ALWAYS ON: ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOSPITALITY AT GREAT WOLF LODGE

Quick Facts

• Location: Fitchburg, Massachusetts
• Equipment: 4 – 75kW CHP units
• Type of Site: Indoor water park resort
• Use of Electrical: Displaces building loads previously supplied by the local utility
• Uses of Thermal: Displaces heat for use in domestic hot water, pool and comfort space heat
• Projected Environmental Savings: Emissions reduced by 10%
• Projected Annual Savings: $1.3 million

To the delight of children and adults alike, Great Wolf Lodge opened the doors of its Fitchburg location in 2014. Now, residents of this city just outside of Boston need not weather blistering New England winters. No. Now, they can retreat to the unseasonably warm attraction for “indoor water park fun and dry-land experiences for the entire family.”

The sprawling resort features a 68,000 square-foot indoor water park and over 400 guest rooms, welcoming 650,000 guests a year, many of whom are repeat visitors. This is due in part, of course, to the pleasant temperature, but more than that, to the friendly staff and well-appointed facility. Great Wolf Lodge features an array of water attractions ranging from swimming pools, a water fort tree house and waterslides. In addition, guests revel in the many attractions available to them including family-friendly dining options like Hungry as a Wolf Italian restaurant, Bear Paw Sweets & Eats and the more upscale Lodge Wood Fired Grill, not to mention an array of retail shops.

When the sun goes down, and families need some rest and relaxation, they retreat to their choice of a standard, themed or premium suite, all outfitted with Wi-Fi, televisions, alarm clocks and other electrical appliances.

Of course, the facility and its amenities must stay up and running through it all.

Putting a lot of energy into selecting an energy option

With so much energy being expended on a daily basis, 300kW to be exact, it was prudent for Great Wolf Lodge to consider energy efficiency options when it came time to outfit the Fitchburg location. Having successfully implemented efficiency projects at nine other Lodges, they once again reached out to Dalkia for its energy software, LED lighting improvements, water conservation devices and HVAC upgrades. Taking energy conservation one step further, Dalkia partnered with its affiliate company, Dalkia Aegis, to install Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units for onsite generation. It is expected that the facility will realize $1.3 million in savings, along with a 10% reduction in carbon intensity during the first year of deployment.

“Dalkia helped us take our decade-long commitment to sustainability and conservation to the next level,” said Bob Holesko, Corporate Director of Engineering at Great Wolf Lodge. “Based on extremely positive results from their work across ten of our locations, we look forward to investing in additional energy-saving and carbon-cutting measures with Dalkia in the near future at our other lodges.”

Having just launched in the U.S., Dalkia combines more than 80 years of experience in energy services and outstanding customer service to address every conceivable energy need for facility owners and managers. Thanks to Dalkia Aegis’ CHP system, combined with Dalkia’s versatility and comprehensive service offerings, Great Wolf Lodge, the largest indoor water park chain in North America, is making a splash in sustainability and energy savings.

Ready to get your feet wet?

Dalkia Aegis has successfully designed and installed Combined Heat and Power systems in numerous hospitality and recreational facilities, including municipal indoor pools, college and high school pools, ice rinks, athletic clubs and water parks, reducing energy costs by up to 50%.

Interested in learning more about CHP or how Dalkia Aegis can design a system to meet your facility’s unique needs? Contact a Dalkia Aegis representative today for an in-depth energy analysis and comprehensive plan to learn how a Dalkia Aegis CHP system can integrate with your existing building infrastructure.