Las Vegas resort saves $110k annually with OpenBlue

Hospitality

How a megaresort hit the energy savings jackpot with AI-driven automation

Keeping thousands of visitors, hotel guests and employees cool and comfortable in the Las Vegas desert requires a significant amount of power. And if you’re one of the largest resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, relying on an outdated infrastructure and building automation system (BAS) is a risky bet.

Aiming to reduce energy and operating costs without compromising comfort, a global hospitality giant partnered with Johnson Controls to revamp its central chilled water plant.

Impact Highlights

$110,000 estimated annual utility cost savings

10.2% estimated annual energy use savings

$80,000 cash incentive from electric utility provider

A clunky, labor-intensive system

The resort and casino boasts a staggering 3,500 rooms and more than 50 dining options across 66 floors. Entertainment amenities include a theater, nightlife venues, a spa, pools and retail.

Though its chilled water plant was massive – nine chillers, nine cooling towers, and multiple pumps and heat exchangers – its legacy building automation system (BAS) lacked intelligence. Operators had to manage everything manually, 24/7, and react to changes in weather and occupancy without predictive insights. This approach was costly, inefficient and risky for reliability.

AI-driven upgrades make efficiency adjustments every 15 minutes

The resort partnered with Johnson Controls to modernize its infrastructure. The old Trane BAS was replaced with:

OpenBlue Central Utility Plant Optimization: AI-driven supervisory control software that predicts chilled water loads and optimizes equipment combinations every 15 minutes
Metasys BAS: a streamlined, reliable automation system for real-time visibility and control

Together, these solutions transformed operations from reactive to proactive. The resort also signed a full Operations & Maintenance (O&M) contract, which ensured expert oversight and reduced the need for round-the-clock staffing.

Immediate - and ongoing - cost and energy savings

The impact was immediate and impressive:

$110,000 estimated annual utility cost savings
10.2% estimated reduction in energy use
$80,000 cash incentive from the electric utility provider

By running in OpenBlue Auto Mode more than 90% of the year, the plant optimized chiller staging, pump speeds and cooling tower operations to deliver maximum efficiency and reliability.

The resort was able to save money while creating a smarter, more sustainable infrastructure by leveraging AI and automation. For hospitality brands, that means lower operating costs, improved guest comfort and progress toward ambitious environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals.