ATLANTA—To support Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ “30/20 by 20” environmental initiatives—part of the company’s comprehensive strategy, Westin Buckhead Atlanta implemented an INNCOM Energy Management System, which manages guestroom energy use by reducing room cooling costs by 35% and winter energy use by 55%.
As part of the global chain’s environmental initiatives, Starwood Hotels & Resorts is addressing a worldwide focus on reducing energy consumption by 30% and water consumption by 20% by the year 2020. In 2009, Starwood partnered with Conservation International to set its energy and water goals, and establish a platform to reach its performance targets and drive awareness about environmental issues.
The Westin Buckhead Atlanta installed e4 Smart Digital Thermostats with the patented ecoMODE afeature, INNcontrol 3 Central Room Management software and a full INNCOM property-management system interface two years ago. The digital thermostat accurately determines when to switch to energy-saving setbacks and when to switch back. The hotel also retrofitted LED lighting throughout to further reduce energy consumption.
Designed for energy conservation and guest comfort, e4 Smart Digital Thermostats utilize programmable, precise, direct digital control technology, according to INNCOM. The illuminated LCD thermostat can control commercial fan coil units, packaged terminal air conditioners and heat pumps, and can be configured as either a standalone device or as part of a powerful centrally controlled energy-management system. Available in wired, battery-operated, compact and designer models, the e4Smart Digital Thermostat is quick and inexpensive to install, according to the company.
The ecoMODE feature is a special setting available as an option on all styles of e4 Smart Digital Thermostats, as well as INNCOM switches and touch-screen devices. With a touch of the green button, this feature allows guests to activate the thermostat’s enhanced energy-saving mode and opt-in to a host of environmentally friendly programs predetermined by the hotel.
“The Westin Buckhead Atlanta implemented INNCOM’s guestroom energy-management system technology throughout the property to meet Starwood’s environmental initiatives,” said Robert Attaway, director of engineering at the 358-room hotel. “We are well on our way to reach our goal.”
The Smart Digital Thermostats, along with other in-room devices, require minimal installation to a central computer for maximum energy conservation, according to the company. A comprehensive INNCOM energy-management system offers deep setbacks for rooms that are unrented, as opposed to just unoccupied, and will typically reduce heating and cooling run times by 20-30%.
The Westin Buckhead Atlanta’s
INNCOM E528 Smart Digital Thermostats with room occupancy sensors enable precise temperature management. Room controls are linked to
INNcontrol 3 software via a Deep Mesh Network that monitors the condition and status of the guestroom and reports in real-time to INNCOM’s System. INNCOM, which has helped properties achieve the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) and Energy Star certification, is a Honeywell brand and a global provider of integrated room automation systems for the hotel industry.
“Our ultimate goal at the Westin Buckhead is guest comfort,” Attaway said. “INNCOM’s thermostats have sensors that show when a room is occupied. This informs the system’s configurable temperature setbacks to keep empty room temperatures within comfortable limits. We know INNCOM delivers energy savings because the system automatically checks its own processes daily. It takes a small number of guestroom thermostats off the setback control and then compares energy usage against when the room is controlled by INNCOM. We see savings of 35% in cooling in shoulder months [May-June and September-October], and between 50 to 60% energy savings in winter.”
Located at 3391 Peachtree Rd. NE in Buckhead—the city’s uptown district—the Westin Buckhead Atlanta is surrounded by various shopping and dining venues and just a short drive away from city attractions. The 22-story hotel, which opened in 2004, recently renovated 11 meeting spaces and ballrooms. The property attracts mostly business travelers during the week.
INNCOM identifies rooms that show an incorrect setback temperature to maintain energy efficiency and guest comfort. Attaway reviews the setback report on a daily basis and dispatches his team to listed rooms in order to verify if repairs are needed. “Guests appreciate it when we proactively come to their room to check the system,” he said. “It shows our attention to their comfort. The hotel had hosted an NFL team that required its rooms continuously be at 68 degrees Fahrenheit, noted Attaway. “For special guests like this, we override the setback to provide the desired temperature,” he added. HB