Credit: Karen The Brit_2, Flickr Creative Commons
When the Las Vegas Sands Corporation bet on efficiency, it won big. This week the US Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge recognized the hospitality company for energy and water efficiency upgrades.
The Better Buildings Challenge is a partnership between the DOE and more than 345 private businesses and public-sector organizations to realize 20% portfolio-wide energy savings in the next 10 years. Along the way, participating organizations share what has worked for maximizing efficiency.
Through the challenge, Las Vegas Sands achieved ambitious energy and water reductions at its properties, which include the Venetian, the Palazzo, and the Sands Expo and Convention Center. Overall the company has 19.69 million square feet committed to the challenge. From 2011 to 2016, the company reduced energy consumption by 17%, saving more than 500 million KBTU, the DOE reported.
In guest suites at the Venetian and the Palazzo, Las Vegas Sands saved an estimated 8 million kilowatt hours annually, aided by installing 100% LED lighting in each room. Upgrades to guest room appliances along with low-flow shower heads and faucets helped the company save 30 million gallons of water per year. In addition, a new water-irrigation tunnel and filtration system installed 48 feet underneath the Palazzo parking garage produces 20 million gallons of recycled water annually.
“At the Sands Expo and Convention Center, the company began installing a wireless lighting control system while upgrading its exhibit halls to LED lights, which has saved approximately 3.1 million kilowatt hours in electricity use per year,” according to the DOE.
The Las Vegas Sands is one of several major hospitality companies participating in the Better Buildings Challenge. Earlier this year the DOE recognized MGM Resorts for efficiency efforts that include an education management information system to monitor everyday work processes, retrofits, and maintenance cost savings.
Combined, the Better Buildings Challenge organizations represent more than 4.4 billion square feet of building space. The DOE says that since the challenge began in 2011, its partners have shared more than a thousand solutions, saved 240 trillion BTU, and cut an estimated $1.9 billion in energy costs.