Features in the transformation of the building include a power-over-ethernet lighting system that reduces lighting energy use by more than 30 per cent; repurposed building materials throughout, such as light fixtures and carefully restored wood-panelled walls in suites that were once the Armstrong executive offices and conference rooms; and extensive upgrades to enhance interior temperature control and air quality, resulting in the building using significantly less energy per square foot than most hotels.
Windows are now triple-glazed windows to keep guest room temperatures stable, while greatly reducing noise levels, and there are built-in motorized sheer and blackout window shades. In the parking lot there are 12 Tesla Superchargers or universal level-two chargers for their electric vehicles. Operated by Remington Hotels, Hotel Marcel New Haven has added 7,000 square feet of meeting and event space with a penthouse courtyard.
The on-site American restaurant and lounge BLDG (pronounced “building”) will offer locally-sourced menu items served alongside biodynamic and organic wines. BLDG’s kitchen, as well as the hotel’s laundry room, run on electricity instead of natural gas. The kitchen uses induction, an energy-efficient process that ensures a more precise and even heat. In addition to the restaurant and bar, Hotel Marcel New Haven features a grab-and-go station offering sustainable snacks as well as design-focused gifts and a water filling station.
by Tom Otley
