In March 2014, Willdan partnered with the Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to undertake and spearhead sustainability energy efficiency initiatives at the hotel. With over 600,000 square feet of conditioned space housing 740 guestrooms, the Westin is one of the largest hotels (and energy consumers) in LADWP’s service territory. Willdan supported the Westin with enrolling and participating in LADWP’s Energy Efficiency Technical Assistance Program (EETAP), which is designed to support LADWP’s commercial customers with identification and implementation of energy and water efficiency opportunities.
Willdan’s dedicated energy solutions completed a comprehensive energy audit and analysis of existing energy-consuming systems, followed by detailed project development support to ensure energy-saving opportunities were identified, implemented, and maximized. With investment support from the hotel’s owner, Host Hotels and Resorts, this effort led to implementation of energy efficiency measures equivalent to a reduction of 600 CO2 per year, the removal of 120 passenger vehicles from the road in California for one year, or removing 52 California homes from the electric grid.
The energy efficiency measures implemented as part of the successful project included installing new high-efficiency chillers, installing a waterside economizer, optimizing chiller sequencing, installing variable frequency drives on applicable pumps in the central plant, upgrading and commissioning the building management system including temperature and static pressure reset strategies, and retro-commissioning existing HVAC equipment.
The benefits of this project extend beyond energy; the hotel is saving over $200k per year in energy costs and received an incentive check from LADWP for $393,303 for their energy efficiency projects.
