LED technology holds tremendous potential to conserve energy

Philips Lighting recently organised an event to showcase its latest sustainable solutions for the hospitality and retail sectors in the Middle East.

Called the ‘Illuminesca’, the road show was held for the first time in the Middle East, in Dubai, UAE. Engineers, architects, designers and hotels and mall management were invited to experience live demos of what light can do for hotels, retail stores and supermarkets.

The event showcased Philips’ latest LED (light emitting diode) innovations in the form of eight different mini-demonstrations, highlighting how light can create a unique shopping experience or a memorable stay in a hotel while simultaneously reducing carbon emission, saving energy and lowering operational costs.

“It is very important to make a hotel stand out and give guests the right ambience so they come back, as well as recommend it to other people. When guests first enter a hotel they briefly look around.

Good lighting helps make their first impression positive, focusing their attention on the reception desk and interesting objects around the hotel’s entrance to make them feel welcomed, comfortable and relaxed,” says Paolo Cervini, Philips Lighting general manager for the Middle East and Turkey.

He continues: “There are three major trends in the hospitality sector in the Middle East focusing on customised solutions for the guests, sustainability and façades. Today hotels are investing into technologies to create custom-designed settings and ambiance for customers. While the infrastructure remains the same, lighting can change the experience.

“Each guest is different and has different requirements for a stay, whether it be for business or leisure, luxury or functional, relaxing or invigorating. But an important element is that the hotel must offer them the best tailored atmosphere and environment for individual occasions to ensure a memorable stay and to make them return.

“For ambience this means the atmosphere is important and it must adapt to guests’ needs. Guests are looking for a room that embraces them without any technology-related hassle. Our in-room control solutions ensure all the in-room technology is easy to use.”

Future solutions: PureDetail (above) and Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City

“With the help of decorative fixtures tailor-made ambience can be created like a safari wake-up or offering to arrange the room according to the guests’ personal preferences and to remember this for a subsequent stay,” comments Pierre van Lamsweerde, Philips general manger for retail and hospitality, Professional Lighting Solutions, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Elaborating on the trend towards sustainability, Cervini says the hospitality industry has one of the highest carbon dioxide (CO2) footprints as it has a lot of processes that involve high energy consumption such as laundries and air-conditioning.

“The trend is to cut back on energy usage, but with one important limiting condition: the guest experience should not suffer as a result. So it’s about achieving energy savings without any compromise on the guest experience. And while implementing cost-saving processes, hotels see an opportunity to use this to differentiate their corporate brand and strive for green leadership,” he says, pointing out that Philips lighting solutions can help hotels save money.

“We offer a total in-room solution with the most energy-efficient products, from lighting to controls and services. Energy management control systems can help monitor and manage energy consumption.

With its range of high-quality energy-saving lighting solutions – from lamps (CFLi/Halogen/MasterLED) to fixtures, Philips can help hotels offer a unique stay experience to guests tailored to any occasion,” he says.

Currently, 42 per cent of energy usage in the hospitality sector comes from lighting, of which 70 per cent is inefficient. “We can save up to 80 per cent by moving towards LED technologies. Today LED technology holds tremendous potential to conserve energy on a global scale. LED lamps set new standards in watts consumed per square metre, especially combined with lighting controls,” he says.

Cervini adds: “We can help make the switch to LED easier than one could possibly imagine, enhancing life and ambience in hotel, bar or restaurant with the power of light. We can help create a complete new lighting experience.”

Another important trend in the Middle East is the façade. Investments are being made by owners/operators to present themselves to the world. Lighting here is used as a communications tool. Dynamic lighting is becoming a standard application now in this market. With new technology Philips Lighting can change not just colour but shape of the building.

Façade as screen of the building can help give message to the city and the world, says Cervini.

RETAIL SECTOR

Commenting on LED lighting for retail outlets, Cervini says that shopping today has become an experience. “People go shopping for different reasons, and might be driven by a different motivation each time they go. The setting in which they shop in should reflect this.”

Philips LED solutions such as StyliD and PureDetail are uniquely suited to both food and fashion retail outlets. They can provide a wide range of effects that contribute to the total shopping experience, and allow store owners to set the right scene for every occasion.

The right type of lighting can highlight a product, enhance the merchandise, create drama and interest, while also reflecting mood, helping create the perfect environment for the shopping experience, he says.

The Dubai event was part of a successful ongoing road show that previously took place in Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Portugal and other parts of Europe.

“As Philips, it is part of our vision is to deliver sustainable solutions. We try to apply this to all the market segments we serve. The Middle East is a very important market for Philips and we strongly believe in this market.

We are working in almost all major countries in the region,” says Cervini.

“Hospitality is a key market segment that we are targeting for our future growth and development in this region. There is a lot of potential in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The aim behind organising such an event was to show our customers in a simple way how to use technology to enhance their guest experience.

“Our strategy is to team up with major players in the segment. We have the technology but we are not into building construction. So we provide all the help required to the consultants, designers to increase efficiency and also meet customers’ needs,” said Cervini.

Some of the projects Philips has been associated with include the Burj Khalifa, one of its first mega projects in the region and the InterContinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City. It is currently working on a project for the Rotana Group and the Qatar National Convention Centre.