The Hillcrest Hotel Significantly Reduces its Greenhouse-Gas Emissions with Hybrid Heating

Nov. 17, 2009 - PRLog -- The Hillcrest Hotel, a Coast Resort, is leaving a much smaller environmental footprint these days one year after installing a Sempa Hybrid Heating System™, which has helped the hotel cut its greenhouse-gas emissions by approximately 53 per cent.

By installing an electric-boiler system alongside a hotel's existing gas or propane heating system, Sempa's hybrid heating system uses real-time intelligent controls to track and manage heating demand, switching between natural gas or propane to electric heat depending on which source is the cheapest at any point during the day.  The technology monitors fuel prices electronically and collects data on heating costs and greenhouse-gas reductions so users can track their energy savings online.

Since installing the hybrid heating system in October 2008, the Hillcrest Hotel has trimmed its greenhouse-gas emissions by approximately 189 tonnes -- the equivalent of taking 46 Honda Civics of the road.  The system has also helped the hotel cut its heating costs by $32,000, a 28 per cent reduction in total energy costs, and reduced the hotel's overall energy consumption by 13 per cent.

"The Hillcrest Hotel is located in a pristine part of British Columbia, so it's important that we align our environmental practices with our surroundings," said Norman Langlois, General Manager of the Hillcrest Hotel.  "We've introduced a number of green initiatives at the hotel over the last year, but the Sempa hybrid heating system has had the most pronounced impact in terms of minimizing our carbon footprint by enabling the hotel to switch is energy supply from non-renewable sources to sustainable, clean electricity."  

"At Sempa we're proud to have played a role in helping Coast Hotels & Resorts build a more sustainable business," said Ron Dizy, President and CEO, Sempa Power Systems Ltd.  "It's great to see that the hotel is being rewarded with the economic benefits of hybrid heating and reducing its environmental impact."

The Coast Hillcrest Hotel hybrid heating project involved the installation of a 150 kilowatt (kW) electric boiler, re-piping of the hotel's existing propane boiler system and upgrading building automation system for monitoring and control.  The $220,000 project is expected to pay for itself in approximately five years in annual energy savings.

Based on the success of the Hillcrest Hotel installation, Sempa Power Systems Ltd. installed a hybrid heating system at the Coast Sundance Lodge in Sun Peaks, B.C. in March 2009.  Three Sempa hybrid heating systems have also been installed at the Coast Blackcomb Suites at Whistler, which is scheduled to open in mid-December.

Complementing the hybrid heating system, some of the other eco-friendly steps the hotel has taken include: using biodegradable garbage bags, turning down heat in unoccupied rooms, raising air conditioning settings during the summer, installing energy-efficient lighting in all guest rooms and  most public areas,  greater use of chemical-free cleaning products, providing guests with shampoo, bath gel and lotion in bulk containers to reduce the number of small bottles used, and donating old linens and lost-and-found articles to local charities.  The hotel also installed vending misers in vending machines, an energy efficiency product that manages a vending machine’s power consumption, and installed variable speed controls on the fans of the make-up-air unit saving both electric and propane.   The Hillcrest Hotel also has an active blue box recycling program, offers guests book and magazine exchanges, and recently installed a trash compactor eliminating 144 unnecessary refuse transportation trips annually.

About Sempa Power Systems Ltd.
Sempa Power Systems Ltd.  is a world-leading alternative energy company with a patent-pending  Hybrid Heating Solution™.  Sempa provides technology and implementation services to help commercial building owners and managers dramatically lower energy costs, significantly reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and cut energy consumption.  More information can be found at: www.sempapower.com

About the Hillcrest Hotel, a Coast Resort
The Hillcrest Hotel, a Coast Resort, is located at the gateway to Glacier & Mount Revelstoke National Parks in between the Selkirk and Monashee Mountains near Revelstoke, B.C. Our mountain-side location is just 3 km from Revelstoke's city centre, west of the world famous Rogers Pass, and right in the centre of the most splendid mountain scenery anywhere. The resort is perfectly situated for travelers along the Trans-Canada Highway.

About Coast Hotels & Resorts
Coast Hotels & Resorts is a leading hotel chain in western North America. The company's philosophy of serving its guests through a superior standard of value, hospitality and service enables its continuing expansion. Coast Hotels & Resorts now owns, manages and franchises 42 hotel and resort properties located throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Northwest Territories, the western United States, Alaska and Hawaii. Visit www.coasthotels.com or call 1-800-663-1144 for more information.

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For additional information, please contact:

Martin Livingston
Living Communications Inc.
Vancouver, B.C.
(604) 657-8234

Holly Dollinger
Sempa Power
Toronto, Ontario
hdollinger@sempapower.com

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Sempa Power Systems Ltd. is a Canadian-owned forward thinking organization providing progressive and innovative smart energy solutions. Sempa’s flagship products provide a variety of industries, such as building owners and operators with measurable and manageable results in dramatically reducing energy costs, lowering overall energy consumption and decreasing green house gas emissions. For more information please visit us at sempapower.com.