New Prototype Design Reduces Energy Usage by 24 Percent, Speeds Development Process RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C. and PITTSBURGH, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Concord Hospitality Enterprises, one of the nation's top-ranked hotel developer/owner/operators, announced it will open tomorrow the first LEED-designed Courtyard by Marriott. Located in Settlers Ridge in west suburban Pittsburgh, the state-of-the-art property design, created by Concord with support from Marriott, will be the prototype for all future LEED-compliant Courtyards. The new design is expected to reduce energy usage at Courtyard hotels by an average of 24 percent annually and save more than 300,000 gallons of water per year, the equivalent of 21 swimming pools. This improved energy efficiency is expected to produce average annual operating savings of $50,000 at current energy costs, which are expected to accelerate over time, yielding even greater future savings. Many of the component parts of the Courtyard's original engineering were revised to create the LEED prototype. Among the most notable and cost-effective were: - A heat recovery energy system that reclaims building exhaust air to pre-heat the building's fresh air system. - An energy management system that reduces unnecessary heating and cooling run times when guest rooms are unoccupied. - Water-saving showers, lavatories, and toilet fixtures. - Energy-efficient light fixtures. - An enhanced building thermal envelope that includes exterior building outsulation and increased glass and glazing u-value.
