Marriott Headquarters Slashes Electricity Use by 66% 

Our Customer 

Marriott International, Inc. is a leading lodging company with more than 3,700 lodging properties in more than 70 countries and territories. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, Md., and had approximately 129,000 employees at 2010 year-end. It is ranked by FORTUNE as the lodging industry's most admired company and one of the best companies to work for. In fiscal year 2010, Marriott International reported sales from continuing operations of nearly $12 billion. 

The Expectation 

Security and energy savings were top priorities when considering new lighting to cover the nearly 2 million square feet (45 acres) of parking and garage space at Marriott headquarters. After testing competitive exterior garage fixtures, parking lot lights and contemporary post tops, Marriott selected Current's family of high-efficiency Evolve™ LED lighting systems. 

Our Solution 

More than 230 Evolve LED Area Lights now illuminate Marriott's outdoor lots, while inside the parking deck nearly 400 Evolve LED Garage Light fixtures and several Evolve LED Tunnel Light installations—as well as more efficient Current T8 fluorescent lamps—help light the way for associates to and from the headquarters offices. Marriott also coordinated with Montgomery County government officials to replace 32 180-watt metal halide streetlights along the road that serves its headquarters and neighboring companies. With the first cost of Current's 106-watt Evolve LED Roadway Cobrahead fixtures covered by Marriott, the county will see an immediate benefit. Moving inside Marriott's eight-floor, 900,000-square-foot headquarters, Current replaced 1,000 65-watt bulbs with 7-watt LED PAR20 lamps in all hallways. 

A total of 140 Current 12-watt LED BR30 lamps improved the functionality of auditorium, producing a fully dimmable system with higher light levels and more light uniformity in addition to $2,300 in energy savings. Seventy-two new Current Lumination® Recessed LED Troffers were next added to the building's lower level. When illuminated, the chic and slim 2'x2' fixtures produce a perfectly even glow. While off, they appear completely free of a light source to blend in with the ceiling, enhancing the elegant aesthetic of Marriott's employee space that includes a daycare and cafeteria. 

Results & Benefits 

Marriott's comprehensive LED update will decrease annual electricity use by 66 percent (680,000 kWhs outside; 180,000 kWhs inside) at its headquarters, slashing energy expense an estimated $104,000. Maintenance mitigation will yield an additional $210,000 savings over the next decade for a total return exceeding $120,000 a year. Marriott will also receive more than $130,000 in utility rebates and EPACT savings. All told, the anticipated payback period for the lighting project is slightly more than two years, based on combined electricity, maintenance and labor reductions. 

Interested in saving energy costs for your business? Contact Current to find a solution that works best for you.