際際滷

際際滷Share a Scribd company logo
26
COMMENT




     Room for improvement
          Viability director Guy Wilkinson speaks to energy management expert Eric Kashi to uncover
          how much energy could be saved by hotel rooms and why the Gulf is still on a learning curve
                                                        By accessing what Kashi calls the     than the low-voltage bulbs that are             Mohammed bin Rashid Al Mak-
                                                     common brain of their properties,      increasingly used in Gulf hotels.               toum, Vice President and Prime
                                                     GMs can obtain information about            EMS can reportedly save between              Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai,
                                                     room temperatures from anywhere          15 to 25% of the energy in a room.              that all future buildings in Dubai
                                                     in the world and send maintenance        The actual cost of electricity varies           should conform to the US Green
                                                     engineers to remedy problems.            between countries, but as a rule of             Building Councils Leadership in
                                                        EMS converts standard guest          thumb, the installation of EMS itself           Energy and Environmental Design
                                                     rooms into smart rooms, com-          costs relatively little  between               (LEED) rating system, for example,
                                                     ments Kashi.                             US$500 and $800 per key  and                   have already made the acquisition of
                                                        You are not only creating ef鍖cien-   typically pays itself back in 鍖ve to            such knowledge increasingly urgent.
                                                     cies and savings for the hotel owner,    six years, meaning that after that, all            The bene鍖ts of energy saving,
                                                     but also brand loyalty for the opera-    savings go to the bottom line.                  especially in this regions desert cli-
                                                     tor, as well as good PR for both in         Since becoming established in                mate, are becoming much better
            COLUMNIST
                                                     terms of demonstrating that they are     Sharjah late last year, Kashi has               understood, according to Kashi, but
                                                     supporters of the green movement.       found that Gulf hotel owners and                there is always a tussle between the
               n the hotel sector, one of the           EMS is good for guest rooms, but      developers are just beginning to                interests of the owner and the opera-


          I    worlds leading suppliers of
               Energy Management Sys-
               tems (EMS) is New York-based
          Transbeam, which has recently set
          up a joint venture called Transbeam
                                                     apparently not as effective in pub-
                                                     lic areas where it is more dif鍖cult to
                                                     predict when they will be occupied.
                                                     Transbeam recommends the use of
                                                     LED (light emitting diode) lighting,
                                                                                              learn about these new technologies.
                                                                                              Theyve heard the catch phrases,
                                                                                              but theres still a learning curve.
                                                                                                 But multiple initiatives across the
                                                                                              region like last Januarys announce-
                                                                                                                                              tor, particularly when it comes to
                                                                                                                                              the initial investment. The owner
                                                                                                                                              wants the lowest cost up-front, while
                                                                                                                                              the operator wants the lowest cost of
                                                                                                                                              operations, says Kashi. There has
          PMG in Sharjah.                            which consumes far less energy even      ment by His Highness Sheikh                     to be some give and take.
            According to managing director,                                                                                                      Finally, it is reassuring to know
          Eric Kashi, EMS uses software to                                                                                                    this fast-spoken IT guru is aware
          shut off or reduce the level of air-con-                                                                                            that not everyone is able to grasp
          ditioning, heating and lighting in a                                                                                                the bene鍖ts of technology as fast as
          guest room when its unoccupied to                                                                                                  he. All systems recommended by his
          save energy. Controlled by motion                                                                                                   company have to pass the so-called
          and/or door sensors, the system can                                                                                                 grandma test. If my grandma
          be set at different levels according to                                                                                             stays in a hotel room, she should be
          the level of activity in the room.                                                                                                  able to turn the temperature up or
            When the room is completely                                                                                                      down either via a thermostat on the
          unoccupied or unchecked-in, it                                                                                                    wall or by using a digital device.
          uses no energy at all, explains Kashi.                                                                                                In other words, the old big-bot-
          When it is checked-in, but house-                                                                                                  tomed arrow switch is still there,
          keeping staff are in the room, then a                                                                                               even if in some cases you can also
          minimal level of a/c and lighting can                                                                                               adjust the a/c using your telephone.
          be used. When it is checked-in but                                                                                                     We want guests to be able to 鍖g-
          unoccupied, the system also has set                                                                                                 ure out the technology in 30 to 60 sec-
          limits. Finally, when the room is both                                                                                              onds, claims Kashi. If it takes any
          checked-in and occupied, the guest                                                                                                  longer, guests can be very embar-
          can do what he/she wants.                                                                                                          rassed to ask staff how to work the
            Cleverly, guests preferences                                                                                                     gadgets and this can literally be a
          regarding temperature settings can                                                                                                  reason not to check in at a hotel. If
          be recorded via an interface to the                                                                                                 they do need to ask, the system is not
          hotels main check-in desk and Prop-                                                      Only if Grandmas happy does Kashi give   designed properly. HME
                                                                                                    EMS technology the 鍖nal thumbs-up.
          erty Management System (PMS).
            This allows chains, for exam-
          ple, to utilise such information
          as part of their guest-loyalty
          programme and to cool or heat
                                                       EMS CAN REPORTEDLY SAVE BETWEEN                                                        Guy Wilkinson is a director of Viability, a hospitality
          rooms to a guests taste at any other        15 TO 25% OF THE ENERGY IN A ROOM                                                      and property consulting 鍖rm in Dubai.
                                                                                                                                              For more information email: guy@viability.ae
          hotel in the world.


