A STARTER GUIDE TO IOT
Wynn Resorts opened its own off-site solar facility to offset 75 % of its peak power needs ; solar panels cover 100,000 square feet of its rooftops .
HOW THE INTERNET OF THINGS CAN HELP HOTELS MEET SUSTAINABILITY GOALS .
Stories contributed by JULIANA SHALLCROSS
A STARTER GUIDE TO IOT
Michael Laas , founder of Sustainable Futures Group , a sustainability consulting company , says IoT sensors make it much easier for hotels to track key performance indicators such as energy use , water and waste . This , in turn , gives operators a better understanding of their resource use and thus , their sustainability footprint . Here ’ s what Laas says hotels should keep in mind when deploying IoT :
Before “ Get the best price . Remember that the price of hardware and software has come down significantly over the years , so don ’ t get stuck into an expensive system . Also , make sure it has some integration into your building management system and has useful back-end tools like a dashboard where the data can be presented and analyzed .”
During “ Make sure all the sensors are properly installed , commissioned and calibrated to ensure the data is accurate , which is critical .”
After “ Use the data ! A common mistake is to not use the data effectively or ignore it altogether . If staff is limited and you are unable to dive into what the data means , then consider using a third-party analytics company .” points around a hotel ’ s property profile and sustainability initiatives .”
Godwin says Hilton has saved over US $ 1 billion since it started using LightStay . Additionally , the 5,500 hotels in Hilton ’ s portfolio have reduced carbon emissions and waste intensity by 30 % and water and energy consumption by 20 %.
In China , Marriott International has deployed an IoT-enabled building management infrastructure in its hotels with an array of connected devices as well as a sustainability tracking and reporting application . According to a case study of this smart building management system , Marriott has already seen a 10 % to 15 % reduction in energy costs .
Accor Invest , a subsidiary of AccorHotels , also is working on a comprehensive IoT network for its hotels for energy management after piloting an infrastructure in about 60 hotels , says Arnaud Herrmann , vice president of sustainable development at Accor .
OPTIMIZING PROPERTIES On a property level , the Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa in the Cayman Islands , which opened in 2017 , programs lights to rotate automatically based on natural light and the time of day to optimize energy efficiency .
Aside from making it easier to control all aspects of a building and accrue some financial savings , IoT gives hotels tremendous amounts of data that can aid them in accurately reporting and tracking their environmental impact .
The United Nations ’ Sustainable Development Goals ( 17 in total , to be achieved by 2030 ) often serve as the model for a hotel company ’ s individual sustainability plan . Hilton Worldwide , InterContinental Hotel Group , Wyndham Worldwide , Marriott , Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts , and Accor have publicly aligned themselves with these SDGs . Two major industry associations are also helping hotels stay accountable — the World Travel and Tourism Council and the International Tourism Partnership . ( In 2017 , the ITP said that for hotels to meet the terms of the Paris Climate agreement , the industry must reduce absolute carbon emissions by 66 % by 2030 and 90 % by 2050 .)
Yet the automatic sensors that come with
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