Growing acceptance of the need for energy efficiency in order to reduce carbon emissions and energy costs has led hotels and resorts to focus their attention on ensuring that guests not only enjoy superior facilities and service, but also have a ‘green’ experience. Schneider Electric South Africa provides energy efficient hotel solutions that are not only beneficial to the hotel design, ambience and levels of comfort, but also provide operational efficiency that significantly reduces energy usage and cost.
Neil von Hoesslin, hotel solutions manager at Schneider Electric South Africa, says that hotels are complex facilities with large fluctuations in occupancies that require a systemic approach to energy management and efficiency. A comprehensive understanding of the hotel’s requirements combined with leading-edge technology is required in order to achieve significant energy savings, while ensuring guests are unaffected by these measures. “Reception areas, restaurants, conference rooms, back-offices, housekeeping, fitness centres and spas all have different requirements and guests expect to be comfortable at all times in these areas, and especially in their rooms. A lot of dialogue with hoteliers is required to understand their needs. This is the foundation for our comprehensive understanding of the hotel industry and the appropriately designed energy efficient hotel solution.”
Schneider Electric offers solutions ranging from simple standalone applications to fully integrated systems, all of which are designed and implemented to minimise impact on the environment while enhancing the overall guest experience. Von Hoesslin says that hoteliers seek unique atmospheres and environments. “The atmosphere created by the public areas of the hotel is important, yet it is the guest rooms that leave the lasting impression. Comprehensive lighting options and environmental control systems are critical if rooms are to offer a superior experience for the guests. This is where Schneider Electric can provide superior, energy-efficient solutions that enhance the guest experience whilst saving the hotel money.”
Innovative design and technology solutions focus on guest comfort while complementing room design and ambience. Panels at the bedside enable guests to dim, brighten or switch off lights, obtain room service, indicate they want the room to be cleaned or advise that they do not wish to be disturbed – all at the push of a button.
The Schneider Electric technology enables hotels to choose predefined scenarios that can be achieved by pushing a single button. Pushing the ‘sleep’ button, for example, results in the lights in the guestroom being set to a night configuration, closing of the curtains, reduction of the room temperature and de-activation of the door bell. “This technology is playing an increasingly important role in the guest experience at hotels and we have developed intuitive and innovative solutions that allow guests to control and interact with audio and visual equipment, air-conditioning and lighting in the room,” says von Hoesslin.
Another feature of the Schneider Electric solution focuses on ensuring the security of guests. Von Hoesslin says the security system is discreet, all-inclusive, seamless and unobtrusive, yet minimises risks for both staff and guests. “In restricted areas, advanced access control and integrated CCTV solutions guarantee the highest security at all times. These systems ensure that only the correct people (staff and guests) have access to areas such as elevators, conference facilities, gyms, tennis courts and pools. Guest room door access can also be included.”
The electrical distribution and protection of an entire hotel can also be managed through the Schneider Electric portfolio of products and solutions. These range from medium to low voltage electrical distribution products and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) solutions and ensure that power to the building is reliable, continuous and, most importantly, used as efficiently as possible. Von Hoesslin says the savings are measurable. “With intelligent integration, dramatic savings can be achieved. Add occupancy and level-based lighting control in the rooms, booking system integration and one-touch energy saving modes and savings of up to 30% can be achieved on energy costs. The ROI on our solutions has reduced dramatically in the past few years due to ever-increasing energy costs. Hotel managers have to ensure the hotel is managed by a seamlessly integrated solution from one provider if they are serious about managing their operational energy usage.”
The Schneider Electric three-step sustainable energy efficiency strategy, comprising measurement (power quality and metering), analysis (advanced analysis software) and control (BMS, HVAC, lighting), empowers hotels to use only the energy that is required to operate the hotel optimally. This strategy has been successfully implemented at a number of South African hotels and resorts.
For more information contact Neil von Hoesslin, Schneider Electric SA, +27 (0)11 254 6400, hotels@schneider.co.za, www.schneider-electric.co.za
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