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Energy Efficiency the Focus at Islandia & Melville Marriotts

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UNIONDALE, N.Y.—PSEG Long Island, through its Commercial Efficiency Program, announced that it is helping the Islandia and Melville Marriotts save more than $173,000 per year in combined electricity costs, solely from the retrofitting of more than 10,700 of the hotels’ inefficient lighting fixtures and lamps to energy-saving LED lighting.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicated in a 2009 study that lighting represents nearly a quarter of all electricity consumed in a typical hotel, not including its effect on cooling loads. The study went on to indicate that lighting retrofits can reduce lighting electricity use by 50 percent or more, depending on the starting point, and cut cooling energy requirements by 10 to 20 percent as well.

The improvements made by the Islandia and the Melville Marriotts, owned by Columbia Sussex, will help the hotels cut electric demand by 286 kilowatts (kW) and reduce electricity consumption by 964,974 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year. This is the equivalent effect of reducing 102 cars from the road or 62,909 gallons of gasoline not consumed per year.

Capital Freed Up for Other Projects

“Leading hotel brands across the country are carefully assessing their energy usage and adopting energy-efficient upgrades that result in reduced energy bills, the ability to attract guests who value sustainability and an overall improvement in their guests’ satisfaction,” said Michael Voltz, PSEG Long Island’s Director of Energy Efficiency and Renewables. “PSEG Long Island and its Commercial Efficiency Program are helping Columbia Sussex reduce its operating costs and free up capital that can be directed toward other upgrades that may increase bookings.”

“At the Islandia Marriott we strive to be as green as possible,” said Megan Weathersbee, General Manager, Islandia Marriott. “From recycling programs to high efficiency machinery, we always look for the environmentally friendly option when available. By far, one of the best investments we have had this year was to begin use of our energy-efficient lighting in our fixtures. We have seen a drastic reduction in our utility bills and our purchases for lighting. By partnering with PSEG Long Island, the process was user friendly and they made it so easy to understand. By completing this project we look forward to reducing our carbon footprint and saving money at the same time. Talk about a win-win!”

In addition to the yearly savings, the Islandia and Melville Marriott received a combined rebate of $162,250 for participating in the PSEG Long Island Commercial Efficiency Program. With the efficiency savings and the rebate, the hotels are expected to realize a payback on the remaining project costs in less than a year.

‘A Greener Future for Everyone’

“What an incredible opportunity for the Melville Marriott to partner with PSEG Long Island to invest in a greener future for everyone; simultaneously lowering electric bills and maintenance costs by tens of thousands of dollars annually,” said Damien Hirsch, General Manager, Melville Marriott. “The next generation travelers, the ‘millennials’, are consciously seeking and spending with socially responsible corporations. This is just another example of how the Melville Marriott is dedicated to ensure that we are that hotel.”

Independent annual evaluations by Opinion Dynamics Corp. have found PSEG Long Island’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Programs to generate energy savings that are cost-effective. The evaluation for 2014 found the Commercial Efficiency Program to have a benefit/cost ratio of 3.2, which means that the program generated $3.20 in benefits to the utility and its ratepayers for every $1.00 in costs to operate the program, including rebates.

Energy-efficient changes to businesses can increase productivity and the bottom line. To learn more about the PSEG Long Island Commercial Efficiency program, visit https://www.psegliny.com/page.cfm/Commercial/Efficiency. Also go to the Islandia Marriott and Melville Marriott.

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