News & Features

Taking Advantage of Technology to Save Energy

Saving energy in hotels can be as easy as turning lights off in rooms when nobody is present. The fact is though, that many hotels like to leave lighting on in the rooms for when the guest arrives to make the room look more inviting.  A somewhat simple solution to this would be to upgrade to an automation system. 

 If a full automation upgrade is not feasible, there are digital thermostats that are available that can be upgraded from a standard thermostat to control lighting.  When a guest checks in, the hotel clerk can activate lighting in the room, so that energy is not being wasted on lighting that is not being used by anyone.

Upgrading to a thermostat like this also allows the hotel to “cap” the heating and cooling usage. The hotel can set a predetermined standard temperature window that can be stored in the computer of the thermostat. This feature eliminates guests turning room temperatures to extremes because the thermostat will only go as high as the window at which it was preset.

Savings from using a programmable thermostat can be impressive. Recent studies show that proper usage of a programmable thermostat can cut a home or business' heating costs by approximately 25%. In the summer, such devices may shave cooling costs 15 to 25%. Actual savings will depend on such factors as the climate, the amount of insulation in a home or business, the temperature one sets the thermostat and the rate structure of the utility company.   Each one-degree adjustment for an eight-hour period reduces your fuel bill costs by one percent.

A digital thermostat can be taken even further when coupled with passive infrared occupancy sensor. When it senses the suite is unoccupied, it turns the heating and cooling system to a predetermined temperature, going into unoccupied mode.  When an occupant enters the room, the IR transceiver and wireless magnetic door switch automatically sets the thermostat to occupied mode, allowing the thermostat to be set at the guest’s discretion. When the guest leaves, the temperature goes into unoccupied mode, falling or rising 10 to 15 degrees above or below the set temperature.

Over the course of a year, with several hundred rooms, these energy savings can add up quickly and surpass the initial capital cost of product and installation, especially in areas of the country that experience more extreme temperatures.

For more information or to discuss how Eric Ryan's Energy Services may be able to help your business, please contact the Eric Ryan Corporation at 724.752.8999 or email ericryancorporation@ericryan.com