Aha! We were wondering when someone would notice and comment on this.
It's okay, it's not a way for the hotel to check on room occupancy and sub-let your suite to another customer when you’re out for the night (times may be tough even here, but things aren’t that bad yet!). It’s actually part of the trend toward Las Vegas going "green," or at least greener, as we covered in the epic QoD about casino recycling efforts (12/13/2007).
In April 2008, Palazzo was named the world’s largest "green" building when the U.S. Green Building Council officially awarded the project a Silver LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certificate. LEED certification is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings and recognizes that a building is environmentally responsible, energy-efficient, and a healthy place to live and work.
The criteria used to assess these qualities include performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality, which, in the case of Palazzo, includes everything from the use of artificial turf and a solar-powered pool-heating system, water-efficient shower heads, and high-efficiency toilets to a waste-recycling program and the use of recycled materials in its construction. It even promotes alternative modes of transportation by offering valet parking for bicycles.
One of the most innovative green initiatives employed by Palazzo, however, is the use of energy-saving sensors throughout the property. These range from moisture sensors in those areas that are planted, which can result in up to a 75% reduction in irrigation needs, to occupancy sensors in "team-member" areas that shut off lights when no one’s around and to the motion sensors you spotted in your room, which automatically set back the air-conditioning controls when you’re not in the room, then reset to the desired temperature upon your return.
Palazzo is far from alone in these types of initiatives, which of course are as much about saving money as they are about saving the planet. Harrah’s has long considered itself a crusader in this department and is the first U.S. gaming corporation to be awarded an Environmental Quality Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The corporation recently announced a partnership with NativeEnergy, an international marketer of high-quality carbon offsets and renewable energy credits, and declared the 2008 World Series "the First Climate-Friendly Poker Tournament."
Here’s how it works: Harrah’s purchased carbon offsets to mitigate the impact from energy use and waste during the WSOP, with the money going to support NativeEnergy’s wind turbines on farmer-owned properties throughout the Midwest. Players in the WSOP Main Event and Ante Up for Africa celebrity charity tournament were also given the chance to purchase carbon offsets, as can staff and guests of all Harrah’s-managed properties. The company hopes to extend the opportunity to all its Total Rewards club members, too.
Meanwhile, Michigan’s newly rebuilt Turtle Creek property is billing itself as a "green" casino, and with good reason. Scrapping the ubiquitous windowless casino-design model, during daylight hours half the casino's lighting comes from skylights. Drinks are served only in glasses: no cans or bottles. The slot machines use 50% less electricity than conventional models and the resort has its own well and sewage-treatment plant that purifies 90,000 gallons of water daily. It's also using nature's own filtration systems to good effect, with a 2,400-square-foot "green roof" of plants and vegetation over one section of the building that filters out storm water contaminants and acts as a natural insulator. Plus, there are plans for 100 black willows to be planted in the grounds, a species that absorbs toxins from runoff before it reaches the groundwater.
The whole aim of the project was to create a stylish and inviting destination while celebrating the natural world and minimizing each guest's carbon footprint. "It is important for all of us to live the kind of lives that show respect for the gifts that the Creator has entrusted to us, the water, the sky, the land, and the creatures that inhabit them, as well as respect for each other," said Robert Kewaygoshkum, chairman of the Tribal Council of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians when the resort opened.
UPDATE: 07-10-2008 ?More interesting first-hand experiences:
"In April and in June I was in Las Vegas, both times at vastly different hotels/resorts -- April at the Stratosphere and June at Mandalay Bay. I experienced the mentioned sensors and have a comment on their use. I usually sleep in a cold room, so the first thing I do every time I get to any hotel is drop the temp. to as cold as it goes. While staying at the Strat., I noticed the a/c would cut out while I was sleeping -- I'd wake up and hear it kick on and the room would then cool slowly. At Mandalay Bay, the unit would not cool. The filter had not been changed in a very long time, as evident from the full 2 inches of dust built up on the filter material. The engineering staff apologized for the inconvenience and said I was not supposed to see the filter (I assume the dust), which leads me to my observation, as this has happened more than one time in a Las Vegas hotel: If the hotels actually maintained their HVAC (air-conditioning) units in the rooms by filter replacement and more frequent cleaning, it would save them a tremendous amount of money. And as for the Strat., because of that a/c sensor I will not be staying there, even with comped rooms."
"Feedback on green hotel column - regarding rooms that wake up when a card key is inserted - I found this same feature at at Baymont Inn in Madison, WI. All of the room's electronics and HVAC is offline until you enter the room and insert your room key in the slot next to the door. Once the key is in place, all amenities in the room are available. Once the key is removed, the lights, TV, and HVAC go off after 30 mins."
"Comment on the motion sensors in Vegas rooms: Harrah's has these as well but there is one major flaw with this system: When you're asleep, the motion sensor turns up the air like you're not in the room. Makes for a very bad night's sleep. Let's face it, when you're in Vegas sleep is at a premium anyway. Those 3 or 4 hours need to be good."
"Don's Riverside Resort in Laughlin has had the keycard slots for 2 years now, but you must reset the TV station along with a/c when you reenter room."
Reader feedback on today's answer:
"Not a question, but a comment about the motion sensors. I was recently in Europe and the hotel room had a device right inside the door. In order to turn on the lights, I had to insert my room key into the slot and leave it there. When I left, taking my room key with me, the lights automatically went out. Maybe US hotels will begin using this technology in the future. Europe is ahead of us for being green!"
