SpringHill Suites Switches to Solar Power

SpringHill Suites, Annapolis Flips Switch to Solar Power

WASHINGTON, DC – April 30, 2010 -- SpringHill Suites is the latest Greater Baltimore area hotel to go green. The 120 suite hotel, owned by the Bernstein Companies, switched on 189 rooftop solar panels last month. As the hospitality industry struggles with its global carbon footprint, SpringHill Suites’ new photovoltaic cells will generate clean renewable energy, while reducing energy costs between 15 and 20 percent.

The Bernstein Companies hired Eclipse Renewable Energy to install the panels which cover 25 percent of the hotel’s rooftop. The solar project will produce approximately 65,000 KW/hr of electricity annually, equivalent to the yearly electricity use of six and a half homes. “This is the first in our portfolio, but we’re evaluating all of our properties to see if it makes sense financially, “ Bernstein Companies Chief Financial Officer John Chanaud said. “We’ve seen hotels across the country do it and we’ve made an effort company-wide to be more environmentally friendly.”

“Solar panels are the culmination of many environmentally friendly efforts we started last year,” hotel General Manager Steve Merchant said. Among the other green features at SpringHill Suites are a digital sensor-based guestroom energy management system; water conserving toilets, sinks, and showers; eco-friendly cleaning supplies; compact florescent bulbs; a bio-retention pond for storm water management; and a hotel-wide recycling program. The hotel has reduced its trash pick up by 50 percent. “More than half goes into recycling bins now rather than waste,” Merchant said. Merchant thinks guests will respond positively to this latest green initiative. “More people are making decisions based on businesses’ environmental consciousness.”

Ira Kalbrosky, Eclipse Renewable’s owner said that Eclipse is proud to have been selected by the hotel’s ownership for the project. “Because of the amount of energy they use, hotels are ideally suited for solar power, and the savings in electrical costs that come with it.”

About SpringHill Suites
Located near Route 50, this Marriott Annapolis hotel provides comfortable studio suites, just minutes from downtown and nearby Washington DC. Explore the waterside restaurants, shops and sights of Historic Annapolis. The Platinum Award Winning SpringHill Suites Annapolis sets the standard of value for Annapolis Maryland hotels- with easy access to countless attractions, including the U.S. Naval Academy, City Dock and Maryland State House.
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/bwisu-springhill-suites-annapolis/

About The Bernstein Companies
Founded in 1933, The Bernstein Companies is a privately-owned real estate firm based in Washington, D.C. The company owns, manages, and invests in a variety of commercial properties, with a focus on office buildings and hotels. Concentrating on the greater Washington, D.C., metro area, including Annapolis, Maryland, The Bernstein Companies also has extensive holdings throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. For more information about the Bernstein Companies: http://www.thebernsteincompanies.com

About Eclipse Renewable Energy:
Eclipse Renewable Energy is a Delmarva-based company that specializes in the design, installation, structuring, financing and management of renewable energy projects throughout the mid-Atlantic region. Eclipse Renewable Energy has been involved with projects in the East and Midwest and has over 20 years of experience in construction, maintenance, and financing of large and medium-sized commercial sites.
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