In conversation with BW HOTELIER, Rahul Prabhakar, Chief Engineer, ITC Grand Chola, Chennai discusses the tightened budget, increasing role of technology in engineering, implementation of new protocols and much more.

The Covid19 pandemic has tightened the budget to a great extent, how are you going about ensuring the inclusion of new sanitation products for engineering in the hotel?

Reinforcing its globally acknowledged Responsible Luxury ethos that seeks to create a better and secure world, ITC Hotels launched its path breaking ‘WeAssure’ initiative – our commitment towards healthy, hygiene and a safe environment. 

The Covid 19 pandemic prevention sanitization products are included in our new normal service delivery cycle with the whole objective of eradicating any possibility of virus spread inside the hotel. The team has conducted the risk assessment and formulated new SOP’s to ensure that guests, employees and stakeholders safety and health are taken care of holistically. The Engineering team has inducted US EPA certified chemicals, which have proven record to inactivate the virus in HVAC systems with minor incremental cost.

Hotels are moving towards technology adaptation, what is your take on the same with regard to engineering in the hotel and cost analysis?

COVID 19 has initiated an era where technology adoption is the need of the current situation. As per the research, the COVID 19 type pandemic may come back in the future and therefore, investing in technologies will provide a proactive shield against the pandemic .The sustainable technologies being adapted will become part of new service delivery cycle and will last for its lifecycle. It will significantly enhance the confidence of guests, employees and stakeholders. We have witnessed that there are few South east Asian countries who were affected with SARS and MERS pandemic in the past and were quickly able to control and recover from the existing pandemic.

What were some of the immediate cost cutting strategies adopted with the sudden announcement of lockdown from the hotel’s engineering point of view?

The immediate cost cutting strategies were as follows :

A) Optimizing HLP Cost -  

1. The team has utilized the Building management systems to quickly implement the new operational controls for HVAC, Lighting , thermal and Water management.

2. The team has enhanced the renewable energy footprint with the help of 14.6 MW Wind Turbine Generators by converting the fuel based boiler to electric boiler.

3. The Team has implemented the micro data analytics and circulated energy and water consumption trends to all the stakeholders and further optimize the cost by rationalizing the operational hours of kitchen , laundry and office spaces.

4. Review contracts with all the suppliers to rationalize the procurement cost of fuel etc.

5. Faster execution of identified HLP cost saving projects with higher returns.

B ) Optimizing Repair and maintenance cost -

1. Review contracts with all the suppliers to optimize the procurement cost of material and services

2. Extensive and focused training to enhance multiskilling amongst associates 

3. Remote Video inspection of equipment’s and services by the OEM (Original equipment manufacturer’s ) and thereby saving transportation cost.

4. Changing frequency of micro data analytics from Monthly to weekly basis.

Please share the key learning takeaway that the pandemic entailed for the hospitality industry and especially for your department?

Key learnings –

1. Enablement of faster resources optimization process

2. Opportunity available to remotely view and operate the equipment instead of being physically available in certain areas

3. Testing of vendor support depth and coverage to provide services in the lockdown scenario

4. Opportunity of great team bonding as employees support each other in their endeavor.

5. Opportunity available to offer Work from Home option for certain positions 

6. Use of Online medium such as Microsoft teams for training , meetings and work.

7. Have acquired information and knowledge from the microbiologist and doctors perspective and built new SOP’s.

8. Conducted extensive research of Covid -19 prevention technologies by wearing the hat of Microbiologist.

What in your view are the necessary steps that must be taken care of for reopening the hotel in the new normal?

1. Formulate and implement the SOP’s which will enable the new normal service delivery cycle.

2. Faster adoption of technologies which will deliver superior competitive performance.

3. Build a faster communication network to effectively train all the resources at any place.

4. All the directions issued by local and national govt authorities to be complied. 

5. Communicate and demonstrate all the WeAssure programs in front of the guests.

What are the new protocols included into training the staff for the post Covid19 functioning in the engineering department?

1. All the training conducted during the lockdown were conducted via online platforms such as MS teams.

2. All the trainings conducted during the reopening phase is conducted with all universal protocols as well as Online platforms 

3. Quizzes and assessment were conducted through online tools such as Google Doc etc.

It is being said that more air handling units will be installed to maintain a set humidity level, how will ensure this with a tightening budget and increasing expenses?

It is advisable to keep the ADP Adiabatic dew point temperature levels from 52 Deg F and 54 Deg F by maintaining the chilled water produced from the chiller plant and therefore major investment is not required.