Throughout the end of March into April there are several events that encourage environmental conciousness including Earth Hour and Earth Day. One other environmentally concious event that takes place every April is the United States premier lighting eventLightFair International® . EcoGreenHotel has attended this amazing event for the past several years. And this year I was blown away by the advancements in LED Technology. The energy reduction techonlogies displayed at LightFair will have a huge impact on reducing the environmental impact of our planet.

LightFair International® 2013 toughted over 500 exhibitors, 200+ hours of accredited training and educational lectures lasting 3 days hosted at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. This year was by far one of the most successful showcases of the latest & greatest technology being released on the market in the coming months.

Oh The Places You You’ll Go! —- (Dr. Seuss 1/22/90)

LED technology was by far the most prominently represented technology this year at LightFair. LED technology solutions showcased ranged from decorative lighting to parking and site luminears. One of the most impressive decorative applications displayed was the flexible micro-LED tape.  Taking this flexible tape to mount vertically behind frosted glass created an effective accent illuminated wall.

Another application for this “flex-tape” identified was to apply it to the outside of a simple glass cylinder; an effective pendant fixture resulted that was both unique and a prominent announcement piece of your facility’s “green efforts.”

A unique applications for green hotel closets utilized an LED studded closet bar to illuminate the clothes hanging below. Capable of operating on a door switch, the statement this subtle feature can make should not be overlooked. Outside, LED luminaries have migrated, coming down off the pole lighting parking decks & garages.  Garage luminaries entering the market promise lower wattage, longer life, and better CRI lighting quality than the existing metal halide standard on the market today. Better CRI light quality leads to easier night vision for patrons equaling higher safety & security.

The bottom line simply is that “if a hotel or any facility wishes to eliminate all “screw-in” lamps, there is today an LED product capable of satisfying most sought after applications.”

New LEDs Unveiled

Touched on above, LED applications are becoming prolific. One of the “sharpest” new LEDs was found over at the GE pavilion for an edge-light supermarket suspended aisle troffer. This product, seeking to expand upon those glass LED exit signs most have become familiar seeing, utilizes the same principle to provide light through a sleek sheet of clear glass to make a modern sleek energy savings statement.

In the upgrade realm, CREE has unveiled the UR-series capable of retrofitting a facility’s existing 2×2 & 2×4 fluorescent troffers with LEDs. The CREE approach with this series, instead of the “linear LED” re-lamp & ballast bypass, has been to replace the ballast and connect the UR’s LED “light sabers” to the new ballast. By upgrading the existing troffers via this method, the entire troffer fixture is able to maintain its UL listing; the linear T-8 LED relamping is not able to maintain the fixture’s UL rating once the original ballast is completely bypassed.

Finally, Phillips new A-lamp has eliminated its yellow enclosure – opting for a completely new LED light engine and a white shell. Switching out the yellow, Phillips hopes customers are more comfortable and less weary of trying out their LED A-lamps.

Big Projects Need Big $$ Bucks

Despite the advancements & price drops from early-gen products, its no secret a large LED lighting project can cost a lot of money. While federal, state, and local utility incentives are widely available, the remaining capital outlay can prove daunting for many institutions. A new offering by Phillips & GE seeks to erase these financial obstacles; both companies’ capital divisions have unveiled direct financing options for LED projects with the goal of creating day one cash flow positive projects! These programs have specified flexible financing options of up to 10 years and are open to any non-residential projects. While these program’s goals are designed to foster their specific LED products’ installation, GE has offered to include financing for non-GE LED products (provided “a majority” of the project is still GE).
Rise of the Plasma

The newest technology beginning to blossom is plasma lighting technology. Plasma lamps are a type of electrodeless lamp energized by radio frequency (RF) power. Despite having a minor presence at LFI this year when compared to LED, the technology is advancing every year with newer, warmer color temperatures being unveiled every year. Cost and viable applications are also maturing highlighting this technology will become a major consideration in the coming years, so stay tuned!

Although I covered a large percentage of lighting that a typical lodging facility requires there are some areas such as guest rooms that have a lower time of burn that makes it tough to come up with LED solutions that will deliver a palatable payback. EcoGreenHotel is just wrapping up a new build project for the Kana Hotel Group where we eliminated over 60% of their lamps at the Embassy Suites Knoxville West, which will be hosting their grand opening this spring. Although we are not at a point to say we can build a stylish hotel with 100% LED Luminaires Fixtures we are closer than ever.

For more information on lighting rebate administration, lighting design or lighting savings analysis contact me at ggrochmal@ecogreenhotel.com or 888.229.0213.

About the Author
GEOFF GROCHMAL, DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABILTY – EcoGreenHotelSince early 2011 Geoff has worked in the Energy Solutions Division, specializing in Energy Star benchmarking and Energy Modeling. Lighting Rebate Submissions and Project Management. Geoff graduated from The George Washington University with a BA in Economics. Prior to his work at EcoGreenHotel, Geoff had conducted an extensive array of quantitative research – choosing to focus on Californian “green” legislation AB 939 Integrated Waste Management Act for his senior thesis research project. His findings showcased a fundamental link between an area’s wealth and its ability to meet the state’s “green goals.”

New York, New York – 4/22/13 – Hostelling International – New York today proudly announced it has been accepted as a GreenLeader, Silver level into the new TripAdvisor^® GreenLeaders™ program, which helps travelers plan greener trips by identifying environmentally-friendly accommodations across the U.S.

TripAdvisor GreenLeaders have met a set of environmental standards developed for TripAdvisor by a leading environmental consulting firm, with input from expert partners. The more green practices a hotel has in place, the higher its GreenLeader level, which is shown on the property’s listing on the TripAdvisor site.

