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  Today Online 18 Jun 07
Hotel's green plan is lean and mean
Grand Hyatt's new tri-gen plant will save $800,000 more each year
Sheralyn Tay sheralyn@mediacorp.com.sg

Grand Hyatt Singapore is proving that going green is good for your bottom line.

The luxury hotel, whose green efforts began with an overhaul of its air-conditioning and ventilation systems in 2000, is now going further. By the end of next year, its new tri-generation plant will be up and running, and helping to further increase energy efficiency by more than 30 per cent, producing huge cost savings — without compromising guests' comforts.

The system — commonly used in the industrial and manufacturing sectors — produces electricity and converts its waste heat to generate steam and chilled water, which can be used to power boilers and cooling towers.

According to Mr Ivan Leong, director of engineering, the tri-gen system will increase energy efficiency by 32 per cent and save $800,000 in energy costs a year. It is expected to achieve a return on investment in four years. The system is also likely to reduce 190 tonnes of carbon emissions a year, equivalent to the amount produced by driving around the world 24 times.

Manager John Beveridge said the move is a logical step, following the aircon overhaul in 2000. Since then, guest rooms have been fitted with solar films, and more efficient fan -units and thermostats that adjust fan speed according to demand.

These initiatives have saved about $1.2 million a year in energy costs, recouping the $ 3.5 million investment in just three years.

"The savings from that project have helped fix the mindset and now each project is done with implications on environment, utilities and guest comfort," said Mr Beveridge.

The hotel constantly monitors its gas, energy and water use, and even the humidity, through sensors placed all over the premises.

"What gets measured gets managed," noted Mr Leong, who can oversee and tweak the system via a web-based system.

The hotel has also started to recycle laundry water from the final rinse for the first wash and to use NEWater for its lush gardens. It is also considering using solar cells in the upcoming garden function room.

Looking ahead, Mr Leong sees the hotel making more effective use of natural gas when it becomes available in the next few years.

"For now, our boiler (which will be used for the tri-generation system) uses diesel, but when natural gas, which is more efficient and much cleaner, comes to town in 2012, we will use it to power our boiler," he said. "This will accelerate our return on investment and reduce the reliance on oil."

In a climate of high oil prices, this is a sensible move not just in terms of the environment but also in terms of cost cutting, added Mr Leong.

"Whatever we save in energy bills goes towards the bottom line." Said Mr Beveridge: "One of the myths about going green is that an operation has to take a hit on the bottom line to be a good global citizen. But we need to get the message across that we can be more efficient, save on utilities and reduce carbon emissions.

"No one loses, everyone's a winner."
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