Home Guest Columns More Light-Saving Solutions for Your Energy-Efficient Hotel

More Light-Saving Solutions for Your Energy-Efficient Hotel

2168
1
SHARE

The evolution of LED lighting has been impressively swift. Just a few years ago, LEDs were being discounted in hotel guestrooms due to the harsh light and high price point. These small semiconductor chips that efficiently convert electricity into light were fine for always-on lobby lighting, but too expensive and unattractive for in-room placement. My, how times have changed.

Prices are plummeting, education is rising and ambience is in the forefront of manufacturer’s minds. And while LEDs are still more expensive up front than the other options, the long term energy savings combined with long life and low maintenance make it hard to find an argument against LED light bulbs.

The Crescent Hotel and Spa in Eureka Springs, Ark. learned this lesson. Retrofitting a building constructed in 1886 with LED lighting is undoubtedly a daunting task, but with estimated savings of 69 percent on interior lighting costs, equaling roughly $158,000 over the lifetime of the lights, owner Jack Moyer was keen to dive in. “The modernization will lead to reduction in our energy and lighting costs, equating to an annual savings of approximately $3,160,” he said.

On the opposite end of the scale, The Rafayel Hotel in London installed almost exclusively LEDs throughout the new building, reducing the energy consumption by 60 percent. The savings came not only from the LEDs, but from the need for less cooling due to the low heat output of the bulbs. This brings up an important tangent; how else can hotels harness energy-savings from lighting?

When lighting accounts for up to 35 percent of a hotel’s energy bill, reducing its impact will help both the bottom line and the planet. Clearly LEDs are the way of the future. But now what? Now that we can see the tremendous savings LED lighting has both on the planet and profit, what else can we do with our lighting to reduce its impact? Control it.

Dimmer Switches

LEDs and dimmer switches were once sworn enemies, but today, they can live together in harmony, if the proper research is done. Every dimmer automatically saves 4 to 9 percent in electricity—even at the highest lighting levels—over a standard on-off switch. Once dimmed, even more electricity is saved. Dimmers are ideal in hotel guestrooms, because they provide the guest with control over their ambience, an important factor in guest satisfaction.

Occupancy Sensors

Wasted lighting can account for a large slice of a commercial building’s total energy use. In a hotel in particular, many rooms will be unoccupied between 40 percent and 70 percent of the day. Lights left on are a real energy drain—even LED lights. Installing occupancy and vacancy sensors can save 30 percent—and up to 60 percent—of lighting energy, making it a natural next step in the quest for energy efficiency. And with advances in wireless technology there is now no need for expensive re-wiring.

An occupancy sensor automatically turns lights on when you enter a room and off when you leave, making this type of sensor the most convenient, since you never have to touch the lighting controls. A vacancy sensor also turns lights off when you a leave a room—but you need to manually turn them on when you walk into a room. Vacancy sensing maximizes the energy savings from the sensor because you don’t always need to turn lights on when you enter a room. Proper positioning of sensors is key for optimal use. This guide from Lutron provides excellent tips for installing motion sensors correctly.

Surprising Spaces

Take a look around your hotel and make sure you aren’t missing any potential lighting opportunities for LED savings. Swimming pool lights? Refrigerator lights? Exit Signs?

Exit signs might not seem like an important part of energy efficiency, but because they operate 24/7, they can have substantial electricity usage. If purchasing new LED exit signs is not viable, consider investigating LED exit sign retrofit kits. Another option for exit sign energy savings are non-electric photoluminescent signs. These use glow-in-the dark illumination, which don’t require electricity but do require a light source to charge, so they may not work in all locations.

Conclusion

A truly green hotel never stops looking for ways to maximize its energy savings. When this can be done simultaneously with enhancing the experience of its guests, as is now the case with LED lighting, it’s a win-win.

Jennifer Tuohy writes about sustainable lighting topics for Home Depot. Jennifer provides advice on energy consumption issues, as well as design tips, for LEDs, dimmers and exit lighting. You can find a large selection of exit lighting, including styles discussed by Jennifer, on the Home Depot website.

1 COMMENT

  1. Thanks for this helpful article about commercial signs and I didn’t even know that photoluminescent signs are able to illuminate without power as they absorb then reflect light. My dad has to really look up these regulations since he is planning to put up his own law firm next year. I wonder where we could find a shop where they customize these signages.

LEAVE A REPLY