[Buffalo, NY— November 2, 2012] — The SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Richardson, Texas, is realizing the benefits of wireless energy management. Using the award-winning Verve® Keycard Switch from ZENO Controls LLC, property operator Lowen Hospitality Management is saving energy and money by empowering guests to control lights, outlets and the HVAC system in rooms. The wireless system is working so well at the property that Lowen Hospitality Management is planning on implementing the Verve® Keycard Switch at all new-construction projects going forward.

"At Lowen Hospitality Management, our eye is on energy conservation and being 'green,'" said Sanjay Naik, Lowen Hospitality Management vice president. "Rather than investing in costly occupancy sensors and associated technologies, we banked on a system that has a small footprint and is easy to use by guests and staff alike. It enables our guests to be actively involved in saving the planet -- and participating is something they tell us they appreciate. Guests don't always think to turn off lights, hair appliances, irons, or HVAC when they leave the room. The Verve® Keycard Switch, combined with thermostats and electrical load controllers, operates these devices automatically. It's convenient, it conserves energy, and it protects our asset by making sure that all electronics are 'off.'"

Powered by Zeno and enabled by EnOcean, the Verve® Keycard Switch is small, wireless, and requires no batteries to operate. When a guest enters the room, he or she places the room key into the slot on the KeyCard Switch which then transmits a wireless signal. When in place, guests have complete control over the lights, outlets and the HVAC unit in the room. When removed, the room is designated as unoccupied and electrical devices will turn off or go into eco set back mode, preventing the room’s temperature from moving outside of a comfortable range on return.

"With occupancy sensors, hotels run the risk of making an occupied room an uncomfortable temperature if the guest is a sound sleeper and the unit doesn't register that someone is actually in the room," Naik said. "Using keycard switches -- which is commonplace in Europe and Asia -- eliminates that problem. Guests can't waste energy, so our bottom line and overall performance improves."

EnOcean-based systems have been proven nationwide in hotels to save between 20 percent and 45 percent in energy, and hoteliers have reported recouping their investment in less than one year.

Ideal for Tech-Savvy Travelers
"We are thrilled that staff and guests at SpringHill Suites, along with executives at Lowen Hospitality Managaement, are so elated with the service that the Verve® Keycard Switch is providing," said Joshua Alper, ZENO Controls LLC General Manager. "Travelers loyal to the Springhill Suites brand are extremely tech savvy and environmental conscious. The Verve® Keycard Switch blends user-friendly interactive guest technologies on the front end with planet-friendly energy management on the back end. Reducing the amount of energy used and driving revenues to the bottom line is very important to hotel owners and operators today. As more hotel companies like Lowen Hospitality Management discover the bottom-line improvements that keycard switches provide, we anticipate many more hotels will follow their lead."

In 2011, the Verve® Keycard Switch won the "Editor's Choice Award for Best Green Technology Product" during the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show (IHMRS). ZENO Controls LLC, developer of the ZENO wireless gateway and universal controller that provides energy savings and management solutions to the hospitality industry, recently acquired Verve Living Systems. The acquisition makes ZENO the only energy-management and in-room controls provider to support both EnOcean and ZigBee technologies to deliver the most flexible, wireless performance platform on the market.

For a demonstration of the Verve® Keycard Switch, visit ZENO Controls LLC at IHMRS in Booth #2457 November 11-13 at the Jacob Javitz Convention Center in New York. For more information on ZENO Control Systems LLC, visit www.zenocontrols.com. For a complete listing of all Verve products, visis www.vervelivingsystems.com.

About ZENO Controls, LLC
ZENO Controls – Wireless Gateways that connect families of intelligent devices to central controls. ZENO provides “Packaged” solutions that include pre-configured, pre-scripted and pre-linked lighting and HVAC system controls. T end-devices, hardware/firmware and software components perform as a Complete Building Management System, or as a Wireless Device Gateway to an existing building controls. ZENO is headquartered in Buffalo NY.

About Verve
Verve Living Systems, a division of ZENO Controls LLC, manufactures energy-efficiency control products that enable simple and affordable control of lighting, temperature and electrical loads in new and existing buildings. Based on both wireless and energy harvesting technologies, Verve sensors are wireless and battery-less, making them cost effective and eco-friendly.  Verve product solutions can provide an effective return on investment through energy savings without compromising occupant comfort.  Verve Living Systems is headquartered in Buffalo NY, with offices in Chicago, Florida, Utah and California.