Promoting green initiatives in hotels

• US 8,761,951 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Six Continents Hotels Incorporated (InterContinental Hotels Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Six Continents Hotels Incorporated (InterContinental Hotels Group PLC)
• Inventors: Jerome, David Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Padmanabhan, Kavita
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUNN, DARRIN D
• Application Number:
  US13/728,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20130117076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 700/2, 700/9, 700/17, 700/28, 700/32, 700/33, 700/286, 700/291, 700/295, 705/7, 705/8, 705/10, 705/30, 705/34, 705/7.11, 705/341, 702/57, 702/127, 702/186, 702/187
• US Class Current: 700/295
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/125 Utility meter reading systems specially adapted for determining the environmental impact of user behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2204/45 Utility meters networked together within a single building
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/00 Water conservation; Efficient water supply; Efficient water use
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/34 Smart metering supporting the carbon neutral operation of end-user applications in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

The present invention provides systems and methods for allowing hotels (or any other organizations having one or more physical locations requiring various resources) to (1) measure their energy, water, waste and carbon emissions, (2) manage and control the elements of the hotel that impact the environment the most, and (3) report on the progress of the measurement, management and control, to the hotel owners, franchisors, franchisees and guests.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for implementing green initiatives within a selected hotel, a green initiative being a plan for reducing a negative environmental impact associated with operating hotels, comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, a selection of a hotel;

receiving, by the computer system, a selection of a resource of the hotel to be measured;

determining, by the computer system, usage data for the resource to be measured;

determining, by the computer system, a benchmark for analyzing the usage data using a profile of the hotel;

analyzing, by the computer system, the received usage data according to the benchmark;

providing, by the computer system, a recommended green initiative response using the analysis of the received usage data according to the benchmark, the green initiative response comprising an available group of actions for improving a performance level of the hotel;

receiving, by the computer system, a selection of an action from the available group of actions;

causing, by the computer system, the resource to implement the action;

determining, by the computer system, a checklist using a type of the hotel, the checklist identifying the performance level of the hotel and the available group of actions for improving the performance level, the checklist identifying a number of available points for each action in the group of actions using the type of the hotel and the performance level, wherein an earned point from the available points indicates an improvement to the performance level; and

determining, by the computer system, a scorecard for the hotel using the checklist, points from the checklist, the usage data, the benchmark, and a planned implementation of the action by the resource.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising verifying profile data received from a server.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising providing to a user learning opportunities regarding green initiatives.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising assigning point values to each recommended green initiative response, wherein levels in a certification system are assigned according to the number of points accumulated.

2. A system for implementing a green initiative within a selected hotel, comprising:

(a) a hotel operating system comprising a controller, the controller configured to control a consumption of a resource corresponding to a utility service in a manner affecting an ability of a guest of a hotel to consume a portion of the resource;

(b) a sensor for measuring a usage of the utility service; and

(c) a processor configured to;

(i) allow a user to select the hotel from a list of hotels;

(ii) allow the user to select the resource from a list of resources;

(iii) receive usage data from the sensor for the resource;

(iv) determine a profile of the hotel and determine, using the profile, a benchmark for analyzing the usage data;

(v) analyze the received usage data according to the benchmark;

(vi) provide a recommended green initiative response using the analysis of the received usage data according to the benchmark, the green initiative response comprising an available group of actions for improving a performance level of the hotel;

(vii) allow the user to select an action from the available group of actions;

(viii) cause the controller to implement the action by controlling the resource using the action;

(ix) determine a checklist using a type of the hotel, the checklist identifying the performance level of the hotel and the available group of actions for improving the performance level, the checklist identifying a number of available points for each action in the group of actions using the type of the hotel and the performance level, wherein an earned point from the available points indicates an improvement to the performance level;

(x) determine a scorecard for the hotel using the checklist, points from the checklist, the usage data, the benchmark, and a planned implementation of the action by the resource; and

(xi) provide the scorecard to a computing device of the user.

3. A system for controlling resource usage within a selected hotel, comprising:

(a) a hotel operating system comprising a plurality of controllers, the plurality of controllers configured to control consumptions of a plurality of resources corresponding to a plurality of utility services in a manner affecting an ability of a guest of a hotel to consume one or more resources of the plurality of resources; and

(b) a processor configured to;

(i) receive profile data for the hotel, the profile data comprising size of rooms in the hotel, brand of the hotel, location of the hotel, number of rooms in the hotel, and occupancy rates of the hotel;

(ii) receive usage data associated with the consumptions of the plurality of resources;

(iii) determine, using the profile data, a benchmark for analyzing the usage data;

(iv) analyze the usage data according to the benchmark to determine a green initiative response for the hotel, the analyzing comprising determining percentage variances from the consumptions of the plurality of resources across the rooms of the hotel, the occupancy rates of the hotel, the hotel over previous periods of time, the hotel over certification systems for establishing sustainability metrics, and other hotels;