“Hostelling International USA is proud of its sustainability efforts around the country thus far,” says HI-NYC General Manager George Finn. “I am very pleased to be recognized as a leader in the industry by TripAdvisor’s GreenLeader Initiative as we move to create a greener planet for all of its inhabitants now and in the future.”

Travelers can now search for accommodations that have a GreenLeaders status on the TripAdvisor site, and view a detailed list of environmentally-friendly practices that they can expect at each location.

“TripAdvisor GreenLeaders are leading the hospitality industry in making efforts to improve their environmental footprint,” said Jenny Rushmore, director of responsible travel at TripAdvisor. “We greatly applaud these accommodations and are pleased to share their eco-friendly practices with our online audience of more than 200 million travelers.”

The TripAdvisor GreenLeaders program was developed in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR^® program, the U.S. Green Building Council, and the United Nations Environment Programme. For more information, please visit www.tripadvisor.com/GreenLeaders.

About Hostelling International – USA
Hostelling International – USA is the American affiliate of the Hostelling International network of more than 4,000 hostels in over 80 countries, with nearly 60 hostels across the USA. As a national non-profit organization, they have been serving the needs of young travelers for more than 75 years. The Hostelling International-USA Mission: “To help all, especially the young, gain a greater understanding of the world and its people through hostelling.”

About TripAdvisor
TripAdvisor^® is the world\’s largest travel site*, enabling travelers to plan and have the perfect trip. TripAdvisor offers trusted advice from real travelers and a wide variety of travel choices and planning features with seamless links to booking tools. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 200 million unique monthly visitors**, and over 100 million reviews and opinions. The sites operate in 30 countries worldwide, including China under daodao.com. TripAdvisor also includes TripAdvisor for Business, a dedicated division that provides the tourism industry access to millions of monthly TripAdvisor visitors.

TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) manages and operates websites under 19 other travel media brands:, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.sniqueaway.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com, www.virtualtourist.com, www.whereivebeen.com, and www.kuxun.cn.

ENERGY STAR qualified HeronLED desk lamps are made in the USA from recycled e-waste

SANTA CRUZ,  APRIL 16, 2013 – LittleFootprint® Lighting, a pioneer of sustainably designed LED task lighting products made in the USA from recycled e-waste, announced today the installation of its HeronLED® Personal Task Lights in all 120 guest rooms in Seattle’s Hotel 1000. Known for its hi-tech, eco-friendly rooms and on Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List 2013, Hotel 1000 purchased the desk lamps to provide better lighting for guests while reducing energy costs and demonstrating its commitment to sustainability and green jobs in the US.

“Improving sustainability credentials and reducing energy costs are very important goals throughout the hospitality industry, so we’ve always believed hotels would be an important market for us”, said Nancy Wahl-Scheurich, CEO of LittleFootprint Lighting. “We’re also aware, however, that hotels won’t invest in a light just because it’s “green”; it has to look good and provide really good light.  One of the key reasons Hotel 1000 chose the HeronLED was to respond to guest suggestions that lighting of the desk area be improved.  The HeronLED’s brightness and easy adjustment to get light where the user wants it get the job done”.

The HeronLED Personal Task Light is the first made-in-USA LED desk lamp to earn the ENERGY STAR and is the only one to be made from recycled computers and other electronics (e-waste). “We were very happy to find such a unique desk lamp for our guest rooms”, said Denny Fitzpatrick, General Manager of Hotel 1000.  “Customer feedback let us know we needed to improve lighting, and we believe our guests will appreciate that we’ve done it with a desk lamp that not only saves energy, but also reduces landfill and is made in the USA.”

About LittleFootprint Lighting
Founded by LEED AP Nancy Wahl-Scheurich and headquartered in Santa Cruz, California, LittleFootprint® Lighting is a manufacturer of sustainable LED task lighting products that are made in the USA from recycled materials. Designed for hotels, commercial buildings and home offices, LittleFootprint Lighting’s products deliver the right amount of light where it’s needed, saving energy and helping to reduce eye strain. LittleFootprint Lighting’s products are distributed to the hospitality industry by Pineapple Hospitality.

www.lfplighting.com
http://www.facebook.com/lfplighting

About Hotel 1000
Located at the corner of First and Madison in the heart of downtown Seattle, Hotel 1000 is a world-class luxury hotel that offers distinctive amenities, sophisticated accommodations and anticipative service to provide guests with a truly customized experience. Hotel 1000 features 120 luxury guest rooms, BOKA RESTAURANT + BAR, Spaahh, The Golf Club and is steps away from the waterfront along Elliott Bay.  It is conveniently centered between Pike Place Market, Seattle Art Museum, the business district and lively and historic Pioneer Square. Hotel 1000 is committed to maintaining a leadership position in Seattle for environmental management of the property\’s waste stream by continually researching new options, products, and methods that enhance this objective. For more information, please visit www.hotel1000seattle.com.

About Pineapple Hospitality
Headquartered in Saint Charles, Missouri, Pineapple Hospitality™ brings fresh ideas to hospitality guests’ doors and owner/operators’ bottom lines — including FreshStay® (www.freshstay.com), EcoRooms & EcoSuites( www.EcoRooms.com) Environmentally Sensitive Amenities™, TOMMY BAHAMA Amenities, Eco.Fresh, ecossential elements, and greenSPA™ amenities, AVIVA and WAVE dispensers, Energy Efficient Lighting and Controls, Custom Linen & Towel Re- Use Programs, Green Earth Key Cards, Energy Management Systems and Controls, High Performance showerheads, Zero Odor, and dozens of other products and programs. For more information, please visit www.pineapplehospitality.net  or call 636-922-2285.

