, pushing our advertisers to the top of the shopping list,” said Hamilton. “In addition, studies show that consumers who return empties during their shopping visit purchase up to 52% more than other shoppers.”

TOMRA offers several RVM models to suit different locations, such as retail stores, sports stadiums, amusement parks, university campuses and other public places. Depending on the model, machine capacity ranges from 500 beverage containers to 5,000, with different options for compacting. For all public facilities, TOMRA platforms not only reduce litter, but also can reduce overall waste haulage prices — while at the same time promoting responsible behavior for the entire community.

About TOMRA of North America
Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Asker, Norway, TOMRA is a global leader in helping the world to recycle and reuse its valuable natural resources. With operations in nearly 50 countries, TOMRA provides end-to-end recycling solutions including automated recycling machines for empty beverage containers; pickup, transportation and processing services; and waste sorting and compaction equipment sales. Each year, TOMRA collects more than 30 billion used beverage containers through its recycling machines, which is equivalent to approximately 3% of the world’s consumption. TOMRA started operations in North America in 1985 and today represents nearly 40% of total global revenue. Tomra of North America is headquartered in Shelton, CT. For more information, visit www.tomra.com or call 203-447-8779.

About Paddington Advertising Associates Inc.
Paddington was founded in 1980 and has three decades of experience developing innovative marketing solutions for companies in the retail and consumer focused arenas. From offices in Latham, New York, Paddington services have been utilized by organizations including The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Nestle USA, The Campbell Soup Company, American Pop Corn and Well’s Dairy. For more information call (518) 783-7618.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) February 17, 2009 — Fasthosts Internet, (www.fasthosts.com), a leading reseller web hosting provider, announced they are participating in a green initiative, which ensures all services run from a green data center. Fasthosts is part of United Internet’s Global Green Initiative whose renewable resources save 30,000 tons of CO2 every year. Fasthosts is certified by Green-e, the nation’s leading voluntary certification program for renewable energy. Fasthosts is purchasing enough Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from the non-profit, Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF), to match 100 percent of the electricity used at the company’s data center.

“At Fasthosts it is important for us to offer our resellers a service that will allow them to succeed. Environmentally conscious products and services are in a great demand now, so we’ve decided to offer our resellers the ability to sell a green product at no extra cost. Besides being a valuable selling point for our resellers, Fasthosts is proud to be an environmentally responsible company,” said Steve Holford, CMO of Fasthosts.

Complete details of Fasthosts’ green efforts can be viewed on the Fasthosts Green Web page (www.fasthosts.com/about-fasthosts/greener-hosting). For over a decade, the Green-e program, administered by the Center for Resource Solutions, has been certifying renewable energy that meets environmental and consumer protection standards that it developed in conjunction with leading environmental, energy and policy organizations.

Fasthosts provides its US resellers with dedicated service 24/7 with US based technical support via phone or email. All US customer websites are hosted within the company’s green state-of-the-art data center in Lenexa, KS and benefit from 30GBit high-speed connectivity.

For more information on Fasthosts and reseller web hosting, see the website at www.fasthosts.com.

About Fasthosts Inc.

Fasthosts is a leading reseller web hosting provider and the UK’s number one web hosting company. In the US the company is based in Chesterbrook, PA. Operating 24×7 from its dedicated data centers, Fasthosts keeps over 1 million domains running smoothly and ensures over 6 million emails are delivered safely each day. All Fasthosts services can be self-managed through the award winning Fasthosts web-based control panel that provides customers with unparalleled online control, enabling them to manage their hosted services seamlessly. Fasthosts’ highly successful reseller channel has recently been rated Number 1 for reseller hosting by industry portal Web Host Directory.

Canyon Lake, TX (PRWEB) February 13, 2009 — Restaurant Cops, LLC will be the beneficiary of a scientific experiment at the home of Dan & Tracy Marsh by utilizing and blending several green technologies.

