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thE CrumES
thE CrumES
renewable Energy
highlights
l
100 solar thermal panels provide
about 60 percent of the hotel’s hot
water needs
l
Otis Gen2 regenerative-drive elevator
system
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Energy recovery ventilator circulates
fresh outdoor air ( 60 cubic feet, or 1.7
cubic meters, per minute) through
guestrooms
l
Telemetric monitoring and
adjustment of the heating and
cooling plant
l
Geothermal energy system
powers the restaurant’s refrigeration
equipment
Top left, an old Checker cab that runs on biofuels provides hotel transportation. Top right, through
water-conserving efforts like low-flush toilets and low-flow showerheads, the hotel saves about 2
million gallons ( 7,600 kiloliters) of water per year. Water-saving technologies paid for themselves in
the first half-year of operation. Bottom, an outdoor terrace provides relaxed dining beside a restored
natural area. Staff and guests have reported sightings of spotted ducks, a great blue heron and a red-tailed hawk, all remarkable for this central-city location.
possible with energy-recovery-ventilator (
enthalpy-wheel) technology that tempers the outside air
with the indoor air being exhausted.
• A sophisticated telemetric monitoring
setup whereby students and faculty of the
Center for Energy Research and Technology at
nearby North Carolina A&T State University
continuously monitor the heating and cooling plant and make adjustments for improved
energy performance. This setup saved about
$30,000 in the first year alone.
• Special paints, adhesives and carpets that
minimize the outgassing of volatile organic
compounds, a category of air pollution that can
degrade indoor air quality.
• A geothermal energy system for powering the restaurant’s refrigeration equipment,
saving water compared with traditional water-cooled systems.
• Variable-speed kitchen hoods that conserve energy by automatically adjusting to
ventilation requirements, operating at just
25 percent of full capacity during low-activity
periods in the kitchen.
proximity
