Hotel Verdant, a new five-story boutique hotel in Racine, WI, is redefining sustainability in the luxury hospitality market. As the hotel strives for LEED Gold certification, every aspect of the property was meticulously examined, with lighting being a pivotal component. AV integrator Digital Living selected Legrand’s Vantage lighting controls, which integrate the hotel’s many lighting fixtures, motion detectors, and daylight sensors to achieve lighting that automatically adjusts based on time of day, amount of sunlight, and occupancy.
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After labor, energy consumption is the second largest cost for hotels. Lighting, space heating, and water heating represent close to 60% of total electricity use. Energy costs typically range from 4-6% percent of hotel costs, but for historic and luxury properties such as Hotel Verdant, the number can climb to 10% or more.
Recognizing lighting control as a key avenue for efficiency, Hotel Verdant sought ways to reduce waste while showcasing sustainability to guests. “The hotel industry is all about creature comforts, which can create a lot of unintentional waste,” explained Michael Godfrey, CFO of Hotel Verdant. “For example, the hallways that lead to guest rooms traditionally stay at full brightness 24/7, whether or not there are occupants. We wanted to explore how our lighting could be deployed in such a way that it would not only conserve energy but also show guests what sustainability looks like as part of their experience.”
Working with Digital Living and Ring & DuChateau, an engineering consulting firm, Hotel Verdant’s goal was to create a much greener lighting design, with intelligent lighting in its lobby, hallways, gym, administrative offices, and other areas. A significant challenge was ensuring the lighting design complemented the architecture and décor while reflecting the hotel's unique modern style and Danish heritage. The installation was completed last July in time for the hotel’s grand opening on Aug. 1 (its restaurant and rooftop bar opened on Aug. 7).
Vantage lighting control was selected based on its flexibility and optimal control. “I’ve used Vantage for over a decade,” said Shireesh Reddy, president of Digital Living. “What sets Vantage apart is that it’s mindful not only of the control and integration experience but also design. It offers the freedom of design, scalability, and intelligence that modern lighting design projects need. I can program all sorts of sequences to fit any desired experience, and it fits a much greater load—48—in one enclosure compared to other controllers that only do 36, which was a must for Hotel Verdant.”
Vantage partners with leading fixture manufacturers as part of its Fixture Alliance, including Tech Lighting, one of the 20 fixture manufacturers used in Hotel Verdant. The partnership ensures interoperability and provides integrators with preconfigured profiles, which are available within Vantage’s Design Center software and help speed up programming.
Hotel Verdant achieved a luxurious lighting experience that seamlessly blends sustainability with style. The Vantage system, integrating more than 100 motion and daylight sensors, features more than 20 programming sequences. In the hallways, administrative offices, and other work areas, the motion sensors detect when someone is present and raise the lighting level; when no one is detected, they automatically dim, cutting down on energy use. Vantage EasyTouch Glass keypads and third-party touchscreens were also selected for the project.
The hotel bar, Eave, takes advantage of Vantage’s astronomical clock, which automates the bar’s lighting. Ten minutes before closing time, the system flashes the lights to notify occupants that the lighting will be powering down.
In the lobby, which is surrounded by windows, daylight sensors automatically detect when there is greater amount of sunlight in the room and adjust the lighting accordingly (though the system can also be controlled manually via keypads). In this way, Vantage provides both a more energy-efficient and human-centric lighting control experience.
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“Most people are used to walking into overly lit rooms and hallways,” explained Reddy. “Vantage helps to craft lighting that looks and feels different. This is a very unique way to operate a hotel that is part of the Hotel Verdant experience.”
“Sustainable solutions such as Vantage add immense value,” added Godfrey. “It’s part of our vision, saves money and energy, and showcases to guests what’s possible in their own homes.”
