March 08, 2011 // Franchising.com // DALLAS, Texas – Motel 6, known for providing guests with a clean, comfortable room and great service for the lowest price of any national chain, announces the winners of the brand's 2010 "Phoenix My Break Room" energy-saving program. This unique employee incentive program challenged Motel 6 team members at corporate-owned locations in North America to reduce energy consumption at their motels over a six-month period.
One location in each of the brand's ten operational regions earned the prize of a renovated break room, modeled after the award-winning Motel 6 "Phoenix" room design. Winners were determined based on the percentage reduction of energy consumption (kilowatt hours used) from the previous year, taking into account weather and occupancy variances. Additionally, Motel 6 recognized the "Most Valuable Properties," which maintained electricity savings before and throughout the program, by awarding a flat screen television for their break room. When the competition culminated in October 2010, the company had reduced electricity consumption by $233,000.
"The rising cost of electricity is one of our biggest challenges," said Renee Swoger, director of energy & environment services for Accor North America. "We know that the key to helping reduce this cost, and therefore reduce our impact on the environment, is through a conscious effort by each team member to change the way they use energy."
Through this program, the company aimed to instill energy-conscious habits within all team members. The "Phoenix My Break Room" program was cost-free to implement and worked by incentivizing team members to save energy by taking simple actions such as remembering to set the appropriate PTAC settings. The renovated break rooms are utilized and enjoyed by all team members and are a daily reminder of the team's worthwhile energy-saving efforts.
"Phoenix My Break Room" contest winners:
Motel 6 #1 – Santa Barbara Beach – Santa Barbara, California
Motel 6 #639 – Salinas South – Salinas, California
Motel 6 #29 – Scottsdale, Arizona
Motel 6 # 1077 – Salina, Kansas
Motel 6 #1910 – Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Motel 6 #1417 – Charlotte, South Carolina
Motel 6 #1264 – Van Buren, Arkansas
Motel 6 #1059 – Springfield-Chicopee – Chicopee, Massachusetts
Motel 6 #276 – Mammoth Lakes, California
Studio 6 #6023 – Atlanta Gwinnett Place – Duluth, Georgia
Motel 6 offers the lowest price of any national chain at more than 1,100 company-owned and franchised locations throughout the United States and Canada. For 24 years, Motel 6 has used the tagline, "We'll leave the light on for you®," earning the chain the highest brand recognition in the economy lodging segment. Motel 6 was the first national pet friendly chain, welcoming pets since 1962. Standard amenities include free local phone calls, no long distance access charges, free morning coffee and expanded cable channel line-up. Most locations offer Wi-Fi Internet access, swimming pools and guest laundry facilities. For more information, visit www.motel6.com.
Headquartered in Dallas (Carrollton), Texas, Accor North America operates more than 1,100 upscale and economy properties including nationwide economy leaders Motel 6, Studio 6, Ibis, Sofitel Luxury Hotels and upscale Novotel locations in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit accor-na.com.
Accor, the world's leading hotel operator and market leader in Europe, is present in 90 countries with 4,200 hotels and more than 500,000 rooms.
Accor's broad portfolio of hotel brands - Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Adagio, ibis, all seasons, Etap Hotel, Formule 1, hotelF1 and Motel 6, and its related activities, Thalassa sea & spa and Lenôtre - provide an extensive offer from luxury to budget. With 145,000 employees worldwide, the Group offers to its clients and partners nearly 45 years of know-how and expertise.
Motel 6 helps travelers save more for what they travel for at its more than 1,400 company owned and franchised locations throughout the United States and Canada.