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UTSA on board to improve Marriott’s energy efficiency
February 9, 2015 - Marriott International has partnered with the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) to help reach its current environmental goal of reducing energy and water consumption by 20% throughout its approximately 1200 managed properties by 2020.
February 9, 2015 By Renée Francoeur
UTSA will help Marriott improve its hotels’ ability to collect and analyze utility data in real-time and in turn make immediate energy-saving adjustments on-site.
UTSA assistant professor of mechanical engineering Bing Dong has developed a proprietary tool and software to capture, model and analyze real-time occupant behaviour and energy consumption data. The tool helps users quickly identify ways to increase energy efficiencies.
Dong and his graduate student team will evaluate Marriott’s current energy systems and processes and recommend a method to capture data from multiple sources into a single database that provides timely and detailed performance feedback through visualization. They will also create a communication strategy to help motivate hotel employees to conserve energy. UTSA professor of architecture Taeg Nishimoto is also involved in the project.
“This is a perfect example of how the research taking place at UTSA can have a direct impact on an industry,” said Dong. “It is a winning combination of providing outstanding educational and research opportunities for our students while helping a global company become more financially and environmentally responsible and sustainable.”
PHOTO: UTSA mechanical engineering assistant professor Bing Dong (middle) with graduate students Gaellen McFadden (left) and Rome Edward (right). (Photo: Deborah Silliman Wolfe, The University of Texas at San Antonio)
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