The advancements in technology have been a huge driver for green hoteliers especially in the energy and water efficiency arena. How fast is technology evolving? My team and I spent last week together in strategy meetings. Our conversations made us ask, “How rapidly technology matures once introduced into the market”. Remember when the first 32” flat panel television came out and it was $5,000+? Today you can find a 32” flat panel television for under $500.

Lighting utilized in environmentally friendly hotels is changing rapidly.The LED is fueling this change. Light Emitting Diodes (LED) is a solid-state semiconductor device that converts electrical energy directly into light. On its most basic level, the semiconductor is comprised of two regions. The LED Chip when combined with an LED Driver and other thermal and optical technologies can create a complete LED Luminaire.

Manufactures are starting to step outside of the typical screw in lamp application by developing complete fixtures that upgrade existing fixtures completely eliminating the need for screw in replacement lamps.  TheLED Luminaire is a complete lighting unit consisting of LED-based light emitting elements and a matched driver together with parts to distribute light.

One of EcoGreenHotel ‘s first LED Design projects we installed was for Hostelling International – NYC.We installed one hundred PAR 30 LED lamps. Just a few years ago we installed a quality PAR 30 LED screw in lamp replacement throughout some areas of the project.This replacement was priced atone hundred dollars a lamp. Fortunately we were able to subsidies the cost by 50% or $50 a lamp thanks to a NYSERDA state incentive program.

Similar to the 32” television scenario the rapid evolution in PAR 30 replacement technology has driven down cost quickly. Today we can install a LED luminaire priced less than half the price with a three to five year warranty depending on the manufacturer.

In addition to competition driving prices down throughout the LED industry another fascinating enhancements in LED technology applications is the possibility that we just might be ableto eliminate the screw in lamp in the hospitality industry.The compact fluorescent has been a wonderful technology to bridge us until LED technology matured. CFL shortfalls include proper disposal because of the mercury utilized in manufacturing. Another huge shortfall with CFL lighting is the impact on aesthetics. No one likes to see a Springlamp Spiral through a beautiful decorative fixture. The fact that CFL never could meet dimming expectations also has hindered full adaptation into high profile areas of hotels.

There are several quality manufactures making LED luminaires for use in high hour burn spaces such as lobbies, restaurants, hallways and meeting space. CREE LED has a terrific line of options for 4” and 6” luminaires that dim wonderfully and are warrantied for five years and most are Energy Star Labeled. The day of keeping a huge inventory of twenty different types of screw in light bulbs may be coming to an end.

CREE CR4 LED Luminaire

A bonus for existing hotels when comparingLED luminaires versus a typical screw in LED is in rebate processing.The price per fixture available to you in a prescriptive rebate programs in some cases will give a greater dollar value versus a screw in LED lamp.

Another main driver of hotels installing LED lights is that utilities in almost every state offer some rebates for LED lighting. Details on these programs are aggregated in the federal DSIRE database and on individual utility sites.Prescriptive rebates provide a specific predetermined dollar amount for each fixture replaced.

TerraLUX Linear LED Engine

Ok so we talked about recessed can lighting. I know some of you are saying what about all the decorative sconces I have lining my hallways and banquet areas. We have been searching for a viable solution for decorative sconces for the past few years. It is an issue in the hospitality industry. Not only are you changing lamps frequently the ballasts are failing as well. Recently we have been introduced to the TerraLUX Line Voltage Linear LED Engine. It is a self-contained, plug-and-play LED solution for decorative lighting fixtures. The TerraLUX module is dimmable, and requires no additional drivers or special sockets.

So our Green Hotel has their hallways and corridors covered without one screw in lamp. Lets step to the back of the house, the administrative offices, fitness center and the gym. In that past several years new build and franchised prototypical plans have transitioned to Super T8’s and even more efficient T5’s for 2’ X 2’ or 2’ X 4’ fluorescent troffers. Mercury is still present and light bulbs that need replacing and proper disposal still exists. A promising technology is LED Flat Panel Luminaires for these areas in a few more years. Today it is hard to find flat panel luminaires from a reputable vendor that will deliver consistent color temperatures or a warranty. If you plan on procuring technologies that may not have hit the main stream yet, ask for hospitality references and make sure the product has a third party certification such asbeing UL Listed.

A typical recessed troffer as you would see in a fitness center or above your desk in your office normally utilizes 4ea 32 watt T8’s burning approximately 128 watts. An LED troffer will eliminate the need to replace lamps and ballasts and deliver an equivalent lumen output while only utilizing 44 watts total.  LED troffers are now a proven technology being manufactured by several of the top manufacturers.

Exterior lighting is a major energy load for green hoteliers and the replacement cost when you need to repair a parking lot pole light could cause you to have to rent a lift and a licensed electrician. Several manufacturers are bringing exterior LED products to the hospitality industry. There is a option to utilize an LED for all exterior applications. The payback may still be lengthy for an existing hotel however a new build can encompass LED applications for all exterior lighting at a minimal investment delta. The Cree Edge area square luminaires offer excellent uniformity for applications including parking lots and large common spaces for pedestrians and motorists.Cree offers a 10-Year Limited Warranty for select LED Architectural Downlights.

Although I covered a large percentage of lighting that a typical lodging facility requires there are some areas such as guest rooms that have a lower time of burn that makes it tough to come up with LED solutions that will deliver a palatable payback. EcoGreenHotel is just wrapping up a new build project for the Kana Hotel Group where we eliminated over 60% of their lamps at the Embassy Suites Knoxville West, which will be opening this spring. Although we are not at a point to say we can build a stylish hotel with 100% LED Luminaires Fixtures we are closer than ever.

