Hotel & Motel Management - June 2, 2008 - (Page 24)

24 Maintenance Doctor IN THE details Energy, cleaning options Efﬁciency helps save Introduce CFLs Quick ﬁxes for exterior H&MM June 2, 2008 | HotelMotel.com www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition Increasing returns, trafﬁc at your hotel How long will it take my hotel property to achieve a return on investment if I implement a sustainable energy initiative? Q A By David Maddy H&MM Columnist It takes a lot of energy to run a hotel, but there are several ways you can conserve. According to industry experts, the lodging industry spends an average of $900 per room annually on energy, and lighting accounts for a great deal of those dollars spent. One of the most cost-efﬁcient and effective steps you can take to reduce energy consumption is exchanging your property’s lighting ﬁxtures with sustainable products. Replacing one 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 27-watt compact ﬂuorescent bulb not only prevents 450 pounds of greenhouse gas from seeping into the earth’s atmosphere over the life of the bulb, but it also reduces your property’s annual energy bill by approximately $255. CFLs also produce 75 percent less heat. One luxury hotel property recently retroﬁtted the light- Create a new guest experience… ing of its non-customer facing areas. The project scope included improving lighting quality, working conditions and security to those areas. It cost the hotel less than $90,000 for products and labor. In addition to receiving a one-time rebate of $26,234 from the local utility company, it is estimated that the hotel will save $39,380 in energy costs in the ﬁrst year—more than one-third of its total investment. This means the hotel should achieve a simple payback from the retroﬁt in about a year and a half. Elegant Guest Interfaces, Integrated Room Automation, Energy Conservation. What are some things I can do to increase traffic to my property on a limited budget? Q A INNCOM has your complete room automation solution. Take control of energy costs, do your part for the planet and provide your guests with every possible comfort. n Guests can control lighting, drapes, temperature and fan functions, request room service, and signal make-up-room and privacy needs. In a centrally controlled system, housekeeping, engineering, security and other staff have immediate access to room status, diagnostic alerts, and historical trends. n Featuring the Patent Pending, award-winning ecoMODE™ technology. PRIVACY MAKE UP ROOM ENTRY OFF AUTO DISPLAY C/ F TEMP FAN ecoMODE For more information, call 1.800.543.1999 or visit us on the web at www.inncom.com Improving your property’s curb appeal by giving it an exterior makeover doesn’t have to break the bank. If you can’t afford $50,000 to repave your entire parking area, invest $200 in a paint striper and freshen up your parking spaces. Also, paint just the main building or at least the sides that face the street instead of painting your entire hotel exterior. Once a day, take a walk around your property and pick up litter from the parking lots and landscaping. Clean unsightly stains in your parking lots and other paved areas by using a pressure washer. Provide ash and waste receptacles for your guests and replace broken or faded facility signs. Conduct a monthly driveby observation of your property and imagine how a potential guest might feel upon arrival. Also, don’t forget to survey your property at night. If you do not have the budget to redesign your property’s exterior lighting, add a few lighting accent pieces. Replace old and burned-out exterior bulbs with energy-saving CFLs. The impression your property conveys can mean the difference between someone stopping for a stay or driving to your competitor up the road. hmm@questex.com David Maddy is national account manager for HD Supply Facilities Maintenance. You can reach him at David.Maddy@hdsupply.com. CIRCLE NO. 124 http://HotelMotel.com http://www.HotelMotel.com/digital_edition http://www.inncom.com http://www.inncom.com

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Hotel & Motel Management - June 2, 2008 Contents State Programs Help Define Green Hotels AmericInn Boosts its American Presence Questex, The Bench to Host Russia Event Perspective Letter to the Editor Legally Speaking Guest Column Marketing Matters Consultant's Corner Satisfaction Trends On Finance Travel Trends Cornell Insights Energy Star Update Maintenance Doctor Management Trends Trends & Stats Finding Financing Challenges Developers Credit Crunch Still Tops List of Lawyers' Concerns Mixed-use Funding Bleak, Panelists Say Luxury Landscape Keeps Pushing Higher PTACs Events Casegoods Seating Energy Controls and Sensors Pest Control Electronic Locks Transactions Supplier News Timeshare Misconceptions Still Prevalent Awards People Ad/Edit Index Marketplace Classifieds Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - June 2, 2008

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