IHG Hotels & Resorts: Holiday Inn Express Atlanta Airport

Background

Over the past several years, IHG has been working to improve the energy efficiency of the Holiday Inn Express: Atlanta Airport-College Park. Initial capital improvements achieved a 20% energy reduction, and this IHG hotel plans to introduce additional measures expected to save another 2.5% energy savings at the property through the continuous efforts of the IHG Green Engage program.

Green Engage is IHG’s comprehensive online sustainability system that gives hotels the means to manage and report on their hotel energy, water and waste consumption, as well as benchmarking and the ability to create action plans to track progress. Using IHG’s Green Engage platform, an on-site review of the Holiday Inn Express: Atlanta Airport-College Park was conducted in July 2012. Findings demonstrated that the property is making considerable progress towards achieving level 1 in the program, but that there were additional opportunities for savings.

Learn more about Green Engage.

Solutions

The initial efficiency measures, including the installation of new burners in one of the hotel’s gas-fired boilers, resulted in a 50% reduction in natural gas consumption, equating to $37,000 in cost savings, between 2009 and 2012. While electricity usage remained flat during this time, electricity costs rose from $0.07 to $0.10 per kWh, reducing the overall cost savings to $1000. The second phase of upgrades, planned for 2013, will include heating gas boiler controls and guestroom remote HVAC thermostats, which are expected to save an additional $3,000 annually.

Energy efficiency measures implemented at the property are divided into two phases.

Phase I Measures of Green Engage (2009-2012):

Implementation of Green Engage program with guest energy efficiency campaign
Improvements to the building envelope including weather stripping and resealing of all automatic windows
Balancing of air handling unit and guestroom diffusers
Pipe insulation
Metering of whole building
Boiler retrofit

Phase II Measures (2013):

Heating gas boiler controls
Guestroom remote HVAC thermostats

Other Benefits

Through these improvements, this hotel made considerable progress towards achieving Level 1 in Green Engage and being one of over 2,270 IHG hotels to "go green" in Atlanta, Georgia and throughout the world. IHG has over 1,900 franchised Holiday Inn Express Hotels in North America. The energy efficiency initiatives implemented at this property will assist company plans to define achievable goals for all Holiday Inn Express properties in the future.

“As a family owned and operated business, we are honored and proud of the commitment by the Associates & Guests of our hotels to conserve our natural resources and protect the environment for this and future generations. We are thrilled to set a positive example of businesses adopting eco-friendly practices.”

Anne Slay, Vice President, Kelco Management & Development (Property Owner)

ANNUAL ENERGY USE

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ANNUAL WATER COST

ANNUAL PLANT ELECTRICITY USE

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IN BUILDING ENERGY USE

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ACROSS NETWORK USE

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ANNUAL EMISSIONS

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LED lighting on exterior facades

Energy efficient features in public spaces

Energy efficient features in guestrooms

IHG Hotels & Resorts: Holiday Inn Express Atlanta Airport

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LED lighting on exterior facades

Energy efficient features in public spaces

Energy efficient features in guestrooms