For more information on lighting rebate administration, lighting design or lighting savings analysis contact me at sparisi@ecogreenhotel.com or 888.229.0213.

About the Author

Scott Parisi is President of EcoGreenHotel, a firm that develops energy and sustainability projects for commercial buildings with a large focus on the hospitality sector. As President of EGH, Scott’s day to day responsibilities include developing and implementation of energy and sustainability strategies into hotels, leveraging federal state and local utility incentives to subsidies projects and building partnerships with like minded companies that add value to EGH’s client base. Additionally, Scott develops and hosts educational workshops, staff trainings and has spoke at national and regional events including AAHOA’s National Convention, Green Lodging & Hospitality Conference, Boston Green Tourism Events, Philagreen Hospitality Association Events, GF Management University Sessions, National Purchasing Network Annual Expo and the Global Renewable Energy Networking Summit.

Through the budget preparation process hoteliers look at categories such as life safety, brand compliance and replacement of FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment) based on their life cycle. Large ticket items that have a life span of over a year or two most likely are considered capital expenditures. Most hotel operators and management companies are responsible and incentivized on the operational budget and delivering the budgeted financials based on the profit and lossstatement. Capital expenses do not hit your operational profit and loss statement. When a strategy is in place to allocate capital dollars towards products and technologies that will increase the value of a hotel asset while reducing operational expenses can make a huge impact on the profit and loss statement. Water and energy efficiency technologies such as energy management systems, ozone technologies for laundry and LED Lightingall qualify as a capital expense and can dramatically reduce your utility expenses.

What is a Capital Expense Budget?
A capital expenditure (CAPEX) is the cost of developing a new hotel or purchasing non-consumable assets for an existing property. For example, the purchase of a photocopier involves CAPEX, and the annual paper, toner, power and maintenance costs represent operating expenses (OPEX).

Capital Expenditure Budgets identify the need for replacing long-term assets of the hotel, for renovating the hotel, and for expanding the hotel. These expenditures are long term in nature, and the PP&E (Property, Plant, and Equipment) will last from one to thirty years.

One approach is to establish a priority system for capital projects. For example, mandatory projects to satisfy government requirements and replacement of certain equipment usually take priority, followed by brand requirements. A more detailed breakdown of these categories, in general order of priority, might look like this:

• Requirements to meet legal compliance and personal safety
• Requirements to protect corporate, brand and financial integrity
• Energy and water efficiency projects with high expected ROI
• Maintenance or replacement of worn-out equipment
• Completion of ongoing projects (Example: – replacing 15 PTAC’s every year)
• Other projects

Does every hotel have a capital budget?
CAPEX versus OPEX is an acceptable accounting practice for small and large businesses and is a normal practice for most hotels. Even prior to the financial crisis of 2007-2008 we were seeing lending institutions enforcing hotels to commit 3%-5% of top line revenues to be reinvested in capital expenditures. Loans with these contingencies require owners to fund an escrow account monthly and make it mandatory for the hotelier to invest back into the real estate asset on an annual basis.

Many hotels have five, ten and twenty year capital plan strategies in addition to an annual budget derived during budget season.

Identifying water and energy projects that deliver reductions in utility expenses

Energy Benchmarking
Hotels planning to dedicate capital dollars to implement water and energy efficiency technologies should conduct a benchmarking of their utility usage. A proper benchmarking will identify the percentage breakdown of water, natural gas and electricity. Comparing the water and energy load percentages is crucial to identifying where your property should invest into technologies that will reduce loads that are non typical of other buildings in the hotel segment.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s, ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager is the most recognized benchmarking tool. Almost all major brands have now provided additional tools and directives making it mandatory that each hotel is responsible for carbon and energy benchmarking.

Energy Reduction Technologies
In the past 3-5 years there have been amazing advancements in energy solutions including LED Lamps that are guaranteed for 5 years, Ozone Laundry Systems that reduce chemical usage, natural gas and water. There are liquid pool solutions that create a powerful pool cover to lock in humidity and heat. For every proven technology that is priced correctly, installed and serviced by a professional and a guarantee on energy savings projections there are five more vendors that don’t understand guest comfort. Be careful to work with a vendor that understands the hospitality industry. A third party energy consultant who understands the hospitality industry can be a huge resource to a green hotel when integrating energy reduction technologies. A good energy consultant will assist in building benchmarking, identifying rebates; administrate technical analysis needed to achieve custom incentives, vendor negotiation of price and inclusion of energy saving guarantees and professional project management.

Rebates and Incentives
Several of local utility providers offer incentives in the form of cash rebates for select energy technologies. Most technologies eligible for local utility rebate programs have been tested and found effective for your geographical area.

Low interest loan programs are available in some areas of the country offering 3%-5% funding for approved energy efficiency technologies. There are also grants available sometimes funded by federal government and sometimes funded by your local county. In Virginia Beach a commercial building owner can save on his property tax if he is operating in a energy efficient manner.

In Tennessee the TVA (Tennessee Valley Authority) offers a custom program for most electricity reducing technologies rebating up to ten cents per kWh while through a state program Pathway Lending offers 3%-5% rates to fund the project over five years allowing for positive cash flow for the property.

About EcoGreenHotel
EcoGreenHotel supports hotels to identify energy efficient strategies that reduce a property’s energy usage
and overall environmental impact. As owner’s agents and through our vendor neutral approach, we find the right technologies, products and solutions to deliver the best quality and value for all our clients. We specialize in identifying and taking advantage of incentives, grants, rebates and loan programs that are available through federal, state and local agencies.

