Managing issues around energy is amongst the foremost challenges that hotel engineers often encounter. While many have implemented several technologies in guest rooms, but they are now exploring newer ways to make their common areas and public spaces more energy efficient.
Manish Gupta, Chief Engineer of DoubleTree by Hilton Jaipur Amer explains how the hotel has employed smart building solutions to detect problems and come up with proactive solutions to simplify operations. These not only heighten customer satisfaction, it also pays off in the long term in terms of operational efficiency and energy reduction.
Is there a greater understanding about the need for integrating smart in-room devices and technologies to reduce HVAC costs?
Yes, there is a growing acceptance for solutions like Guest Room Management System (GRMS). These are effective energy saving system, supported by day light harvesting and motion based technology. It can automatically sense the motion of any person in the room and maintain the temp accordingly.
What smart technology and smart integrations has your property adopted for efficient HVAC energy management?
We have integrated SCADA System (LMS) in our unit, which helps in controlling the energy supply and identifying any sort of leakage due to short circuiting or any other reason. This has helped us minimise the energy loss and improve the system efficiency.
We are the first hotel in the city to use GMRS, which is an advanced technology in terms of energy saving by day light Harvesting and motion based technology. This HVAC management system automatically senses the motion of any person in the room and maintain the temp accordingly.
Since we are using the Water to Water heat pump instead of air to air heat pump with High Cop, we are getting the almost 100 TR free cooling during heat mode operation. This gets the hot water and it reduces the fuel consumption for hot water. This is a major saving for any hotel if they can use the Water to Water heat pump instead of Air to Air heat Pump.
Additionally, we are using BMS system where we manage the entire HVAC system by controlling and supervising the system. We also have VFD-based AHU/TFA where we can control the HAVC Load along with HVAC Saving by VFD Integration.
Has your property invested in technologies like occupancy sensing and humidity monitoring to reduce their HVAC cost?
Yes, we have installed motion sensor-based thermostat in every guest room, which can sense a guest’s movement and maintain the temp accordingly. In fact, this system is automatically integrated with our ONQ Server where the guest can tell the temperature required at the time of check in.
At the time of checkout, the room temp is set automatically on a pre-defined wall temperature for energy saving. This has resulted in almost 5% to10% energy saving in terms of HVAC costs in the past year.
How can such dedicated integrations benefit hoteliers in tangible terms, be it using occupancy to manage energy beyond HVAC systems, including lighting, plug load, in-room entertainment and building load?
In every guest room, all plug loads and TV, and other things are connected with GRMS. If there is no motion in the room within a certain time frame, then the system will automatically switch off the ports.
We have installed the Lighting Control Timers, which can operate according to day light harvesting.
How can these solutions minimise redundancies and equipment requirements while enhancing connectivity and stability?
It can optimise team member productivity in addition to reducing carbon footprint. Moreover, it can enhance guest experience, while minimising the HLP cost.
How can hoteliers map a scalable and planned energy management system for their upcoming projects, keeping their sustainability goals and financial plans in perspective?
Using the ATC on the chiller system can reduce the amount of energy by maintaining the approach temp. Hoteliers can also use the VFD’s on chiller so that major HVAC can be reduced and save the major energy.
I strongly advise using the GRMS system with complete solution in guest rooms and other areas. The SCADA system can also monitor the energy losses and get the proper report so that everyone can save the energy by reducing the losses in the system.
Hotels can also utilise the bio-Diesel instead of HSD in the boiler and hot water generators, as well as solar system to reduce electricity consumption majorly. Solar water heaters can also be used to reduce the fuel consumption and reduce guest complaints.
