Upland, Calif.�May 8, 2003�With energy costs continuing to spiral upward, it�s time to shed light on an ever-expanding cost-savings opportunity: GE Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) proven to cut related energy consumption up to 75 percent � while improving room ambiance, safety and security.

Available to hospitality through Green Suites International, these energy efficient, flicker-free, natural light CFLs from GE Lighting are a quick way to lock in long-term operating savings property-wide. Featuring several new long-lasting bulbs designed specifically for hospitality applications (wall, table and floor lamps, as well as downlights and sconces) GE CFLs deliver an ROI often measured in months. 

Through a partnership, Green Suites International and GE Lighting perform audits and implement energy-conserving lighting solutions that provide ongoing savings for years.

�Ongoing rebates from several local utilities, make the �I� in this ROI equation much smaller, and the �R� only increases along with properties� utility rate hikes and ongoing related supply shortages. Even without a rebate, our CFLs pay for themselves many times over during their product lifecycles,� said Jim Schmidt, GE Lighting�s Market Development Manager. �In some markets, the cost per kilowatt has increased 50 percent or more during the past three years, and these price hikes are beginning to really take their toll, especially at properties battling occupancy and rate slumps.� 

Eye-Catching $avings

Green Suites International President and Founder Dan Bornholdt said that total lighting costs (for guestrooms and public areas such as lobbies, passageways, restaurants and meeting rooms, etc.) typically account for 40 percent of a property�s overall electrical expenses.

Bornholdt said many hotels are suffering from electricity bills that have nearly doubled in the past five years, but that GE Lighting�s hospitality replacement lamps offered by Green Suites International can help properties reduce their overall electrical bills by 30 percent almost overnight by cutting lighting costs to one-fourth of what they are today. 

Schmidt added that GE Lighting�s energy-efficient Hospitality Solutions help hotels improve room ambiance, safety and security while reducing costs and helping preserve natural resources at the same time. Hotels supporting green initiatives also have the added benefit of significantly increasing their appeal to the more than 43 million-environmentally conscious U.S. travelers.

Among GE Lighting�s hot new CFL solutions � which use rare-earth phosphors to deliver a brighter, more vibrant color and an excellent color rendering index of 82, and feature electronic ballasts that provide a flicker-free start in less than half a second � are:

• T3 Mini Biax and Mini A-LineTM (for table lamps and sconces) � The 15-watt TBX CFL is the equivalent of a 60-watt incandescent bulb with 900 lumens, and lasts 15,000 hours. The 15-watt GLS is the equivalent of a 60-watt incandescent with 825 lumens, and has a lifespan of 10,000 hours.

• Low-Watt Decorative CFLs � Designed in both a candelabra and medium base, these bulbs feature a rated life of 6,000 hours, a color temperature of 2700K, and a compact design ideal for sconces and chandeliers.

• Spiral CFLS � These spiral CFL equivalents of 40-watt, 60-watt, 75-watt and 100-watt incandescent lamps have been redesigned to be more compact to fit more hospitality applications. These spiral CFLs last 33 percent longer than typical C4 CFLs (8,000 hours vs. 6,000 hours) and produce the same or better lumen count, with a color temperature of 2700K.

• Glass Reflectors for Diffuse Downlighting (R301R40) � A 15-watt fluorescent reflector puts off 550 lumens and lasts 8,000 hours, while the 23-watt fluorescent reflector features 950 lumens and a lifespan of 10,000 hours. With a color temperature of 2700 K, the lamps save energy (35 to 67 watts), last four to five times longer and provide the same or better lumen output when compared to incandescent glass reflectors. Compared to old plastic reflector CFLs, these lamps provide better lumen output and shorter MOL, while avoiding the yellowing of the plastic lens and associated degraded ight quality. 

�These new GE Lighting CFLs are smaller, last longer, and produce more, better-quality light,� Burger said. �With several new additions to its family of CFLs, the value proposition just got sweeter for hotels looking to cut their lighting bills to 25 percent of what they are today �and what fiscally responsible operator wouldn�t want to do that? �

�Just as sweet, we help hotels find out if their local utilities offer energy efficient rebate programs. In many markets, these rebates shoulder up to 75 percent of the upfront investment in lamp replacement, allowing for paybacks in six months or less,� Bornholdt added. 

New Twist on ROI

Today, energy management is viewed as much more than not as just another �green hotel� initiative. It�s a cornerstone to any serious cost-cutting campaign. The bottom-line benefits are as clear as daylight:

• Reducing electrical usage is the greatest opportunity for realizing utility cost reduction.
• Lighting accounts for up to 40 percent of a typical property�s electrical utility costs.
• GE Lighting�s CFLs can reduce related electricity consumption up to 75 percent.
• A GE Lighting audit, scheduled in coordination with Green Suites International, is FREE. 

Schmidt said GE Lighting�s full line of innovative fluorescent lamps offer more energy savings, longer life, reduced maintenance, and better overall light appearance and output than ever before. GE Lighting and Green Suites International are both longstanding ENERGY STARTM partners with the Environmental Protection Agency.

When considering ROI for a lighting upgrade project, Schmidt said an operator should factor in, among other things: the cost of the lamp, and heat output and life expectancy of the lamp; current energy consumption; and ongoing discounts and rebate programs. Other less-tangible factors play a part, such as: guest safety from breaking bulbs; guest satisfaction in terms of lighting color and temperature; and guest expectations in terms of instantaneous operation. In addition, since spiral CFLs last so much longer than incandescent bulbs, ROI calculations should factor in the savings in on-going maintenance costs as well.

�We encourage all hotel owner/operators to spend a few minutes at with us online at http://www.gelighting.com/na/business/index.html to obtain a quick ROI sketch and compare their property�s energy performance to others,� Schmidt said. �Properties also should visit the EPA�s new hotel-specific energy benchmarking tools, part of the ENERGY STARTM program, at www.epa.gov/buildings/hospitality. We�re working together to try and make energy savings calculations a point-and-click experience for properties of all sizes and types in markets across the globe.�

Based in Upland, Calif., Green Suites International assists hotels by developing solutions that are profitable to hotels and image enhancing to the more than 43 million environmental travelers in the United States. Solutions include energy and water efficient products, natural amenities delivered from elegant dispensers, non-toxic cleaners, and air and water filtration systems. Facilities reaping the benefits of Green Suites� solutions include properties from every state and 12 different countries. For more information on GE Lighting�s CFLs for Hospitality and Green Suites International�s wide array of other ecological solutions providing significant economic benefit, please contact Ray Burger, VP Sales & Marketing, at 888-590-2285, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.greensuites.com.