The financial crisis of 2007–2008 is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. It resulted in the threat of total collapse of large financial institutions, the bailout of banks, and downturns in stock markets around the world. The bursting of the U.S. real estate bubble, which peaked in 2006, caused the values of securities tied to U.S. real estate pricing to plummet, damaging financial institutions.

Prior to this crisis strategies to develop new hotels or acquire existing assets with a small percentage of cash out of pocket were plentiful. Today to secure funding it may take 30%-40% of hard cash to move a deal forward.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering a way to leverage funds at well below market rates for major renovations and new construction with as low as 10% cash down. The catch? Some money-saving energy efficiency or renewable energy measures must be in the mix.

Millions of dollars in SBA 504 loans have been available for decades to help small businesses grow. The greening of the program began when the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 added 3 public policy goals that could qualify businesses for a loan for construction, renovation, or refinance to:

1. Build a new facility (or retrofit an existing building) that consumes at least 10% less energy.
2. Incorporate sustainable design such as LEED into the new construction or renovation projects or building purchases.
3. Incorporate the production and use of renewable energy onsite for the business and/or for the local utility.

Another area the 504 green loan program can assist the hospitality industry is to bring cash to the table for major renovations. Hotel franchise companies have been lenient over the past several years on product improvement, as not many hoteliers have had the financial ability to perform major renovations. In the past several months the need for franchise companies to protect their brand have resulted in many hotels being put on notice that they must reinvest in their asset. In addition to the ability to kickstart a new development project if you have a large PIP (Product Improvement Plan) on your plate the Green 504 Loan may be particularly well suited.

The usual SBA maximum eligibility limits do not apply and the loans are available on a “per project” basis. The Green Loan is a second mortgage, which may be as much as $5.5 million, and larger businesses are able to utilize multiple 504 loans on multiple buildings. The jobs creation/retention requirements of a traditional 504 loan does not apply to the Green 504 Loan, making it a good fit for hotels, which have lots of square footage but relatively few employees.

The key affordability features of the Green 504 Loan are that they are available with as little as 10% down/10% equity and are available at fixed, long-term rates that are well below the market for commercial loans.

As any government program submission of proper documentation is crucial. To show that your development or repositioning of an asset will be planned and built with sustainability at the forefront energy modeling and selection of energy efficient technologies that will show palatable payback is required in the planning stages.

An energy consultant is required as part of the submittal package. With careful analytics and support, an energy consultant as well-versed in the PIP process as they are in the Green 504 Loan process can ensure that all stakeholder goals are met.
A qualified energy consultant to support the extensive documentation required by SBA to ensure the public policy goals of the Green 504 Loan are met must have previous experience with hotels and with the SBA. The scope of work for your selected energy consultant will include utilizing building modeling software that is approved by the Department of Energy. They will need to develop calculations addressing building envelope, base lighting and HVAC operations. They will have to clearly show how the project will reduce energy consumption by at least 10% in comparison to a baseline analysis. In almost all cases you will have to incorporate a renewable energy source into your project.

If you have been trying to get a development project pushed forward or your franchise brand is mandating you to spend millions on a PIP to retain your flag contact our team of hotel energy experts we can help info@ecogreenhotel.com.

About Scott Parisi
Scott Parisi is co-founder of EcoGreenHotel, a firm that develops energy and sustainability projects for commercial buildings with a large focus on the hospitality sector. As President of EGH, Scott’s day to day responsibilities include developing and implementation of energy and sustainability strategies into hotels, leveraging federal state and local utility incentives to subsidize energy performance projects. Scott is s a veteran hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience including serving as General Manager of the United States first L.E.E.D. certified and “Environmentally Friendly” Hotel-the Sheraton Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.

Whether you run or own a small or large hotel, there are ways to save money by reducing your utility bill expenses. Water bills are a large part of the expenses incurred and it is prudent to ensure that you are not spending more than you need to. In hotels, water is an important commodity (like it is everywhere else) and it is used in guestrooms, conference rooms, banquet halls, spas, restaurants, kitchens and pretty much every other place. With so much water being used, you can safely assume that a large quantity of water is being wasted as well. With water charges increasing every day, it makes sense to curb water consumption and take a few smart steps to reduce your water bills and save money that can be utilized with better effect elsewhere in the hotel.

Repair First!

Before you set out to install new fixtures that will help reduce the hotel water bills, you need to ensure that the existing mechanisms are working at an optimum level. This means fixing even the smallest leak in any of the rooms of the hotel. Sinks, tubs, and showers are potential leak prone areas and studies show that even a single water leak can result in over 40 gallons of water wastage every single day! Check if you need to repair any of the existing fixtures in your hotel such as malfunctioning flapper and flush valves.

Our Energy Solutions Division at EcoGreenHotel is analyzing hotels every day and we have found some serious leaks. Most of the time we are aware of leaks due to closely monitoring utility bills on a monthly basis and constantly measuring trends. In the past few months we have found leaks in the back of washers dumping hundreds of gallons into trench drains. We have found leaks at backflow preventers and broken sprinkler heads just to name a few.

Be a Water Miser!

The words “water miser” do not have any negative connotations! What you will be doing is saving expenditures on water bills and undertaking conservation measures to aid the environment. If the hotel staff does not know how much water is being wasted, chances are high that they will do nothing to aid the conservation of water. Many hotels have introduced incentives for staff members who consciously help conserve water and bring about a reduction in water bills. Measuring and paying attention to trends can save plenty of water.

