For more than 40 years, the Common Man Family has been synonymous with fine hospitality in New Hampshire. It includes 18 restaurants, two inns, a spa/salon, a company store, and The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center. The company employs more than 1,000 people.
NHEC has partnered with Common Man for extensive energy efficiency projects at two of the facilities – The Common Man Inn and Spa and The Italian Farm House Restaurant, both in Plymouth, NH. Both facilities received comprehensive energy audits to set the process in motion.
At the restaurant, energy savings total more than $19,000 annually, thanks to efficiency projects in 2012 and 2013:
- insulation and air sealing, saving 856 therms annually.
- lighting upgrades, including new T8 lighting in the kitchen and basement, and LEDs throughout the restaurant. This saves 11,851 kWh annually.
- adding energy management to cooling controls and exhaust systems, so that exhaust fan speeds can be regulated via heat and smoke sensors. These measures save 29,418 kWh annually.
- heat pumps, saving 1,179 therms heating and 2,797 kWh cooling annually.
- solar hot water system, designed to meet 75 percent of water needs, saving 1,579 therms annually.
Meanwhile, savings at the inn total more than $25,000 annually as a result of technologies installed in 2009 and 2012:
- lighting upgrades, where 280 incandescent 65 Watt bulbs were replaced with 8 Watt LEDs. Savings total 45,136 kWh annually, and the upgrade also provides the quality of light needed for an inviting inn setting.
- kitchen exhaust energy management system and ventilation demand controls, saving 42,001 kWh annually.
- high efficiency washer, saving 987 therms annually.
- solar hot water system designed to meet 75 percent of water needs, saving 3,158 therms annually.
During 2013, with incentive support from NHEC, an electric vehicle charging station was installed at the inn. Station usage will be tracked in order to monitor customer demand.
In total, yearly savings from the two properties add up to more than $44,500.
Alex Ray, the founder and head of the Common Man Family, has made efficiency a core component of his company’s culture. The latest “CMan” energy initiatives are frequent topics on he company’s Facebook page. The company shares its energy success stories in emails to more than 20,000 subscribers, as well as in marketing materials for guests at each location.
NHEC’s relationship with Common Man dates back to 2002, when Alex Ray was one of the first participants in NHEC’s Pay as You Save (PAYS) on-bill financing program. Since then, NHEC has provided account management, technical assistance, and financial incentives for a variety of efficiency projects.
Just as it welcomes countless travelers and guests, the Common Man Family always welcomes new and effective efficiency ideas.