Saving Costs by Using Energy more EfficientlyA Building Management System (BMS) increases the functional
reliability and the operational integrity of all the services of a hotel, while
maintenance costs can be reduced.
Hotel & Tourism Revue
11th February 1999
MICHAEL HUTSCHNEKER
What use is a video- or CD-player in a hotel room,
or how can a guest enjoy surfing the Internet, if he can hardly sleep for lack of fresh
air, or his rest is disturbed by room temperatures that are too low or too high? Or
perhaps the air conditioning makes such a din that the guest is kept constantly awake and
is anything but relaxed. Jacques Levy-Bonvin, one of the few BMS specialists in
Switzerland knows what he is talking about. Not only are the technical phenomena of the
hotel trade his profession, but as a regular business traveller himself, he has gathered a
lot of first-hand experience and – as he told the htr – he has become
familiar with all aspects of hotel technology.
Hotel Chains are the Best
During the past few years the expert has noticed a
trend and he regrets that «Unfortunately it is only the big hotel chains that make use of
all the possibilities, while a large number of independent hotels do not use innovative
technology». Of course, Lévy knows that in most cases financial obstacles are the reason
given for postponing or refusing such installations. Nevertheless, he strongly advocates
an integrated management system that makes sense for the hotelier and his guests. Very
often, when the hotel budget is established, little importance is attached to this aspect
and it is simply ignored. However, it should be borne in mind that usually a return on
investment can be expected within three to four years.
Building Management System
For this reason the Marketing Manager for Hotels at
Siemens Building Technologies Ltd., a Landis & Staefa division, will be holding a
seminar during the "Eurhotec"on the subject of "Strategic Management",
together with Reiner Böhme of Inter-Continental Hotels & Resorts. During the
seminar it will be shown how the hotelier can improve his energy management, as well as
long-term profits. Lévy will concentrate on showing ways of improving thermal and
technical comfort in hotels, at the same time maximising profits. The following aspects
will be considered: thermal, olfactory and technical comfort for the guest and the hotel
maintenance team, reduced costs for the hotel manager and finally a higher occupancy rate.
Above all, Lévy advocates the introduction of a Hotel Building Management System (BMS).
As his reason he states the fact that hotels are engaged in different fields with
differing functions and a fluctuating occupancy of rooms. Large quantities of data need to
be centrally recorded, processed and evaluated in order to control demand-induced energy
consumption. A hotel BMS increases the functional reliability and operational integrity of
all services, while maintenance costs can be reduced. The expert underlines the fact that
«The introduction of a BMS is ideal for hotels that are being modernised, as well as for
new hotels.»
Building Management Systems
For Jacques Levy-Bonvin* there is no doubt that a product
like «Hotelgyr» satisfies in a flexible manner the individual requirements of hotel
directors, guests and personnel alike. The most important aspects are increased comfort
and security for the guest, individually-controlled room temperature, a TV information
system and a resource-saving energy management. «Hotelgyr» can very simply be integrated
into «Aladin», the comprehensive hotel building management system, «Aladin» controls,
regulates and monitors the whole of the energy used by the hotel with all its integrated
systems and components. With the exception of electronic reservation systems such as
Fidelio, for which interfaces are installed, Jacques Levy-Bonvin and his team are in charge of
all aspects of hotel management.
