Cinnamon Grand Colombo – now Sri Lanka’s most intelligent building
View(s):Cinnamon Grand, on the verge of realising its sustainability vision of becoming the most sustainable 5-star city hotel by 2015, today holds the pioneering status of being the country’s most intelligent building.
Seen here is Cinnamon Grand Colombo Chief Engineer Panduka Wijeyawardena and Lanka Energy Conservation Pvt Ltd Chairman and Managing Director Dammicca Wickramarathne.
The state of the art Schneider Building Management System (BMS) is the first in a hotel in South Asia, controlling, monitoring and quantifying energy usage across the entirety of the hotel, the hotel said in a recent media release.
The world’s first magnetic bearing chiller technology from Smardt chillers has also been installed to conserve energy used for the extensive air-conditioning system. The Rs.170 million-investment has infused extraordinary measurable benefits, both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Guaranteed to save at least Rs. 50 million to Rs. 60 million per year with an ROI estimated at three years, Cinnamon Grand reduces nearly 4,000 tonnes of GHGs (Greenhouse gases) annually. In addition, electricity usage across the hotel has reduced significantly, instituting a saving of about 9 million KwH, adding impressive impetus to the hotel’s bottom line.
Commending the stance taken by Sector Head – City Hotels of Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts Rohan Karr, Chairman and Managing Director of Lanka Energy Conservation Pvt Ltd, the global arm of Perth EcoPower Dammicca Wickramarathne, says, “It is commendable that a leading corporate entity like Cinnamon Grand would buy into a vision and make it happen. This hotel now stands as one of the leaders in sustainable energy management in Asia, given that this system is a trailblazer in energy management around the world.”
Mr. Wickramarathne has three decades of experience in energy conservation. A recipient of the West Australian Energy Conservation Award in 1994 and the Energy smart Government Business Award 2004, he was also a Finalist in the Australian Citizen of the Year Award in 2007 in the Industry and Commerce category, for saving over 20,000 tonnes of GHG emissions.
Having first studied the inherent features of the mechanical electrical system that existed at this hotel for over three decades, Mr. Wickramarathne said, “We ultimately integrated the entire mechanical electrical system cohesively onto a single platform, having gathered data on analysis of how each plant functions, usage patterns, varied temperatures and consumption. Our task was to customise efficiencies according to the hotel’s needs, replacing the existing equipment from automation to integration without disrupting the hotel’s operations. During Stage One, we installed the BMS, recording the data that emerged to build the platform for us to replace necessary equipment, which was Stage Two. Then we began feeding the data into the system, wherein almost immediately the cost savings to the hotel began emerging”.
Mr. Karr elaborated on the hotel’s sustainability policy, ‘Grand Indulgence: Not a guilty pleasure’ and said that the four key areas Cinnamon Grand is focusing on in achieving the sustainability vision is the wise use of energy, wise use of water, waste management and recycling and supporting community activities and creating awareness. “Having always been a pioneer in the industry, we strongly believe that our status as a role model in the industry must be multifaceted. Not just in offering indulgent innovative products with superlative service, but also in ensuring that our carbon footprint is minimised and we leave a healthy planet for future generations. This is why we have been enthusiastically working towards being the Most Sustainable City Hotel by end this year, pioneering a number of eco-firsts along the way.”