(v) provide the recommended green initiative response for the hotel, the green initiative response comprising a group of actions for improving the consumptions of the plurality of resources of the hotel, the group of actions specifying a plurality of adjustments to the plurality of resources;

(vi) receive an authorization from a computing device of an administrator of the hotel to implement the group of actions;

(vii) implement the group of actions using the authorization, the implementation comprising causing the plurality of controllers to adjust the plurality of resources using the plurality of adjustments, the adjusted plurality of resources limiting the ability of the guest of the hotel to consume the one or more resources;

(viii) determine a checklist using a type of the hotel, the checklist identifying the performance level of the hotel and the available group of actions for improving the performance level, the checklist identifying a number of available points for each action in the group of actions using the type of the hotel and the performance level, wherein an earned point from the available points indicates an improvement to the performance level;

(ix) determine a scorecard for the hotel using the checklist, points from the checklist, the usage data, the benchmark, and the implementation of the group of actions; and

(x) provide the scorecard to the computing device of the administrator of the hotel.

7. A system for implementing a green initiative within a selected hotel, comprising:

(a) a hotel operating system comprising a controller, the controller configured to control a consumption of a resource corresponding to a utility service in a manner affecting an ability of a guest of a hotel to consume a portion of the resource;

(b) a sensor for measuring a usage of the utility service; and

(c) a processor configured to;

(i) allow a user to select the hotel from a list of hotels;

(ii) allow the user to select the resource from a list of resources;

(iii) receive usage data from the sensor for the resource;

(iv) determine a profile of the hotel and determine, using the profile, a benchmark for analyzing the usage data;

(v) analyze the received usage data according to the benchmark;

(vi) provide a recommended green initiative response using the analysis of the received usage data according to the benchmark, the green initiative response comprising an available group of actions for improving a performance level of the hotel;

(vii) allow the user to select an action from the available group of actions;

(viii) cause the controller to implement the action by controlling the resource using the action;

(ix) determine a checklist using a type of the hotel;

(x) determine a scorecard for the hotel using the checklist, the usage data, the benchmark, and an implementation of the action by the resource; and

(xi) provide the scorecard to a computing device of the user and to a computing device of the guest of the hotel.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to set the benchmark value.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to implement the recommended green initiative response.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to verify profile data received from a server.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to provide to a user learning opportunities regarding green initiatives.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to assign point values to each recommended green initiative response, wherein levels in a certification system are assigned according to the number of points accumulated.

13. A system for controlling resource usage within a selected hotel, comprising:

(a) a hotel operating system comprising a plurality of controllers, the plurality of controllers configured to control consumptions of a plurality of resources corresponding to a plurality of utility services in a manner affecting an ability of a guest of a hotel to consume one or more resources of the plurality of resources; and

(b) a processor configured to;

(i) receive profile data for the hotel, the profile data comprising size of rooms in the hotel, brand of the hotel, location of the hotel, number of rooms in the hotel, and occupancy rates of the hotel;

(ii) receive usage data associated with the consumptions of the plurality of resources;

(iii) determine, using the profile data, a benchmark for analyzing the usage data;

(iv) analyze the usage data according to the benchmark to determine a green initiative response for the hotel, the analyzing comprising determining percentage variances from the consumptions of the plurality of resources across the rooms of the hotel, the occupancy rates of the hotel, the hotel over previous periods of time, the hotel over certification systems for establishing sustainability metrics, and other hotels;

(v) provide the recommended green initiative response for the hotel, the green initiative response comprising a group of actions for improving the consumptions of the plurality of resources of the hotel, the group of actions specifying a plurality of adjustments to the plurality of resources;

(vi) receive an authorization from a computing device of an administrator of the hotel to implement the group of actions;

(vii)implement the group of actions using the authorization, the implementation comprising causing the plurality of controllers to adjust the plurality of resources using the plurality of adjustments, the adjusted plurality of resources limiting the ability of the guest of the hotel to consume the one or more resources;

(viii) determine a checklist using a type of the hotel;

(ix) determine a scorecard for the hotel using the checklist, the usage data, the benchmark, and the implementation of the group of actions; and

(x) provide the scorecard to the computing device of the administrator of the hotel and to a computing device of the guest of the hotel.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a water meter, an electricity meter, a utility company billing feed, and a thermostat.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the benchmark is based at least in part on an average consumption value of the selected utility service for target hotels, with characteristics determined using the profile data.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the hotel operating system includes multiple controllers, each being able to control the consumption of a resource for a different utility service; and

the one or more processors are further configured to, for each of the multiple controllers, send a signal to adjust the guests'"'"' ability to individually consume a corresponding resource.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the multiple controllers is operable to adjust multiple guests'"'"' ability to adjust thermostat settings for thermostats in corresponding rooms of the hotel.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein at least one of the multiple controllers is operable to adjust a boiler temperature.