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Raving over Remote Control Motorized drapes and window treatments provide the wow factor, but also save energy. Friday, September 18, 2009 Beth Kormanik

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Control 4 Practical automation products

It's a decadent luxury for guests, waking up and drawing the drapes with the touch of a button. But what started as a necessity in areas like the presidential suite has spread throughout the hotel. Motorized drapes are seen not only as a technological perk, but also as an essential step to having a green hotel.

"More and more the hotels are going into motorization," said Murray Cherin, president of LEG Motorized Systems in Miami. Clients include the Mandarin Oriental, Miami, where parting drapes reveal views of the skyline or of Miami Beach. His company provides specifications on drapery rods, interface controls for motorized systems and hardware for shade installations.

Motorized drapes become a necessity for rooms with tall windows that staff cannot easily reach, Cherin said. Some hotels or restaurants time the drawing to the sun, an important feature in a sun-drenched city like Miami.

Control4 was founded in 2003 with the idea being "to bring automation to the masses," according to Jim Gist, vice president of global hospitality for the Salt Lake City-based company.

"Automation in general over the years, whether hotels or residential, has been for the elite, the rich and famous or the biggest hotel suites," he said. "We stared Control4 to take it out of the category and make it for everyone."

Now Control4 is working on its biggest project, the ARIA Resort & Casino and Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas, in the CityCenter venture.

"When they first came to us, we thought they would want us for the wow factor," he said. "It became clear and apparent that energy was driving this."

Control4 Suite Systems' automation technology allows guests to control drapes - as well as lighting, room temperature, TVs, music and concierge services - with a single remote. The environmentally sustainable benefits come through energy conservation: using automation to shut off power or close drapes to block out the radiant heat from the sun. Control4 uses an IP system that communicates over a wireless network. Hotels save money by not buying wiring and conduit, not to mention the labor to install it.

The hotels become "smart buildings," Gist said, because hotel staff can monitor the energy usage in each room, even from remote locations. When a guest checks in, the staff can immediately re-set the room to serve them.

"When you open the door for first time, drapes open and lights go on and create some drama when you enter the room," he said.

The system is just what CityCenter was looking for, according to Scot Campbell, senior vice president and CIO of MGM MIRAGE.

"When we enlisted the help of Control4 for ARIA and Mandarin Oriental, we envisioned developing a 'personalized automation' experience for each guest staying in every room," Campbell said. "When guests open the door to their rooms, the room basically welcomes them. The lights will gradually come on and the drapes will open to spectacular views of the city or mountains. Using one simple remote, guests can control lighting levels, room temperature, music, wake-up calls and more. Also, the Control4 Suite System solution’s green settings allow guests to voluntarily 'green their stay,' selecting their preferences for light level, room temperature and the frequency of linen changes."

According to CityCenter, the systems can be programmed to automatically designate a room as unoccupied status upon checkout, turning down or off the heating/cooling system, televisions, lights and any appliances.

Gist said the energy savings and the construction cost savings can deliver a return on investment within three years.

"We're seeing more and more hotels at all levels" interested in motorization, he said. Other recent projects for Control4 include the Montage Beverly Hills, a nine-story hotel in Beverly Hills' Golden Triangle, and TrumpSoHo New York.

New construction projects interested in the technology have begun to pick up, Gist said, after falling off with the economy. But the retrofitting market was hot during that time, as hotels tried to refresh their rooms to attract travelers.

Gist said the company has not had to do much in the way of guest education. With society used to automation in nearly all areas of their life, from automated door locks to the television remote, it's not a stretch for them to apply the concept to drapes.

"We attribute that to a lot of consumer testing and the way we designed products for not tech-focused guy but for my mom," he said.