Last month saw the official powering up and blessing of one of our industry’s largest single-property solar photovoltaic installations—a 500 kilowatt, 1,528 panel system at the Fairmont Kea Lani on Maui in Hawaii. The panels will generate 845,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, enough electricity to power 139 homes on Maui. The project is expected to reduce the resort’s current energy demand by more than 10 percent and reduce CO2e emissions by 462 metric tons of CO2e annually. This reduction in CO2e emissions is the equivalent of removing 97 passenger cars from local roads per year. I spoke with Charles Head, General Manager of the 22-acre property owned by Host Hotels & Resorts and he said, “Our company values are aligned with this. The solar project is a game changer for us. We are very pleased with the results.”
The hotel that is part of the resort is broken into seven sections. The panels cover the majority of six sections on the rooftops that are exposed to the sun. The system was connected in June and July was the first full month of operation.
At the ceremony to mark the solar system’s official launch, there were close to 40 guests, including the county mayor. “We put together a showcase of the green things that we do,” Head says. “It was a great, informal, comfortable inauguration for the PV system.”
Fairmont Kea Lani’s photovoltaic installation project is in partnership with Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Host Hotels & Resorts, Maui Electric Co., Resort Energy Ventures as the designer and project manager and HNU Energy as the contractor.
Many Steps Taken to Become More Efficient
That such a large installation would happen with the involvement of Fairmont and Host is no surprise. Both companies have a long history of investing in energy efficiency. The solar panels are just one example of steps taken at the Fairmont Kea Lani to reduce the property’s environmental footprint. Air handlers were just replaced, along with water heaters, elevator systems and exhaust fans in the kitchen. Lighting is currently being upgraded. Most laundry equipment has been replaced and the hotel’s chillers are being considered for possible replacement.
“We have had a water recycling program in the laundry since 2005,” Head says. “A total of 11 million gallons of water have been saved. “Water is a very limited resource on this side of the island.”
The Fairmont Kea Lani has a Sustainability Team that is led by the hotel’s purchasing director. That team has partnered with United States Fish and Wildlife Service and Department of Land and Natural Resources for the Endangered Hawksbill Sea Turtle Dawn Patrol Volunteer Program to adopt a neighboring beach as part of an effort to support the critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtle. The Fairmont Kea Lani also donates partially used soap and shampoo to Clean the World.
Head says sustainability is something that is promoted during employee orientation. “We look for people with a passion for it,” he says. He added that the hotel is aiming to add to the amount of information available on its website related to sustainability. This will help the hotel sell Fairmont’s Eco-Meet program to meeting planners.
Click here to visit the Fairmont Kea Lani’s website.
Green Lodging News Adds NovaCharge as Directory Partner
Green Lodging News has added NovaCharge, LLC to its Green Product & Service Directory in the “Electric Vehicle Charging Stations” category. NovaCharge is a leading provider of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging solutions nationwide. NovaCharge offers a wide variety of charging stations for businesses, hotels and similar organizations wanting to offer charging services as an amenity to their customers and employees, while promoting their commitment to environmental sustainability. Founded in 2008, NovaCharge is dedicated to enabling a better environment for future generations by supporting a zero-emission transportation infrastructure. NovaCharge is a Certified Minority/Woman owned business. Visit www.novacharge.net, call (866) 417-9995, or e-mail info@novacharge.net for more information.
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