One of the largest hotels chains in the world will utilize Schneider Electric’s cloud-based artificial intelligence technology to track and manage energy consumption at more than 6,000 franchised locations in the U.S.
Maryland-based Choice Hotels International contracted for Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Resource Advisor AI-technology to help its hotel owners become more energy efficient and reach sustainability goals. The cloud-based tracking system will monitor electricity use, look for leaks and inefficiencies while benchmarking their data against other properties.
Hotel owners will be able to prepare these commercial buildings for current and future state and local regulations on building energy codes and other reporting requirements.
“To safeguard my investment in my hotel today and tomorrow, it’s imperative that I monitor and manage my utility usage,” said Alec Rogers, owner of Maine Evergreen Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection. “Resource Advisor takes the guesswork out of allocating resources and managing energy costs so owners like me can spend more time focusing on what matters most: connecting with travelers and the communities in which we work and live.”
Choice Hotels International owns numerous lodging brands and works with franchisees representing more than 600,000 rooms. In addition to the Ascend Hotel Collection, some of the hotel brands include Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, MainStay Suites, Clarion and Econo Lodge.
“It’s exciting that Choice Hotels has chosen Schneider Electric to support nearly 6,000 hotels in their data collection efforts and to drive the company’s strategy for sustainability reporting,” said Steve Wilhite, President, Schneider Electric’s Sustainability Business. “Energy volatility and increasing compliance on emissions management and disclosure are impacting every industry, including hospitality. We are honored to work with Choice Hotels as they build the critical infrastructure necessary to support their sustainability initiatives for owners and guests alike.”
Last year, Schneider Electric also rolled out an upgraded version of its EcoStruxure Energy Hub technology. The EcoStruxure Energy Hub offers a network for smaller building owners and operators to track energy use floor by floor, equipment by equipment (HVAC, lighting, etc). It can focus on energy intensity, such as kWh per square meter or foot and, factoring in energy rates, help a customer determine financial next steps.
“Until you see how much you consume, you don’t have a trigger to move into action,” Sophie Borgne, senior vice president of digital power at Schneider Electric, said in October 2022 in an interview with EnergyTech at her company’s Innovation Summit in Las Vegas.
Schneider Electric has run the program through a project with the University of Denver, which utilized the EcoStruxure hub technology on its heavy laboratories and moved to other buildings to compare and contrast and, eventually, figure where they can gain greater control or make smart investments in energy efficiency.
“They could benchmark that energy use to similar buildings,” Borgne said.
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(Rod Walton, senior editor for EnergyTech, is a 15-year veteran of covering the energy industry both as a newspaper and trade journalist. He can be reached at [email protected]).
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