GEM Energy Management Saves 45% on Hotel Room HVAC

Consulting group SaveMoneyCutCarbon says results of hotel trials in the UK prove the GEM energy management system from Lodging Technology can save up to 45 percent on hotel guest room heating and ventilation costs. GEM senses when a space is occupied and controls the ambient temperature when guests are not present. It differs from simpler motion-sensor products by using a combination of infrared body-heat sensors and an algorithm to detect if a room is occupied. The GEM system uses wireless technology, invisible to the guest, to optimize the room and the system takes advantage of the fact that, after check in, most guests are out of the room for up to 50 percent of the booked time.

When guests are out of their room for longer than a specified amount of time, the GEM system kicks in and resets the room temperature to a selected energy-saving level.

SaveMoneyCutCarbon has run 24/7 trials over recent months at a London hotel and a regional hotel in Cardiff to monitor and measure the energy savings delivered by GEM. The data shows that in a 24-hour occupancy, hotels can expect 35-45 percent HVAC energy savings, according to the company.

The GEM system from US-based Lodging Technology was chosen by SaveMoneyCutCarbon after lengthy research into energy saving HVAC solutions. Up to 250,000 hotel rooms in the US use the GEM technology.