Reduce Energy Costs and Drive Up Profits at Your Hotel With an Energy Management Solution

Mr. Rami Belson
President of Energex

Energy cost is witnessing a sharp rise year-on-year in India. Like every other industry, the hotel industry is also deeply concerned and taking measures to introduce energy management solutions to keep energy cost under control. But, can all energy management solutionsdeliver the desired result? Can all of them help a hotel to reduce energy bills while not compromising on guest comfort? 

Lets us hear it from Rami Belson, President of Energex, a global leader in providing occupancy based energy management systems to leading hospitality properties world-wide. 

(Rami was recently in India and this discussion happened at IDS NEXT Business Solutions Pvt Ltd, Bangalore as these two companies have formed a partnership to provide smart energy management systems to hotel across Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Middle East and Africa.)

Why is energy costs a major concern in the hospitality industry? 

Rami Belson:Like every business establishment, hotel properties also need to keep a check on all expenses so that they can minimize costs and maximize profits. In a hotel, the energy cost can be high enough to be the second highest expense and heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) can make up to 50% of the total energy consumption. So, this is where the hotel needs to look in order to minimize energy consumption which would ultimately help them reduce energy bills. In simple words, when a hotel is able to control energy costs, they actually add to their bottom line. 

How does your energy management solution help hotels save on energy cost?

Rami Belson:Well, the Energex system is based on passive infra-red technology. Once installed, the sensor in the solution detects the presence of the guest in the room as it captures the thermo radiation emitted by the human body. When our system determines that there is a guest in the room, it gives him/herfull control over the HVAC system. This means, they can set the temperature as per their requirements. But, once the guest steps out of the room, our smart sensor detects the room as unoccupied and automatically sets-back the temperature in the room to a preset energy efficient mode. The solution also has a quick recovery method where-in the temperature returns to that set by the guest when they return to the room and this ensures guest comfort. 

How is the Energex energy management system different from a key card system? 

Rami Belson:Most hotels have keycard system and think that this is an efficient energy management system. This is not true, because the keycard system completely switches off the power supply to the room when the guest steps out. So for example if a guest goes out for a jog and has left his laptop for charging, this won’t happen when the guest removes the keycard from the holder. Most smart guests cheat the system by inserting a business card or a second keycard instead. The disadvantage is that while the laptop is charging, the air conditioning in the room is also running and thus eating into your hotels energy bill.

With Energex, we offer an exact solution to the problem of energy wastage by way of a smart energy management solution. 

How does Energex ensure that guest comfortis not adversely impacted?

Rami Belson:Typically, we know that in the hospitality industry,guests spend 11-12 hours outside the hotel room. When they enter their room, guests need a comfortable room. Our sensor is capable of detecting the presence of the guest in the room and automatically switching on. The sensor is also able to detect a guest sleeping and stays on. When the guest is not in the room the air conditioning comes on intermittently to ensure the temperature in the rooms stays pleasant when the guest returns. Energex also offers a web based interface which allows hotels to control the temperature in a room. For example they can switch off the air conditioning when the room is not sold. The web based system enables a hotel to keep a tab on fraudulent use of a room and housekeeping can note when a room is occupied and avoid disturbing a guest. Energex can help a hotel reduce their energy bill on air conditioning by an impressive 25% -35%.

Can both old and new hotels benefit from an energy management system?

Rami Belson:Energex can be used by both old and upcoming hotels. It does not interfere with the décor in a room, is unobtrusive and can be placed alongside the thermostat. The sensor takes just 30 minutes to install and our solution is the most competitively priced in the market. Our solution comes with a warranty and does not require manpower to maintain it. Unlike other solutions in the market, hotels can realize return on investment within a year of installing the solution. 

How can users access your solution?

Rami Belson:In India, Middle East and Africa, we have partnered with IDS NEXT a premier hospitality technology to offer our solution. 

To know more about Energex visit http://www.idsnext.com/portfolio-items/hotel-energy-management-system/