|
| | | | |
|
 | | TIRED OF BEING WIRED? | | | Hotech Edge | | 07/07/2008 | | | Wireless Guest Service and Building Management Systems Become Reality for Hotels.
The most advanced full wireless mesh network yet, specifically developed to monitor and control hotel buildings and operations, has just been launched. It heralds the imminent arrival of total on-line building control that will deliver substantial benefits for developers, hoteliers and guests alike. Created by Hotech Edge, which has quietly been developing advanced wire-free solutions for several years, the revolutionary G-Mesh is the first full wireless mesh network using the ZigBee wireless standard. The system represents an immediate opportunity to improve guest services, automate aspects of building management and reduce operational and energy costs. G-Mesh networks will substantially reduce build- and fit-out costs and hold excellent potential for cutting carbon emissions through intelligent energy control.
G-Mesh has the power to cover every inch of a hotel building in a wireless signal so that each appliance or device can be monitored and controlled from a PC or browser. The effect is to deliver guestrooms that ‘prepare’ in advance for guests’ arrival and ‘hibernate’ when they leave, that alert staff to building maintenance issues before they become a crisis and increase hotel security. For some hotels, the technology can even generate new income streams and provide for guest billing options.
“We have been working on G-Mesh style networks for nearly a decade, and we are thrilled to be at the forefront with a commercial system specifically developed for the hospitality sector,” says Geoff Wales, chief executive of Hotech Edge. “Usage of ZigBee enabled products has been likened to a hockey stick and we are now at the bottom of the steep curve upwards. I have no doubt that we are about to see a revolution in both new building and retrofit. Hotels automated with this sort of wireless mesh will soon be the norm.”
The installation of G-Mesh is straightforward, with the result that fit-out costs are a fraction of those of traditional building management systems, making full building automation economical for the first time. The system simply requires the placement of routers around the hotel to create the wireless network. These are coordinated through a single server and devices are brought onto the network by plug and play. Extremely low energy consumption enables appliances to operate and communicate for over three years, powered only by a single set of batteries. Hotech Edge provides centralised monitoring and support of hotels on G-Mesh systems anywhere in the world.
Hotech Edge has worked closely with the international hotel sector in the development of GMesh and its suite of products. The company’s door-locks and safes - the first safes in the world to be ZigBee compatible - were released last year and have already been installed in some 30 leading brand and independent hotels, as well as in several major student halls of residence.
The London School of Economics installed its first Hotech safes in one of its accommodation buildings last September. It has recently decided to extend this into further halls of residence, comprising nearly 2,000 rooms, in time for the new 2008 academic year. Victoria Uriarte, Front of House Manager at LSE High Holborn says: “More and more, security is at the forefront of our students’ and guests’ minds. Having the opportunity to offer safes in each room ensures guests feel their belongings are under no threat while staying with us. Also, our housekeeping staff welcomes the installation as this reduces their liability. All in all, we are very happy with the safes, as well as the installation and service that we have been provided by the Hotech Team.”
Hotech Edge has a number of further ZigBee enabled appliances in the pipeline which have also been developed for the international hotel sector and will be ready to join the mesh network in the very near future. In addition, the company intends to work with other established ZigBee product manufacturers around the world and introduce their devices into the G-Mesh system. | |
|
| | | View similar articles: | | |
| | | |
|
 | People who viewed this article were also interested in |  | |  |
|