VINELAND, N.J.—Could the Ramada Vineland be the first property its size to receive a monthly electricity bill of $0? Possibly. That is what happened in October at the 102-room property in Vineland, N.J. Time will tell if the Ramada will maintain its “net zero hotel” status but NGL Property Management’s John Scipione, owner of the hotel with his family, believes it is possible.
What lowered the hotel’s electricity bill from $15,000/month to $5,000/month over the last couple of years is a $2.6 million, 2,500-solar panel installation behind the property. It sits on three acres of land owned by NGL Property Management. It has been operational since February 2010. Replacing inefficient lighting throughout most of the property with fluorescent and LED lighting has gotten the hotel down to its net zero level. In fact, last month the hotel actually produced more electricity than it needed.
“Getting to net zero is a goal we set a couple of years ago,” Scipione says.
Lighting Wattage Reduced Significantly
The two-story Ramada Vineland has a banquet hall and three food and beverage facilities, making getting to net zero even more challenging. Recent lighting investments included the replacement of 92-watt fixtures with 18-watt bulbs in corridors, 192-watt fixtures with 36-watt equivalents in kitchens, and 100-watt spotlight bulbs outside the hotel with 23-watt equivalents.
“We noticed no difference in our lighting but a huge difference in our electric bill,” Scipione says.
Employee training, especially housekeeper training, also has helped to minimize power waste. Housekeepers turn off lights and monitor PTACs when they clean each room.
Scipione says his company still has one floor of lighting to replace. Once that floor is done, it will become even easier for his hotel to repeat its net zero month. The Ramada Vineland reached its net zero status last month without the use of a guestroom energy management system. That type of system is something Scipione says he is considering.
See related article.
Go to the Ramada Vineland.
