New Tools for Operators 

“Improve guest satisfaction, and reduce operating costs --- if I can hit them both at the same time, I’m a happy man.”  So says Jim Hart, Director of Property Operations for the San Francisco Hilton & Towers, a 1,895-room first-class luxury hotel.  After 30 years at the same hotel, Hart knows a winning combination when he sees it.  And Jim Hart has been impressed by the application of occupancy- sensing DDC (Direct Digital Controls) thermostat and HVAC control technology in this “behemoth of a hotel”. 

The San Francisco Hilton & Towers installed SensorStat DDC and innPulse systems by Senercomm, Inc. a Palm Beach Gardens, Florida based company, in 600 of its rooms.  innPulse is an interactive centralized PC software which interfaces with the functions and devices in the guestrooms; i.e., mini-bars.  Not only has guest comfort improved, but savings in energy and labor costs have improved the operating picture for those rooms. 

“I buy electricity hourly, in ‘real time’ pricing at an average $0.08 per kWh per year.  During the winter it can be as low as $0.03, in the summer as high as $1.45.  With the SensorStat and innPulse, I can manage the efficiency and consumption of every room right from my office.  It even has an alarm that tells me which rooms are not operating efficiently.“ 

Hart related an incident that exemplifies the sensitivity of the systems.  The alarm sounded for two rooms that were showing 50 degrees  temperatures.  Inspection of the rooms showed that windows were open; coincidentally, rain was pouring in.  “80% of the time I can fix a guest’s problem right from my office, without the expense of sending maintenance one block and 27 stories away at the rate of $50 - $60 per hour.  Even the PTAC equipment is lasting longer,” says Jim.  “Three years ago, I replaced 37 compressors, at a cost of $330 apiece in those 600 rooms; last year, only seven. “ 

What the San Francisco Hilton & Towers and other hotels are experiencing are the benefits realized via technological breakthroughs available in the industry today.  These advancements improve the bottom line by creating energy savings, enhancing guestroom comfort and security, and reducing operating and replacement costs. 

Who Provides Them 

Companies such as Senercomm, Inncomm, Lodging Technology, Smart Systems, and Energy IQ provide systems and software designed specifically for and marketed directly to the hospitality industry.  The programs range from simple occupancy monitors to sophisticated, centralized reporting and two-way PC communications systems which provide management, maintenance and housekeeping personnel with continuous feedback on everything from occupancy, to mini-bar use, to HVAC efficiency, to room humidity levels, to a log of entry and access to an individual guestroom. 

Richard Watkins, Director of Technical Services for the Atlantis II, on Paradise Island in the Bahamas has had the Energy Transfer Monitoring (ETM) system in its 1,200 guestrooms for about three months.  By Inncomm International, an Old Lyme Connecticut firm, the system has yielded savings to date of approximately $75,000 or quarterly savings of about $750 to $1,000 per day.  The Atlantis II is using Inncomm’s Shared Cost Program, paying for a portion of the system out of energy savings; control rooms without the technology are monitored to calculate actual savings.  While this portion of the system is for energy conservation only, Watkins reports that they have the potential to go further; work is now in progress with an entry lock company to expand the Inncomm system and to integrate access and additional energy efficiency controls as well.  “From the engineering department, we can monitor the temperature, and change set-backs appropriately.  With the island’s average energy costs of $0.14 per kWh, any saving is a tremendous help.” 

Not Just for the Luxury Market 

Although initially considered suitable only for high-end properties, this technology is available to and appropriate for other tiers as well.  Tom Adams, General Manager uses the GEM system in the Guest House Inn in Little Rock Arkansas. Developed by Lodging Technology Corporation, a Roanoke Virginia based firm, the GEM system is an infrared sensor that determines whether or not a room is occupied.  That determination is then used to maintain room temperatures at management-selected “set-points” for either instance.  Unfortunately for the Guest House Inn, their energy rates increased at about the same time the system was installed, so accurate savings figures are not available.  However, Adams reports fewer HVAC breakdowns, and added life to filters and HVAC components. 

Jim Ackles, Director of Energy & Engineering for La Quinta Inns, is testing energy management systems for this 303-property mid-priced chain.  With two properties being fitted with Senercomm’s SensorStat system, and monitoring in conjunction with Central & Southwest Utility and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Ackles expects to see a return on investment sufficient to prompt chain-wide use.  He anticipates a simple payback in less than two years, with the added benefit of improved guest comfort.  Ackles did not want a “stand-alone system” and chose Senercomm because “as soon as a guest checks out, I want communications to the front desk.  Eventually, I anticipate having the Senercomm system in all 303 inns.” 

Versatile and Easy to Use 

The Four Seasons’ Las Colinas, outside Dallas Texas has had Senercomm control systems installed for approximately two years.  According to Buck Raines, “It will do just about anything and everything I want it to do.”  Raines has been with this 357-room world-class property since it opened about 15 years ago, and reports that every degree in temperature differential translates to about 3% energy savings.  In addition to the savings on energy costs, Raines uses the system to de-humidify rooms from May through September, keeping carpet and soft goods dry, and thereby prolonging their useful lives.  “By being able to reduce the humidity, the guest is more comfortable at a higher temperature.”  Perhaps Raines’ biggest compliment is that “the system is idiot-proof; there’s no way to knock it out.” 

The Wave of the Future 

This is changing technology within an evolving industry.  Late last year, Lodging Technology introduced GuestFind, an occupancy detector that provides continual, accurate occupancy reporting to front desk, housekeeping, and life safety departments.  As this article goes to press, Inncomm International is preparing to unveil its new line.  Senercomm has just announced its new generation of products.  Certainly, enhancements to these systems will continue to increase their effectiveness and the scope of their features.  One day, such systems will be as common a part of hotel construction as fire sprinklers, and the front desk.  But, why wait, the technology is there today.  Retrofit costs are recognized along with the system costs in your energy and operational savings, paybacks are realized in as little as 18 months, and your guest has a better, more comfortable stay. 

Stephen P. Taylor, CHA, is president of TaylorGroup. His 25 years of hospitality experience provide an invaluable background for clients and readers alike.