Nestled in Boston’s charming Back Bay district, the Sheraton Boston Hotel is well known for its contemporary and sophisticated elegance. The largest hotel in New England, the Sheraton Boston includes more than 1,200 rooms and 70,000 square feet of meeting space.
Since 2008, Jeff Hanulec, the hotel’s Director of Engineering, has partnered with NSTAR on many efficiency projects, and has achieved outstanding results—all without sacrificing the comfort and atmosphere that hotel guests have come to expect.
With more than 1 million square feet, the Sheraton Boston has developed a protocol to reduce energy consumption any way it can. In the past two years alone, projects have included:
- replacing more than 1,000 lighting fixtures with energy efficient LEDs and T5s (including LEDs in all guest rooms.)
- placing 1,300 ECM motors to make HVAC systems more energy efficient in all guest rooms and fan coil units.
- installing 16 variable frequency drives, ranging from 7.5 HP to 75 HP.
- adding EC motors and controls in refrigerators and freezers.
Thanks to these efforts, the hotel has seen a total of close to 1.7 million in kWh savings.
Sheraton Boston has developed a Preventive Maintenance Program to help reduce energy consumption while keeping equipment running efficiently and dependably for its customers and clients. It incorporates a capital budget to reduce kWh and increase energy efficiency.
Jeff continuously works with National Grid, NSTAR, Northeast Utilities, and vendor partners to find ways to reduce the energy consumption at the hotel. NSTAR’s energy efficiency incentive programs offer financial incentives that help ensure ROI on efficiency projects. NSTAR also offers engineering services to help confirm accurate ROI.
The partnership also enhances the hotel’s already-strong culture of conservation and efficiency. Jeff has worked with NSTAR to educate hotel employees about the benefits of energy efficiency. Along with his participation in several organizations promoting conservation and sustainability, Jeff also visits other properties to assist his counterparts with their energy efficiency programs.
The hotel’s commitment to comfort and top-notch hospitality is well-known to Boston visitors. At the same time, the hotel has found a unique way to encourage efficiency among its guests. With the Make a Green Choice program, guests are offered incentives for each night they decline housekeeping. They are also told how much water, natural gas, electricity, and chemicals they save by making that choice.
At the Sheraton Boston, efficiency is smart business, both for its day-to-day operations and for its guests. Or, as they say in Boston, it’s “wicked smaht.”