 Adding New Devices and Fixtures

Out of the total amount of water used in any hotel, statistics show that more than 41 percent of water is used for regular domestic use in restrooms, guestrooms, toilets, and urinals! There have been many advances in water technology in the last few years. In the past, toilets and urinals were designed to use about 3 gallons and sometimes more for every single flush! With new devices and low volume conservation measures, you will find that the newest toilets function with only 1.6 gallons of water per flush while urinals manage with just 1 gallon per flush. Dual flush commodes are available that utilize as low as .08 gallons per flush for liquid waste. You will not be compromising on quality or cleanliness by using these low volume models because they are designed with a specific purpose in mind and that is, to efficiently save as much water as possible and still complete their task.

In the past, sinks and showers that were fitted with water-flow controls would cause a variety of complaints from guests but this is history now. With the advent of water conservation technology, you can utilize several smart devices that will allow you to control the flow of water without hampering the guest experience in any way.

New products such as the Evolve Roadrunner 1.5 GPM Showerhead use ShowerStart Technology which will help you save about 2,700 gallons of water on an average every year. The Evolve system runs by letting you know that the water in the showerhead has reached an optimum heat level of 95° by reducing the flow of the water to a steady trickle. This means that you will not be wasting any water while waiting for the water heater to kick in. For a large hotel, such a new device could mean savings of up to $75 on water utility bills in every single room!

If you don’t want to change the showerheads just yet, another fantastic and salient water conservation technology option is the Evolve Ladybug which also uses ShowerStart Technology. Similar in function, this adapter can be attached to any existing showerhead so you attain the same benefits from using it. This adapter showcases a unique design and is specifically created keeping hotels that have water pressure of above 20 PSI in mind. It offers a single function spray pattern and can be attached to any standard shower arm that has half an inch fittings.

Along with other new products and fixtures, these will allow you to save time, money, energy, as well as hot water leading to a reduction in overall hotel water bills. The benefits of using these fixtures will be evident in the bottom-line of the hotel profits and savings.

Conclusion

There are many ways to save the important natural resource of water. Saving water today will lower your utility bills and help you save money in the short run but it also has many important advantages that will be beneficial for the environment and the human race for generations to come.

If you have been trying to reduce your water consumption contact our team of hotel energy experts we can help info@ecogreenhotel.com.

About Scott Parisi

Scott Parisi is co-founder of EcoGreenHotel, a firm that develops energy and sustainability projects for commercial buildings with a large focus on the hospitality sector. As President of EGH, Scott’s day to day responsibilities include developing and implementation of energy and sustainability strategies into hotels, leveraging federal state and local utility incentives to subsidize energy performance projects. Scott is s a veteran hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience including serving as General Manager of the United States first L.E.E.D. certified and “Environmentally Friendly” Hotel-the Sheraton Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.

Several of the major hospitality brands have recently released reports detailing results of strategies implemented over the past few years to support hospitality sustainability.  Overall the results are very positive. We have all heard from skeptical guests, clients, hotel owners and operators that the green hospitality movement would impact guest satisfaction. There are also signs of “greenwashing” in properties that have not implemented a holistic strategy to lessen their environmental impact but still boast that they are green. It is refreshing that we are seeing both results and transparency from the major franchise brands. This will prove sustainability can save money and resources as well be a guest enhancement. For properties that are not embracing a sustainable culture, they will not be able to compete with a truly green hotel.  Below I have highlighted select brands efforts and results.

Wyndham Worldwide
Wyndham reduced its normalized carbon footprint by 5 percent over the course of 2011, according to the company’s latest sustainability report. In 2010, the company produced 0.0098 metric tons of CO2 equivalent per square foot of space. In 2011, this figure dropped to 0.0093. Wyndham is working towards a goal of reducing emissions per square foot by 12 percent by 2016 and by 20 percent by 2020, over 2010 levels.

Hilton Worldwide 
Hilton announced 2011 results of LightStayTM, the company’s proprietary sustainability measurement system. The program has been a tremendous success with over $147 million in cumulative savings from efficiency projected for hotels reporting through LightStay.  Additionally, Hilton Worldwide has achieved its five-year goal to reduce total waste output by 20 percent, a full two years ahead of schedule.

Since the introduction of LightStay, the company has reduced its:

• Carbon output by 10.9 percent
• Waste output by 23.3 percent
• Energy use by 9.7 percent
• Water use by 7.5 percent

“Sustainability is an increasing focus across all our brands and is critical to the operations of our business,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and chief executive officer, Hilton Worldwide. “LightStay provides us with a global platform to respond to the challenges of managing natural resource constraints, and Hilton Worldwide is dedicated to empowering our property owners and operators with tools that improve economic and sustainability performance at all levels of our company.”

Marriott International, Inc.
Marriott recently released its second full comprehensive Sustainability Report, using guidelines set forth by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).  In it, Marriott announced $2.5 million invested in its environmental portfolio over the past three years. The results of Marriott’s 2011-2012 Sustainability Report are reported to shareholders, customers, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and associates. In the report, Marriott captures results from 2011 in the areas of environmental, economic and social responsibility performance.  Highlights from the report include a 12 percent reduction in water consumption per occupied room and a four percent reduction in energy consumption per square meter since 2007.

Inter Continental Hotel Groups
IHG’s carbon footprint is currently 59KG per room night sold. In their owned and managed estate, they seek to achieve energy savings of 6% to 10% over a three-year period (2010-2012) on a per available room night basis and will continue to grow hotels enrolled in Green Engage which is their proprietary benchmarking tool to 50%.

Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Starwood has quietly been an industry leader in implementing energy efficient, emission-reducing technologies. Starwood has established a public policy on environmental sustainability to facilitate company-wide alignment around green program goals. Through collaboration with hotel owners, franchisees, suppliers and business partners, they will actively work to reduce the environmental impact of practices aimed at conserving natural resources, minimizing waste and pollution, enhancing indoor environmental quality, establishing and reporting on key environmental performance indicators, and raising environmental awareness among our associates, guests and communities. Starwood will begin publicly disclosing its carbon footprint this year by participating in the Carbon Disclosure Project Survey.

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Fairmont was founded on an enduring connection to the land and communities where they do business. In 1990, Canadian hotels pioneered the Green Partnership program—a comprehensive commitment to minimizing hotels’ impact on the planet, which was accompanied by a guidebook on sustainable best practices in the lodging industry. This green philosophy has grown to become a core value of their company.

There are several other brands and independent hospitality hotels and companies embracing sustainability and integrating technologies and solutions into their operations. If you would like to share results on your individual property or if you are a management company tracking results of your sustainability efforts please contact me at sparisi@ecogreenhotel.com and I will try to incorporate your achievements in a future posting.

About Scott Parisi

Scott Parisi is the founder of EcoGreenHotel, a firm that develops energy and sustainability projects for commercial buildings with a large focus on the hospitality sector. As President of EGH, Scott’s day to day responsibilities include developing and implementation of energy and sustainability strategies into hotels, leveraging federal state and local utility incentives to subsidies energy performance projects. Scott is s a veteran hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience including serving as General Manager of the United States first L.E.E.D. certified and “Environmentally Friendly” Hotel; the Sheraton Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.

Scott develops and hosts educational workshops, staff trainings and has spoke at national and regional events including NJ Green Hotel Workshop, AAHOA’s National Convention, Green Lodging & Hospitality Conference, Boston Green Tourism Events, Philagreen Hospitality Association Events, GF Management University Sessions, National Purchasing Network Annual Expo and the Global Renewable Energy Networking Summit.

The past decade has brought immense changes in how we light up our world. The introduction of LED lighting has proven to be more energy and cost efficient than its less economical predecessors, the incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs. LED lighting now offers hoteliers and restaurateurs the ability to address areas that require dimming and warm color temperatures. Unlike compact fluorescent lighting LED technology has evolved and now options for smooth dimming and warm temperatures are offered by several of the top manufacturers.

The hospitality industry has transitioned to compact fluorescent in most guest rooms that burn an average of six to eight hours a day. The areas that still burn the most inefficient lighting include our lobbies and food and beverage areas. These areas are burning sixteen to twenty-four hours a day. The payback to transition to LED options when combined with rebates and incentives can range from no money out of pocket at all to in most cases under one year return on investment.

Recent advancements in LED technology have greatly improved the color tone and warmth of the emitted light, making it comparable to the preferred lighting given off by its incandescent predecessors. This means, you can now make the switch to LED lighting without jeopardizing ambience.

Most LED’s can now accommodate dimmer controls as well. Dimming is not only beneficial for “setting a mood” but also extends the longevity of a lamp and will reduce energy load. Also when architecturally available, daylight harvesting (reducing the use of artificial lighting when natural daylight is sufficient) tied to light-level dimmer controls is a great way to reduce energy consumption. Where before, energy wasting incandescent lighting was the only dimmer-friendly option, LED lighting can now be controlled to ‘set the scene’ more efficiently, saving you money.

The following are just some examples of what LED lighting can now do for hotels and restaurants:

Juno Generation 3
WarmDim™ LED Dimming
4″, 5″ and 6″ 600 Lumen LED Downlights

Just when we’ve given up on instilling a sense of romance and ambiance into hospitality interiors Juno’s WarmDimTM LED Dimming has proven us all completely wrong. This downlight’s patent-pending technology changes the color temperature to a warmer CCT as it dims, matching just the mood you want to create while still offering the same energy-saving benefits of LED.

Cree 10.5 Watt LED CR6

For hospitality retrofits, Cree’s Energy Star Labeled CR6 10.5W LED 6-inch Recessed LED Downlight Retrofit gives you a sleeker, more sustainable alternative to 6″ recessed cans using 65W-75W incandescent PAR lamps. Reduce your wattage to 10.5W to 12W utilizing the Cree CR6 with 575 and 800 Lumen options. The CR6 delivers high-quality color accuracy and the ability to dim down to 5%. It also exceeds California’s Title 24 requirements for high efficacy luminaires.

Cree CR24
2′x4′ Architectural LED Troffer

The Cree CR24 2′x4′ Architectural LED Troffer serves as an elegant option for replacing standard 2′x4′ fluorescent fixture which are normally lamped with four 32W T8s or 128 watts. Switch it out with a Cree CR24 at only 44W for major energy savings, low glare—and beautiful, high-quality, white light with 90 CRI.

Perhaps you are concerned with the monetary investment in today’s economy? Fortunately, there are several options available to alleviate the initial costs. Cash rebates options are available as well as several low interest energy efficiency loan programs in many parts of the country.

An example is New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program provides several lucrative financial incentives for commercial building owners looking to improve their property’s energy efficiency. This program has been recognized as a national model and encourages the purchase of qualifying energy-saving equipment by offsetting some of the costs. Qualifying equipment includes prescriptive lighting ($10 – $200 in savings per fixture) as well as lighting controls ($20 – $75 in savings per control).

In addition to the monetary incentives of equipment purchases, qualifying commercial businesses that utilize over 100 kW in a month are eligible to participate in Pay for Performance – New Jersey’s comprehensive energy efficiently program that begins with an energy reduction plan. This is followed by an installation of the recommended measures with incentives based on the projected level of energy savings resulting from said installation measures.

