Oct 2, 2023

PERC awards Ruby’s Inn with Energy for Everyone Hero Award From left: Brannon Morse, Kiva Energy; Karl Munford, Ruby’s Inn; Ron Harris, Ruby’s Inn; Lance Syrett, Ruby’s Inn; Jim Bunsey, PERC; Jeff Stewart, Blue Star Gas; Michael Prayoonvech, Rinnai; and Steve Rutherford, Blue Star Gas. (Photo courtesy of PERC) The Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) awarded its Energy for Everyone Hero Award to Ruby’s Inn, located in southern Utah , in Bryce Canyon National Park. Ruby’s Inn has served visitors since 1916 and now sees an average of 4,000 guests per night. The historic inn relies on propane as a clean-energy solution. “Being located next to a national park, we always think about our carbon footprint,” says Lance Syrett, general manager at Ruby’s Inn. “We are confident about using propane. It’s efficient, it’s always available and it’s a clean energy source for us to use.” The resort’s hot water system needed to maintain service for 19 buildings, 700 hotel rooms, three restaurants, three swimming pools and a laundry facility handling 19 tons of laundry per day. Unable to keep up with the hot water demands of its facilities, the resort replaced its older model open-flame boilers. A few years back, customer dissatisfaction with cold showers led to a financial loss of about $60,000 a year in guest discounts and refunds. The new system includes several high-efficient, 199,000-Btu storage tank water heaters and 175 propane-powered tankless water heaters from Rinnai. “It’s important to Ruby’s Inn to use an energy source that is cost-effective, reliable and efficient,” Syrett says. “Propane fulfills those needs, and it helps keep the beautiful environment clean. It just makes sense.” 1,410 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year. 771,822,585 smartphones charged. 795 homes’ energy use for one year. “The hospitality industry knows how important reliable water heating units are for a successful operation,” says Jim Bunsey, director of commercial business development at PERC . “Water heating represents 7 percent of all energy use in commercial buildings. Six building types – lodging, health care, retail, education, food service and office – represent 85 percent of all commercial building water heating energy consumption.”