Green Hotels of the Future Featuring ‘No Screw In Lamps’

By Scott Parisi

My team and I spent last week together in strategy meetings. Our conversations made us ask, "How rapidly technology matures once introduced into the market". Remember when the first 32" flat panel television came out and it was $5,000+? Today you can find a 32" flat panel television for under $500.  

Lighting utilized in environmentally friendly hotels is changing rapidly. The LED is fueling this change. Light Emitting Diodes (LED) is a solid-state semiconductor device that converts electrical energy directly into light. On its most basic level, the semiconductor is comprised of two regions. The LED Chip when combined with an LED Driver and other thermal and optical technologies can create a complete LED Luminaire. 

Manufactures are starting to step outside of the typical screw in lamp application by developing complete fixtures that upgrade existing fixtures completely eliminating the need for screw in replacement lamps.  The LED Luminaire is a complete lighting unit consisting of LED-based light emitting elements and a matched driver together with parts to distribute light.

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One of EcoGreenHotel ‘s first LED Design projects we installed was for Hostelling International – NYC. We installed one hundred PAR 30 LED lamps. Just a few years ago we installed a quality PAR 30 LED screw in lamp replacement throughout some areas of the project. This replacement was priced at one hundred dollars a lamp. Fortunately we were able to subsidies the cost by 50% or $50 a lamp thanks to a NYSERDA state incentive program.

Similar to the 32" television scenario the rapid evolution in PAR 30 replacement technology has driven down cost quickly. Today we can install a LED luminaire priced less than half the price with a three to five year warranty depending on the manufacturer.   

In addition to competition driving prices down throughout the LED industry another fascinating enhancements in LED technology applications is the possibility that we just might be able to eliminate the screw in lamp in the hospitality industry. The compact fluorescent has been a wonderful technology to bridge us until LED technology matured. CFL shortfalls include proper disposal because of the mercury utilized in manufacturing. Another huge shortfall with CFL lighting is the impact on aesthetics. No one likes to see a Springlamp Spiral through a beautiful decorative fixture. The fact that CFL never could meet dimming expectations also has hindered full adaptation into high profile areas of hotels. 

There are several quality manufactures making LED luminaires for use in high hour burn spaces such as lobbies, restaurants, hallways and meeting space. CREE LED has a terrific line of options for 4" and 6" luminaires that dim wonderfully and are warrantied for five years and most are Energy Star Labeled. The day of keeping a huge inventory of twenty different types of screw in light bulbs may be coming to an end.

A bonus for existing hotels when comparing LED luminaires versus a typical screw in LED is in rebate processing. The price per fixture available to you in a prescriptive rebate programs in some cases will give a greater dollar value versus a screw in LED lamp.

Another main driver of hotels installing LED lights is that utilities in almost every state offer some rebates for LED lighting. Details on these programs are aggregated in the federal DSIRE database and on individual utility sites. Prescriptive rebates provide a specific predetermined dollar amount for each fixture replaced.

Ok so we talked about recessed can lighting. I know some of you are saying what about all the decorative sconces I have lining my hallways and banquet areas. We have been searching for a viable solution for decorative sconces for the past few years. It is an issue in the hospitality industry. Not only are you changing lamps frequently the ballasts are failing as well. Recently we have been introduced to the TerraLUX Line Voltage Linear LED Engine. It is a self-contained, plug-and-play LED solution for decorative lighting fixtures. The TerraLUX module is dimmable, and requires no additional drivers or special sockets.

So our Green Hotel has their hallways and corridors covered without one screw in lamp. Lets step to the back of the house, the administrative offices, fitness center and the gym. In that past several years new build and franchised prototypical plans have transitioned to Super T8's and even more efficient T5's for 2' X 2' or 2' X 4' fluorescent troffers. Mercury is still present and light bulbs that need replacing and proper disposal still exists. A promising technology is LED Flat Panel Luminaires for these areas in a few more years. Today it is hard to find flat panel luminaires from a reputable vendor that will deliver consistent color temperatures or a warranty. If you plan on procuring technologies that may not have hit the main stream yet, ask for hospitality references and make sure the product has a third party certification such as being UL Listed.

A typical recessed troffer as you would see in a fitness center or above your desk in your office normally utilizes 4ea 32 watt T8's burning approximately 128 watts. An LED troffer will eliminate the need to replace lamps and ballasts and deliver an equivalent lumen output while only utilizing 44 watts total.  LED troffers are now a proven technology being manufactured by several of the top manufacturers.

Exterior lighting is a major energy load for green hoteliers and the replacement cost when you need to repair a parking lot pole light could cause you to have to rent a lift and a licensed electrician. Several manufacturers are bringing exterior LED products to the hospitality industry. There is a option to utilize an LED for all exterior applications. The payback may still be lengthy for an existing hotel however a new build can encompass LED applications for all exterior lighting at a minimal investment delta. The Cree Edge area square luminaires offer excellent uniformity for applications including parking lots and large common spaces for pedestrians and motorists. Cree offers a 10-Year Limited Warranty for select LED Architectural Downlights.

Although I covered a large percentage of lighting that a typical lodging facility requires there are some areas such as guest rooms that have a lower time of burn that makes it tough to come up with LED solutions that will deliver a palatable payback. EcoGreenHotel is just wrapping up a new build project for the Kana Hotel Group where we eliminated over 60% of their lamps at the Embassy Suites Knoxville West, which will be opening this spring. Although we are not at a point to say we can build a stylish hotel with 100% LED Luminaires Fixtures we are closer than ever.

For more information on lighting rebate administration, lighting design or lighting savings analysis contact me atsparisi@ecogreenhotel.com or 888.229.0213.

 

About the Author

Scott Parisi is President of EcoGreenHotel, a firm that develops energy and sustainability projects for commercial buildings with a large focus on the hospitality sector. As President of EGH, Scott's day to day responsibilities include developing and implementation of energy and sustainability strategies into hotels, leveraging federal state and local utility incentives to subsidies projects and building partnerships with like minded companies that add value to EGH's client base. Additionally, Scott develops and hosts educational workshops, staff trainings and has spoke at national and regional events including AAHOA's National Convention, Green Lodging & Hospitality Conference, Boston Green Tourism Events, Philagreen Hospitality Association Events, GF Management University Sessions, National Purchasing Network Annual Expo and the Global Renewable Energy Networking Summit.

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Source: Hotel News Resource

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