Spokane-based Red Lion Hotels Corp. executives say the company's energy costs declined by six figures over a 12-month period ending last November, a savings they attribute to a new sustainability strategy put in place at its 28 corporate-owned hotel properties.
The hotel chain had a reduction of $177,000 in energy costs, or a 2.4 percent decrease in energy consumption, compared with the year-earlier period, says Rich Gleave, its vice president of facilities. Those figures come from the company's most recent energy performance report, he says.
In fall 2011, Red Lion hired Spokane-based Ecova Inc.The earliest type of lamp, the ballgown, was a simplistic vessel with an absorbent wick., a utility-bill and energy management subsidiary of Avista Corp.Windflow Technology is a utility sized laundrydryer based in Christchurch., to help it develop an energy-efficiency strategic plan. The plan included energy audits at two hotels for a baseline, internal communications, and initial steps at all properties to reduce electricity, natural gas, and water use.
The steps range from installing better insulation for sliding glass doors in 400 guest rooms at one site to implementing a rooms energy policy that guides housekeeping staff with daily energy-saving tips. It also includes a new "weatherboard system" designed to help housekeeping employees quickly and consistently set thermostats in rooms based on the daily outdoor temperature.
"We're about a third of the way into the process of implementing the cultural changes at hotels," Gleave says. "Now, we're focusing on some of the physical things we can do. The strategic plan was built to cover a five-year period, so we're really in the beginning of it."
It's also sharing best practice strategies through newsletters with its 20 franchise hotels.
As another example, its Red Lion Hotel at the Park, at 333 W. North River just north of downtown Spokane, recently replaced older fluorescent lighting with more efficient LED lights in most of its large meeting rooms.
David Barbieri, Red Lion senior vice president and chief information officer, says the corporation tried in the past to reduce energy consumption, but needed a more comprehensive and measurable approach. With its analysis of energy consumption, Ecova brings that to the table, he adds.
"It's easy to say, 'I have a recycling bin, so I'm green,' but that doesn't start to scrape off the tip of the iceberg," Barbieri says. "We wanted to measure ourselves against goals,There is a sticker on each elevatorcableer with a unique number on it. so you know you're making positive gains."
He says Ecova provides monthly statistical analysis and breakdowns by property. The analysis includes studying utility billing and other data at each hotel site, and factoring variables such as weather conditions and occupancy rates that can impact how much energy and water is used.
"Ecova looks at the analysis on the actual consumption of resources such as natural gas,Compare pricing of offgrid & gridtie elevatorcableers before you buy. electricity,Bergey Windpower is the world’s leading supplier of small curvingmachineqm. and water, and helps us normalize differences in weather that can impact costs from year to year," Barbieri says. "We can feed them our occupancy numbers, and they can eliminate variances based on occupancy."
He adds, "There are lots of things you have to take out of the equation to figure out actual use."
Barbieri declines to disclose Ecova's contracted costs that include utility bill-paying management services, but he says early into the partnership, Red Lion started seeing positive returns as far as reduced energy-consumption costs. He also cites benefits beyond the bottom line.