Sunday, October 05, 2008

New York Hotel Trades Council Goes Green

New York Hotel Trades Council Goes Green

 

 

New York, NY, September 29 – The New York Hotel & Motel Trades Council (NYHTC) in New York City has enrolled in Energy Curtailment Specialists' (ECS) PowerPay! New York demand response program as an effort to become energy efficient. The NYHTC will receive payments in return for agreeing to reduce its load when the electric grid is overloaded and in trouble. PowerPay! New York is an energy conservation program that helps prevent blackouts and rolling brownouts, along with eliminating the need to build new power plants.

 

The building, which is home to the NYHTC as well as to the Hotel, Restaurant & Club Employees and Bartenders Union Local 6, and to the NYHTC and Hotel Association of New York Benefit Funds, will develop its own customized plan that will maximize demand reduction while minimizing any impact on its employees and visitors. Some curtailment efforts for the building include turning down public area and office lights, reducing cooling in unused areas, and shutting down some elevators. 

 

"We are glad to be a part of PowerPay! New York and look forward to making our building more energy efficient," said John Ruben, chief officer of operations for the Hotel Trades Council. "Since it's a no-risk program, I wanted to see what kind of impact cutting back on our electricity usage for an hour will have and what kind of savings we can expect if we implement an hourly cutback each day."

 

Members of PowerPay! New York are usually large energy users who receive notice the day prior to an event, allowing them time to devise a plan and prepare for the curtailment effort. 

 

"We are pleased to welcome the Hotel Trades Council to our program," said Stephen Lynch, principal and co-founder of ECS. "As energy efficiency becomes a staple in our society, its involvement in demand response is a huge step in educating the hotel and hospitality industry on the importance and simplicity of going green."

 

About Energy Curtailment Specialists

ECS offers turnkey, administrative and a la carte demand response services. Energy Curtailment Specialists is currently serving markets in all of New York, California, New England, Kansas City, PJM territories and Ontario, Canada. For more information, call 877-711-5453 or visit them on the web at www.ecsgrid.com

 

About the New York Hotel Trades Council

The New York Hotel Trades Council is the union for workers in the hotel industry in New York City.