Managing an extensive hotel complex like Grosse Ledder poses many an organizational challenge to those who run it: Have the lights been switched off in rooms that are currently vacant? Is all equipment functioning? Have rooms been cleaned yet? And what is the overall energy consumption of the complex – where can savings be made? In the past, managing such things required plenty of time and covering quite a distance as you walked between buildings; today everything can be easily controlled with smart building services engineering. Not only does it help optimize the ongoing hotel business, but it also provides added value to the guests in the form of comfort and safety. Benefits that prompted the hotel’s operating agency, Bayer Real Estate, to outfit the Grosse Ledder conference and hotel complex in the Bergisches Land region with smart building automation by Gira.

Built in the mid-18th century, Grosse Ledder served as a recreational facility for the employees of the Bayer Corporation. Over the years more buildings were erected in the idyllic forest region to produce a complex comprising typical half-timbered houses, classical-style buildings and modern architecture that is open to everyone. At present the buildings are undergoing step-by-step renovation, including a makeover of the rooms by Brandherm und Krumrey Interior complete with the latest building automation. Now that all the buildings on the extensive grounds can be centrally managed and controlled, using two cross-linked FacilityServers and a KNX network by Gira, things will be a lot easier in particular for the staff and will save the operator considerable costs. Heating, lighting and media technology can be controlled via a single mobile surface. And the guests too will benefit from the introduction of smart technology as they enjoy added comfort in their rooms. Heating, lighting and media can now be intuitively controlled by tablet via the Gira Interface, not dissimilar to using a smartphone. Moreover, smart control technology spells extra convenience both for the staff and the guests as they operate the stereo system and TV, lighting and room temperature using the Gira Interface for the iPad. Plus, the next time they are staying at the hotel guests can simply recall their personal settings and feel at home at the push of a button.