NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.—Hyatt Regency New Brunswick recently flipped the switch to dedicate its newly installed SunPower solar power system, marking the hotel’s initial step towards generating clean, renewable solar power. The hotel partnered with SunPower Corp., a manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, panels and systems, to design and install the 32,000-square-foot, 421-kilowatt system over the top floor of the hotel’s garage.
At a dedication ceremony, Hyatt Regency New Brunswick celebrated the completion of the new photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system. General manager Adrian Hughes and director of engineering Scott Stahl addressed a group of attendees, including New Brunswick Mayor James Cahill.
“We are thrilled to be moving forward in our efforts to conserve resources,” said Hughes. “The hotel has instituted many successful energy saving programs over the past several years, and solar is the next logical step to furthering our environmental commitment.”
PowerGuard Roof Tile Technology
Hyatt Regency New Brunswick’s solar power system utilizes SunPower’s high-efficiency solar panels with its patented PowerGuard roof tile technology. PowerGuard is a non-penetrating, wind-resistant system that lies flat on the roof and provides added thermal insulation for the building and environmental protection to the roof membrane.
The output from the system will help reduce New Jersey’s CO2 emissions by 10,000 tons over the next 30 years, and will further lessen oil dependence by at least 749 barrels annually, according to conversion formulas provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“Using SunPower technology will maximize the amount of power generated by the system, and will also maximize Hyatt Regency New Brunswick’s return on investment, saving on annual electricity costs now and over the long term,” said Tom Leyden, managing director, SunPower. “We commend Hyatt Regency New Brunswick for their leadership in environmental stewardship, and for helping New Jersey attain its renewable energy goals.”
Hyatt Regency New Brunswick is strongly committed to shrinking its environmental footprint by reducing, reusing and recycling. Some of the steps the hotel has taken include:
• In April, the hotel implemented food composting with a combined recycling of metals, plastic, glass, cardboard, paper and food.
• With the installation of a kitchen exhaust hood control system in May, the hotel anticipates an average energy savings of 206,000 kWh annually and $28,000 per year on reduced heating and air-conditioning costs.
• The hotel has converted to CFL lights wherever possible, and has also replaced the garage lighting with QL lights, resulting in energy saving of more than 192,000 kWh per year. LED lighting can also be found in various locations around the hotel, reducing electricity consumption by 375,000 kWh annually.
Go to the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick.
