The Lighting Challenge

Of course, renovation implies modernization, and every solution has specific infrastructure requirements. “One of the biggest pain points that I see is making sure that all design teams are aware that modernizing the light fixtures can sometimes also require updating the lighting control,” says Guss. “What they may not realize is that in a renovation, sometimes the existing interface is meant to control a fixture that isn't modern.”

As lighting transitions toward digital controls for LED fixtures, problems can arise.

There are, of course, solutions, as we mentioned on the Crestron blog last year:

Crestron has partnered with the lighting firm DMF to integrate its PhaseX® lighting control technology solutions into the Crestron Home® OS. That’s great for integrators and their clients: PhaseX technology transmits DMX signals over existing power cables, eliminating the need for extensive rewiring in both new construction and retrofit projects.

“PhaseX utilizes an extremely rugged communication protocol over the existing AC wiring,” he explains. “It’s two-way, extremely long range, and lightning fast. When it’s deployed, every fixture is getting updated simultaneously at DMX rates, so latency and popcorning are eliminated.”

Applying that technology to hospitality installations was covered in depth on a recent webinar from the International Luxury Hotel Association titled “Illuminating Hotel Renovations: Simplifying Lighting Upgrades.” (Find that webinar on LinkedIn here.)

The Perfect Climate

Solutions such as automated HVAC controls don’t just keep guests comfortable, no matter the season. “A smart thermostat is a great resource saver,” says Guss. In addition to scheduled temperature changes, when connected to an occupancy sensor, the thermostat can enter an energy-saving mode, resulting in significant savings for the property. “Realizing the ROI on technology like this is an incredibly fast process,” says Guss. “These devices typically pay for themselves in 12 to 24 months.”

Automated shading can do a good bit of lifting on the climate side, too. “If you’ve got the automation with your shading solution, you can not only adjust blinds and drapes for sleep cycles and privacy, you can open and close shading in unoccupied rooms to reduce solar heat gain,” says Guss. “When you’re undertaking a renovation project, that’s a great time to figure out exactly what infrastructure you may need to transition from manual to motorized shading.”

That demands planning, of course — and coordination among the trades on site. “It’s another example of why it’s important to get everyone at the table at the outset of these projects — the technology integrator needs to be communicating with the electrical team on running power to those shades,” says Guss.

Part of the Crestron mission, however, is making that transition as simple as possible for owner-operators who are keeping a close eye on the bottom line. “We have beautiful keypads in our Horizon and Cameo lines,” says Guss, “and they can easily connect that to existing line voltage wiring in a hotel. Most of what’s on the market gives you limited plastic options without features like backlighting. It’s another thing that sets Crestron apart.”

Personalizing the AV

There’s another aspect that makes the luxury hotel room feel more like the high-end home: personalized playlists, delivered from the guest’s personal device into speakers in the walls or ceiling. “Being able to take the music off their phone, connect to a Crestron DM NAX system via our DM-NAX-BTIO-1G with Bluetooth connectivity device, and listen to their own music in their hotel room is absolutely a great experience for the guest,” says Guss.

“For common areas, we have hotels that are carefully curating playlists that really match the ‘vibe’ of that building or brand,” she adds. “Hotels that offer that holistic feel are becoming more popular with younger guests — they want a luxury experience that’s in line with their tastes and lifestyle.”

Guss is also seeing more personalized and brand-friendly offerings on in-room displays. “Beyond the IPTV brands that offer everything from entertainment channels to welcome messaging to room service menus, we want that TV to be more than a black slab on the wall when it’s not ‘in use’ per se,” she says. “A hotel that centers its brand around wellness might offer some beautiful sounds and images from nature.”

“The other thing that can improve the guest experience is having the right cloud management,” adds Guss. “These systems can tell you when devices may be nearing the end of their life cycle, so they can be addressed before they fail, and you’ve got a guest calling the front desk. They also enable you to monitor all aspects of your property, including occupancy and energy usage. We’ll see these products evolving rapidly in the next few years.”