By Dean Nakasone
Randall Morisako and Pam Yagi show one of the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber’s new variable frequency drive chillers
In the recent renovation of the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber (OBC), great care was taken to incorporate as many energy efficiencies into the reconstruction as possible. I am happy to report that as a result, the OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber has received an ENERGY STAR designation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ENERGY STAR is the national symbol for superior energy efficiency and environmental protection and is awarded to qualified commercial and industrial buildings that rate in the top 25 percent of facilities in the nation for energy efficiency.
The OHANA Waikiki Beachcomber’s ENERGY STAR certification was based on several environmental protection efforts, including replacing the building’s original chillers with variable frequency drive chillers, installing a guestroom air conditioning energy management system (InnCom) and tinted lanai doors, as well as replacing all of the hotel’s T-12 light bulbs with energy-efficient T-8 bulbs and electronic ballasts. Additionally, the OBC installed motion sensors to shut off back-of-house lighting and replaced the hotel’s electrical motor to premium efficient motors.
Commercial buildings that earn the ENERGY STAR use an average of 40 percent less energy than typical buildings and also release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
According to EPA Administrator, Stephen L. Johnson, “Whether you are running a grocery store, a school, or an office building, getting the most out of your energy dollars — while reducing your carbon footprint — just make sense.”
The EPA’s national energy performance rating system provides a 1 – 100 scale that helps organizations assess how efficiently their buildings use energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. A building that scores a rating of 75 or higher is eligible for the ENERGY STAR.
ENERGY STAR was introduced by the EPA in 1992 as a voluntary, market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiency. Today, the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 50 different kinds of products, new homes, and commercial and industrial buildings. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit http://www.energystar.gov/.
