Ana Maria Huertas Iragorri, global hospitality sales director at Lutron Electronics, is set to attend Hotec Design, an annual conference presented by Questex, the parent company of Hotel Management. At the conference—scheduled this year for June 17-20 at the PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.—buyers meet one-on-one with hospitality-focused suppliers to learn about new products and services and to keep up-to-date on emerging trends.
Ahead of the event, Huertas Iragorri talked about environmental, social and governance initiatives; technology; and new developments from Lutron.
1. How has your segment of the industry changed over the past year?
ESG (environmental, social and governance) initiatives are on everyone’s minds, with a strong emphasis on aspects of governance, such as water conservation, natural light and community involvement. Owners are seeking ways to be better corporate citizens, and hotel guests are looking for that commitment as they establish brand loyalties. We are also seeing more attention focused on the total guest experience from the lobby to the guestroom. For example, hoteliers are requesting custom keypads and intuitive controls that simplify the guestroom and offer high-end touches like custom engraving, finishes, programming and preset scenes. These subtle luxuries are becoming increasingly important to brand differentiation and synchronicity across brand properties. Privacy and security are also top of mind with owners and guests who are concerned about data hacks and how their personal information is collected and shared. Cloud-based lighting systems can be preferable to server-based systems since updates and improvements can be implemented instantaneously as new technology becomes available. Lutron is deeply committed to system protocols that protect data security while integrating seamlessly with other smart systems in the hotel.
2. Can you share some ways you and your company have adapted to these changes?
I mentioned cloud-connected systems—this is one example of how Lutron is helping to improve system efficiency and simplify operations while facilitating a curated guest experience. That experience is usually defined by a comfortable and convenient guestroom. The lighting, shade and HVAC controls are often the first and only way a guest interacts with a control system. It is critical that these touchpoints make immediate sense, and that must happen at various price points with different feature sets. Delivering this experience is the inspiration behind Lutron’s recently introduced myRoom XC enhanced guestroom system that integrates with all areas of the property—guestrooms, public areas, event spaces, and private residences—via a single dashboard. The system can provide valuable occupancy data and energy usage information to help further refine the guest experience.
3. What are some trends you think will have staying power beyond 2024?
Two trends come to mind. First, when guests have questions or concerns, they are looking for a quick response and positive solutions, not delayed gratification. The second trend is a hyper-focus on wellness. We are just beginning to scratch the surface on how important these are to guest satisfaction. Lutron solutions enhance the hotel experience from check-in to check-out without demanding more from busy staff. Cloud-connected, responsive systems enable personalized programming for events and special occasions, the opportunity to adjust room controls at any time, and the ability to adapt system settings over time to meet changing expectations. Now more than ever, hotel brands are investing in building systems that maximize feelings of well-being while delivering efficient operations. Customized scenes with the right lighting and shading solutions help create guestrooms that make guests feel at ease and support better sleep. They can also foster the right mood in spas and other public spaces. These are the kind of responsive solutions that create better experiences, add value and build loyalty.
4. What is the biggest challenge you have overcome over the past year?
The growth of LED technologies has dramatically increased the number of manufacturers and the types of solutions available to our customers. With so many newcomers to the market, it can be difficult for customers to sift through all their options. Fortunately, Lutron’s hotel systems are designed for flexibility and freedom of choice. Designers can use any light fixtures that best complement the hotel’s design aesthetic with the confidence that Lutron will provide reliable, high-performance control. For more than 60 years, Lutron has been a world leader in products, service and support while continuing to innovate on the forefront of wireless, cloud-based and remote technology.
5. How have you incorporated environmental, social and governance efforts into your hospitality operations?
Lighting is all about creating the right environment at the right time. Good lighting and control systems have the power to strike the perfect balance between natural light and electric light in a way that respects the needs of the space and the people in it. So, the environmental and social impact of lighting is something we live every day. Governance, however, is where the right lighting system can make a significant difference in building operation and management. In addition to tools that support local codes and regulations, the Lutron dashboard provides occupancy and energy reports for the entire building to inform better system management and support ongoing changes over time. When guests leave their room, guest presence detection can help automatically adjust lights, shades and temperature to conserve energy. These tools enable owners to have better control over the energy usage without getting in the way of guest comfort.
6. What are you most excited about accomplishing over the next year?
For the next year and beyond, we are very excited about the new products and capabilities we are developing to continue bringing innovation and superior lighting solutions to our customers. Through cloud-connected systems, software updates are pushed automatically to ensure properties stay up-to-date with the latest features. A solution you get today comes with the promise that it will continually improve.
7. What is the value of meeting hospitality buyers one-on-one?
Personal relationships and deep interactions sustain people. This is a small industry, even on a global scale, and I always learn something new when I spend quality time with the people who bring projects to life in the field. These days, we’re all inundated with online content, so I feel especially lucky to be able to invite buyers and their clients to visit one of Lutron’s Global Experience Centers, where they can immerse themselves in the magic of light in person. These are the interactions I look forward to every day.
Hotec Design will take place June 17-20 at the PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Applications are open for buyers and suppliers.