New Jersey also offers beneficial financing programs ranging from a Project Assessment and Design Grant up to $300,000 to Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Funds with a tiered interest rate ranging from 2-4%.

It’s easier than ever to make changes to your properties that will not only offer aesthetic benefit but financial benefits as well. For a comprehensive source for your state, federal, and local incentives, visit www.dsireusa.org or if I can support your sustainability efforts please contact me at sparisi@ecogreenhotel.com.

About Scott Parisi

Scott Parisi is the founder of EcoGreenHotel, a firm that develops energy and sustainability projects for commercial buildings with a large focus on the hospitality sector. As President of EGH, Scott’s day to day responsibilities include developing and implementation of energy and sustainability strategies into hotels, leveraging federal state and local utility incentives to subsidies energy performance projects. Scott is s a veteran hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience including serving as General Manager of the United States first L.E.E.D. certified and “Environmentally Friendly” Hotel; the Sheraton Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia.

Scott develops and hosts educational workshops, staff trainings and has spoke at national and regional events including NJ Green Hotel Workshop, AAHOA’s National Convention, Green Lodging & Hospitality Conference, Boston Green Tourism Events, Philagreen Hospitality Association Events, GF Management University Sessions, National Purchasing Network Annual Expo and the Global Renewable Energy Networking Summit.

Ozone Laundry Savings for a 95-room Hotel

Ozone laundry systems are a well-known option for hotel operators seeking to reduce costs and/or implement a stronger environmental program.  Ozone laundry is a key component of both efforts.  An additional attraction of these cost saving programs is that ozone laundry can be installed in an on premise laundry with no disruption to either the operation’s outputs or its workers.

However, the details of these ozone laundry systems are often missing from the marketing materials, leaving managers to make risky and unguided decisions about the investment.  This report summarizes the analysis of an on premise ozone laundry installed in an upscale 95-room chain hotel in a resort location. The investment and operational costs, as well as the energy savings, are based on the historical data of this operation to give reliable estimates of actual costs.

Background Research and Analysis

The supplier of this system, DEL Ozone, evaluated the hotel laundry operation to show managers the cost and energy savings they could expect with the DEL ozone laundry system.  The results of this analysis are summarized below.  You can see the full evaluation report by filling out the brief formhere and we will provide you a copy.

The crucial outcome variable in this research, hot water consumption, is measured using meter readings that are verified by hotel employees, third party engineers, or local utility company employees.  In this hotel, the laundry operation used two 6 horsepower Unimac washers with 60-pound capacity, each running 9 to 10 loads per day. The input unit cost data included water and sewer, fuel, linen replacement, electricity, and fabric softener costs (ozone eliminates the need for fabric softener).  These unit costs were analyzed for total cost breakdowns using historical data for occupancy, average laundry per room, water purchased, boiler operation, electricity usage, and direct costs for fabric softener and linens.

Then, each portion of the analysis was re-run based on the changed cost and energy requirements of the ozone laundry system.  The before and after projections are summarized below.

Ozone Laundry Advantages

The most important operational outcome discovered in this analysis is that the ozone laundry system saved over 47% of fuel costs for boiler and dryer operation, with a 74% savings for the boilers (hot water) alone.  In addition, the system eliminated softener costs, reduced electrical costs for the washers and dryers by about 13%, and reduced linen replacement costs by 10%.  In total, the system saved almost $780 per month for this hotel.

The primary source of savings is fuel costs for the washers and dryers.  The main reason is that ozone works even more effectively than chlorine bleach, but in cold water.  The conservation of energy in this equation also prevents the emission of a significant amount of carbon dioxide.  A complete summary of the system operation on an annual basis includes:

Hotel:                                                              95 rooms

Annual linen processed:                      348,075 pounds

Annual savings:                                   $9,331

1^st year return on investment:              79%

Investment recapture period:              15.2 months

Utility cash incentive:*^*                      $4,717

Carbon footprint reduction:                35 tons

The Savings Fund the Investment

The cumulative projected savings for this ozone laundry system are significant:

1^st Year            2^nd Year           3^rd Year           4^th Year           5^th Year

$9,331             $18,661           $27,992           $37,322           $46,653

Reduced cost of this magnitude means that the capital investment is recaptured very quickly. In this case study, investment recapture was estimated at 15.2 months, meaning that the laundry operation would be sending added cash to the bottom line in less than 1 and ½ years.

Detailed Analysis Verifies Ozone Laundry Savings

Operators of hotel on premise laundries do not have to evaluate the ozone laundry system investment based only on assumptions and generalities.  Each laundry operation generates a track record of the relevant cost sources and consumption rates that can be used in a laundry-specific analysis to project actual cost savings very accurately.

A credible ozone company will always provide a predictive analysis. Based on this research, operators can confidently project costs and arrange financing on the most favorable terms.  Further, in those locations where utility energy incentives are available, project costs can be reduced with substantial cash payments.  Ozone provides should provide technical assistance to acquire utility cash incentives on behalf of its clients.

Ozone laundry linen quality and cost savings are easily available for almost every hotel operator. EcoGreenHotel assists hotel operators identify the appropriate solutions and vendors to support hospitality sustainability. For questions, rebate support or additional detailed case studies contact info@ecogreenhotel.com.

About EcoGreenHotel

EcoGreenHotel LLC (Knoxville, TN) is a privately held company dedicated to helping lodging facilities addresses a broad spectrum of sustainability issues. EcoGreenHotel provides customized consulting services tailored to the needs of the hospitality industry in the areas of energy efficiency and certifications, including LEED, Green Seal and Energy Star, For further information, email info@EcoGreenHotel.com or call 888-229-0213.