‘Geothermal Energy Storage’ is the brainchild of home owner Dan Marsh and blends geothermal heat pump technology and solar hot water technology in a unique fashion, which according to professionals in the industries has never been done before. The technology can be read about and followed at www.DansHomeEnergyProject.com.

Tracy Marsh of Restaurant Cops, LLC says the plan for going GREEN is going to happen be this.

The power used by lighting, fax machines, computers, phone charges, etc will be from power we produce ourselves though the (PV) Photovoltaic Modules run through the Outback Power Systems grid-tie inverter and charge controller. A benefit from this system is the fact of when a power failure happens, the OutBack Power System will seamlessly switch to stored power from a huge bank of Interstate Batteries.

All the hot water for domestic use and home heating is produced by flat panel solar hot water collectors by SolarHot. The domestic hot water is stored in a brand new water solar heater/storage system by Rheem.

In the winter, the heating system will use solar hot water when available. When it’s not available, the TRANE geothermal heat pump will kick in utilizing the new technology of ‘Geothermal Energy Storage’.

In the summer, cooling will also come from the TRANE geothermal heat pump.

Tracy Marsh also said, “I’m very excited about this project because going GREEN is great for our planet.” Tracy also commented on the fact the reduced electrical bills will be a welcome sight too.

Tracy’s husband Dan Marsh said, “I have been working on this unique design for a while now and am happy it’s finally all coming together” Dan also reports he has had some trouble finding the exact products needed because of some unique design challenges. One example was finding the DC voltage pumps for the system because the distance between the solar structure and the house is at least 150 feet and the house is up a hill! March Pumps came through with some models perfect for the application and the pumps can be controlled with a speed drive for optimum efficiencies. The DC voltage speed controls are from Dart Controls too!

‘Geothermal Energy Storage’ pioneer, Dan Marsh said the idea seemed simple enough! Geothermal ground source heat pumps use the earth as a heat exchanger instead of outside air which is never constant. During winter-time use, geothermal ground source heat pumps dissipate cold temperatures extracted from the home throughout the horizontal loop field while absorbing warm energy from the earth sending it back to the heat pump unit. Dan Marsh said, “I figured if a system could be designed to increase the amount of warm energy going back to the heat pump during winter-time use and it could be done inexpensively or produced free, then it will be successful”

Short videos regarding this experiment and other subjects can be viewed at www.youtube.com/dantheprojectman. For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release contact

Tracy Marsh – www.Restaurant-Cops.com

(Vocus/PRWEB) February 5, 2009 — The SBA 504 Loan Program has been assisting small business entrepreneurs for over 25 years by providing fixed rate, long-term financing for the purchase, construction and renovation of commercial real estate. SBA 504 loans provide a source of long term capital with typically only a 10% down payment from the small business borrower. The rest of the financing is arranged by a Certified Development Company (CDC) securing an SBA 504 loan for up to 40% of the project costs and a lender providing the remaining 50% of the project funding.

The maximum amount of an SBA 504 loan is normally $1.5 million unless a project meets a specific public policy goal such as assisting a business in a rural area or a minority, veteran or woman-owned business. If a project meets a public policy goal, then the SBA 504 loan can go higher. The good news is that as part of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Congress added three new public policy goals to the SBA 504 Loan Program to assist businesses willing to invest in going green.

For existing small businesses wishing to purchase or construct facilities incorporating energy saving technologies or retrofit existing facilities resulting in a 10% decrease in energy consumption, they are now eligible to obtain SBA financing of up to $4 million for the project. The total cost of a “green project” can go as high as $9 million using the new public policy goal since the $4 million cap on the SBA 504 loan represents only 40% of the project cost. Some of the most common ways to achieve a 10% decrease in energy consumption now include improved insulation and lighting, improved HVAC, energy efficient windows and a number of other design features. New energy conservation technologies continue to be developed to make buildings and businesses more energy efficient so even more options will no doubt become available in the future.

