ROCHESTER HILLS, MICH.—Energy Eye has introduced a new standalone Wireless Radio Frequency Energy Management Solution. The system’s aim is to help hotels maintain guest satisfaction while reducing room electricity expenses. The Energy Eye System uses a combination of advanced passive infrared (PIR) sensors and wireless technologies to independently control room heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) temperatures while occupants are not in their guestrooms.
“As today’s power rates rise, energy management systems (EMS) are a major concern for hotels worldwide,” says Matthew Mrowczynski, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Energy Eye, Rochester Hills, Mich. “The increasing price of heating and air conditioning keeps driving costs up, and there isn’t much that owners and operators can do about it without installing a reliable, efficient energy-management solution.”
On average, 90 percent of wasted electricity usage comes from the guestroom, which is a property’s most unmanaged resource, Mrowczynski says. The HVAC system in a guestroom can represent 70 percent to 90 percent of that wasted electricity, resulting in thousands of dollars in lost revenues.
Before installing an energy solution, it’s critical that owners and operators ask these important questions:
• Will my guests be comfortable with an EMS at work?
• How expensive will an installation requiring construction be?
• Will I experience a loss of property revenue during the implementation or installation period due to unsold rooms?
• Is this system going to be reliable for years to come?
• How much will this increase my bottom line?
“Energy Eye answers these questions by providing the easiest equipment to install, use and maintain,” Mrowczynski said. “Our system does not require reconstruction or complicated wiring. We can install our components in the same time it takes a housekeeper to make a room ready. Guestrooms will be available for rent daily, without losing any revenues. It’s simple to set up and requires no software or computer. It’s completely worry-free.”
Keeping An ‘Eye’ On Guests
The Energy Eye System is capable of detecting whether or not a guestroom is occupied through information transmitted to the HVAC control module by a passive infrared detector and micro door sensor. When a guestroom is occupied, the Energy Eye allows the guest to have full control over all temperature settings. If Energy Eye detects an unoccupied guestroom, HVAC operation becomes regulated by the HVAC receiver/controller, which initiates energy savings. Unoccupied guestroom temperatures are predetermined by hotel/motel management, allowing control over wasted electricity usage while still maintaining maximum guestroom comfort levels.
Because of the system’s advanced logic, Mrowczynski says it will not turn off while the guest is sleeping. This is because the PIR “people detector” only needs to see the occupant enter the room the first time. No additional motion or heat sensing is necessary because the room is a closed space and already considered “occupied,” he said.
“The bottom line is that hotels will not only achieve 25 percent to 45 percent in energy savings, but they will save considerably through low-cost installation, no revenue interruption because rooms are not taken out of inventory, and they receive years of trouble free service,” says Phillip Kopp, Energy Eye developer and director of engineering. “In addition, hotels will drastically reduce wasted electricity and increase bottom line profits and revenues.”
Energy Eye is currently installed at the W Hotel Honolulu at Diamond Head on the island of Oahu; the Intrawest Golf Resort in Palm Desert, Calif.; and the Sandals Resort in Jamaica, among others.
Go to Energy Eye for more information.
