In a move that underscores its concern for and commitment to the environment, Loews Hotels reports it has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ( EPA) ENERGY STAR program to improve efficiency across its portfolio of 17 hotels and resorts in the U.S. and Canada. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
“We have gone well beyond switching out light bulbs, shower heads and toilets,” said Joe Thomas, Loews Hotels’ director of engineering, who is spearheading the company’s long-range approach to energy efficiency. “In partnership with ENERGY STAR, Loews Hotels is aggressively making capital improvements that will increase our energy performance and result in annual savings of thousands of dollars in energy efficiency and maintenance costs.”
Some of Loews Hotels’ initiatives include:
* Implementing a laundry waste water recycling program at eight hotels that reuses the 140 degree discharge water to now preheat cold water coming in to the laundry boilers to reduce water, sewerage and electrical use
* Installing power capacitor conditioners in seven hotels to efficiently utilize 100% of the power required to operate pumps and motors
* Installing variable frequency drive devices on large pumps and motors to reduce amperage and lower electrical demand and consumption
* Installing automatic CO2 systems in three parking garages which allow both supply and exhaust fans to operate based on constant air sampling of CO2 levels
* Implementing energy management strategies and products to monitor, reduce and maximize use of energy. All properties have energy management systems to control public area air handler equipment with weekly scheduling in place. Several properties also have the ability to control heating and cooling set points based on the outside air temperatures, which greatly increase the efficiencies of energy usage
* Implementing a comprehensive annual inspection process to ensure all boilers, chillers, air handlers, cooling towers, pumps and water treatment chemical levels are maintained
* At its three Orlando properties, an advanced energy management system is in place. The centrally controlled systems have the capacity to control occupied and unoccupied temperature set points to each individual room, chilled water temperature and hot water set points on central plant operations with one keystroke
* Several properties have upgraded in room thermostats to a more efficient digital designed system to reduce energy consumption by 10 -15 percent
Visit www.loewshotels.com.