In addition, small businesses generating renewable energy such as solar, biomass, hydropower, ocean thermal, geothermal and wind are also eligible to finance their real estate purchase or construction project with up to $4 million from the SBA 504 loan program. Generating renewable energy does not need to be the company’s primary business activity, just a method of meeting its own energy needs. Projects in any industry could, for example, purchase solar panels for their own use and qualify for an SBA 504 loan of up to $4 million.

The last type of small business projects that qualify under these new green business incentives are those small businesses that incorporate sustainable design into their facilities as defined by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards and the Green Building Certificate Institute. Working with qualified architects and engineers to create a “green building” will make a small business eligible for an SBA loan for up to $2 million in SBA 504 financing.

This is great news for small business entrepreneurs who have been considering the purchase or construction of a facility with an eye toward energy conservation. Incorporating energy efficient technologies today qualifies these businesses for special financing now as well as saving money in the long term.

About the National Association of Development Companies (NADCO)

Created in 1981, the National Association of Development Companies is the trade association for America’s Certified Development Companies (CDCs). Certified by the U. S. Small Business Administration, CDCs are community-based economic development organizations that serve their local communities and states, and are dedicated to the promotion of small business expansion and job creation through SBA’s 504 Loan Program. In addition to the 504 program, many CDCs also provide small businesses with access to other Federal, state and local economic development loan programs.

Based in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., NADCO provides legislative and regulatory support for the 504 Loan Program on behalf of CDCs, the program’s lending partners (including first mortgage lenders, attorneys and others allied to the industry), and 504 small business borrowers. For more information, please call (703) 748-2575 or visit www.nadco.org.

Scarsdale, NY (PRWEB) February 2, 2009 — In keeping with their mission to promote conservation and ecological research and to educate citizens on the benefits of environmental responsibility, the Greenburgh Nature Center (GNC) held the first in what will be a series of forums and lectures on fostering sustainability in the Westchester County area, entitled “Going Green Is Smart Business: Stories from Local Businesses.”

Kurt Hundgen, Executive Director of the GNC, was pleased with the initiation of an educational program years in the making. “This is really good for us, from the standpoint of reaching out to the community with some of the green initiatives our local businesses are doing.”

The panel consisted of community business owners who are making strides to change the way they operate, taking into consideration not only profit but the environmental effects of their use of energy and resources. The speakers of the event were Andrew Rivkin, Owner of Embassy Cleaners, Larchmont, NY; Julie Gifford, Owner of Julie Bean Espresso, Irvington, NY; Barbara Fischer, Vice President of Great Forest Sustainability Solutions, New York, NY; Richard Heller, President of Greener By Design, New York, NY; and Danielle Diaz, Owner of Geordane’s Neighborhood Market, Irvington.

“When Andrew Rivkin called Kurt and talked to him about making his dry cleaning business more environmentally friendly and sustainable, we couldn’t have been happier,” said GNC Project Coordinator Anne Jaffe Holmes. Holmes stressed the urgency of action in a critical moment in history and the role of community members in that moment: “(t)he combination of the economic meltdown and the environmental crisis gives us an opportunity to transform our culture and economy in one of the most creative ventures humanity will have gone through, and these businesses are going to be one of those engines.”

The audience ranged from concerned citizens to local government officials, all of whom discussed ways in which they could pool their resources to support local ‘green’ businesses and encourage environmental responsibility within their individual townships. Nicola Coddington, mayor of Irvington, stressed the building of “interconnected networks” in order to keep the small town economies alive with unique and progressive businesses at the forefront.

Each business owner was allotted time to discuss their business model and their goals for future sustainability. Efforts of the panelists included Embassy Cleaners’ degradable plastic garment covers and energy efficiency program, Julie Bean Espresso’s use of compostable or degradable paper coffee cups, Giordano’s organic grocery section, Greener By Design’s sustainable landscaping, to Great Forest, which creates sustainable options for other businesses.

Great Forest’s Barbara Fischer described sustainability as such: “It’s the ability to meet the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. For businesses, sustainability means doing business in a way that supports the bottom line as well as the world in which it exists.”