Hotel chain saves energy the wireless way

A boutique hotel chain hopes to save a bundle on electricity costs with the help of a wireless energy management system.

Amsterdam Hospitality, which operates hotels in New York City, New Jersey and North Carolina, is installing a system from Evolve Guest Controls designed to improve the efficiency of a hotel room’s three largest energy hogs: lighting, air-conditioning/heating and the television. The system, which will manage energy for a total of 1,455 rooms in six hotels, is expected to help the chain save between 25 and 40 percent on its electricity costs, paying for itself within a period of about two years.

The system should prove even more worthwhile, as the improvements have qualified the hotel chain for rebates through both Duke Energy and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

Evolve’s wireless devices are designed to allow them to be easily upgraded and integrated with other products and technologies. They also integrate with back-office systems that let housekeeping, engineering and front-desk staff access all information about rooms via “the cloud.”