          July 2009  Hotelier Middle East                                                                                                           www.hoteliermiddleeast.com

More Related Content

Room for improvement

  • 1. 26 COMMENT Room for improvement Viability director Guy Wilkinson speaks to energy management expert Eric Kashi to uncover how much energy could be saved by hotel rooms and why the Gulf is still on a learning curve By accessing what Kashi calls the than the low-voltage bulbs that are Mohammed bin Rashid Al Mak- common brain of their properties, increasingly used in Gulf hotels. toum, Vice President and Prime GMs can obtain information about EMS can reportedly save between Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, room temperatures from anywhere 15 to 25% of the energy in a room. that all future buildings in Dubai in the world and send maintenance The actual cost of electricity varies should conform to the US Green engineers to remedy problems. between countries, but as a rule of Building Councils Leadership in EMS converts standard guest thumb, the installation of EMS itself Energy and Environmental Design rooms into smart rooms, com- costs relatively little between (LEED) rating system, for example, ments Kashi. US$500 and $800 per key and have already made the acquisition of You are not only creating ef鍖cien- typically pays itself back in 鍖ve to such knowledge increasingly urgent. cies and savings for the hotel owner, six years, meaning that after that, all The bene鍖ts of energy saving, but also brand loyalty for the opera- savings go to the bottom line. especially in this regions desert cli- tor, as well as good PR for both in Since becoming established in mate, are becoming much better COLUMNIST terms of demonstrating that they are Sharjah late last year, Kashi has understood, according to Kashi, but supporters of the green movement. found that Gulf hotel owners and there is always a tussle between the n the hotel sector, one of the EMS is good for guest rooms, but developers are just beginning to interests of the owner and the opera- I worlds leading suppliers of Energy Management Sys- tems (EMS) is New York-based Transbeam, which has recently set up a joint venture called Transbeam apparently not as effective in pub- lic areas where it is more dif鍖cult to predict when they will be occupied. Transbeam recommends the use of LED (light emitting diode) lighting, learn about these new technologies. Theyve heard the catch phrases, but theres still a learning curve. But multiple initiatives across the region like last Januarys announce- tor, particularly when it comes to the initial investment. The owner wants the lowest cost up-front, while the operator wants the lowest cost of operations, says Kashi. There has PMG in Sharjah. which consumes far less energy even ment by His Highness Sheikh to be some give and take. According to managing director, Finally, it is reassuring to know Eric Kashi, EMS uses software to this fast-spoken IT guru is aware shut off or reduce the level of air-con- that not everyone is able to grasp ditioning, heating and lighting in a the bene鍖ts of technology as fast as guest room when its unoccupied to he. All systems recommended by his save energy. Controlled by motion company have to pass the so-called and/or door sensors, the system can grandma test. If my grandma be set at different levels according to stays in a hotel room, she should be the level of activity in the room. able to turn the temperature up or When the room is completely down either via a thermostat on the unoccupied or unchecked-in, it wall or by using a digital device. uses no energy at all, explains Kashi. In other words, the old big-bot- When it is checked-in, but house- tomed arrow switch is still there, keeping staff are in the room, then a even if in some cases you can also minimal level of a/c and lighting can adjust the a/c using your telephone. be used. When it is checked-in but We want guests to be able to 鍖g- unoccupied, the system also has set ure out the technology in 30 to 60 sec- limits. Finally, when the room is both onds, claims Kashi. If it takes any checked-in and occupied, the guest longer, guests can be very embar- can do what he/she wants. rassed to ask staff how to work the Cleverly, guests preferences gadgets and this can literally be a regarding temperature settings can reason not to check in at a hotel. If be recorded via an interface to the they do need to ask, the system is not hotels main check-in desk and Prop- Only if Grandmas happy does Kashi give designed properly. HME EMS technology the 鍖nal thumbs-up. erty Management System (PMS). This allows chains, for exam- ple, to utilise such information as part of their guest-loyalty programme and to cool or heat EMS CAN REPORTEDLY SAVE BETWEEN Guy Wilkinson is a director of Viability, a hospitality rooms to a guests taste at any other 15 TO 25% OF THE ENERGY IN A ROOM and property consulting 鍖rm in Dubai. For more information email: guy@viability.ae hotel in the world. July 2009 Hotelier Middle East www.hoteliermiddleeast.com