Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch

Scottsdale" (December 15, 2008)" Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch kicks off the holiday season with a welcoming gift for its guests - the completion of the third and final phase of a $50 million transformation featuring a new contemporary look and upscale services and amenities. The final phase of the superb resort-wide transformation was completed with the striking renovation of guestrooms, suites, and casitas, the newly redesigned Vaquero Ballroom and new Executive Boardroom, as well as the addition of a $575,000 solar hot water system.

An expansive, 27-acre resort framed by the majestic McDowell Mountains, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale has long offered an authentic guest experience, now heightened by the nature-inspired redesign of all 492 guestrooms, suites and casitas as well as newly reinvigorated meeting and event spaces. Taken together, the resort's three-phase renewal project includes: the award-winning Spa Avania ; a contemporary new lobby and Lobby Bar; inviting dining options including two new restaurants " SWB, a southwest bistro and Alto ristorante e bar; and a new Camp Hyatt Kachina area with fun, vibrant and educational activities for the resort's youngest guests.

"At Hyatt Regency Scottsdale, the guest experience has always been our first priority," said Michael Stephens, general manager, Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa. "With a contemporary redesign and exceptional services and amenities, we are able to offer our guests everything they expect and more when we welcome them to our resort. We are excited for our guests to experience the new Hyatt Regency Scottsdale."

Guestrooms, suites and casitas
Taking cues from the Sonoran Desert, the property's guestrooms and suites were remodeled by Indidesign, an award-winning design firm out of Santa Monica, California. The rooms evoke a sense of place with sandy beige and green-toned highlights that reference the local landscape and the resort itself. Environmentally-friendly appointments such as sustainable textiles and water-efficient faucets have been integrated throughout the guestrooms as well as the resort. New highlights of the guestrooms incorporate contemporary yet comfortable new custom furnishings with accents of wengue wood, Hyatt's signature Grand Bed, and 37-inch LCD television. Bathrooms are now more spacious and highlighted by hand-hammered metal sinks, natural granite countertops, and wood-framed doors of frosted glass.

The resort's casitas, which are each 1,000 square feet, offer stunning mountain, golf or garden views. The newly designed casitas are configured from one-to-four bedrooms and reflect contemporary, comfortable and luxurious appointments with an understated look and feel of an intimate family retreat. The open living room and dining area are accented with caramel and deep yellow colors, with natural media and dark wood tones and materials providing inviting spaces. Residential-style details feature artful wood tiles on the wood-burning fireplaces and custom sofas with woven leather frames by Indidesign. Casita bathrooms are dressed up with unique porcelain tile listello mosaics to complement natural granite countertops, high-end European faucets, hand-hammered metal sinks and more. Outdoor patio areas and access to the Regency Club are also highlights of the casitas.

A new artwork program of locally inspired photography creates focal points and noticeable touches throughout the resort. Guestrooms feature framed black-and-white photos of indigenous plant species, while framed black-and-white details from local architecture and various Frank Lloyd Wright projects have been placed throughout all public spaces.

Function Spaces - Vaquero Ballroom, Executive Boardroom and Arizona Ballroom
The new Vaquero Ballroom is a 14,000 square-foot, multi-functional event space that can be transformed into 10 individual breakout rooms. The largest event space on property, the Vaquero Ballroom can accommodate up to 1,030 people comfortably for banquet style programs. The new Executive Boardroom is equipped with a "smart table" with built-in plug-ins for audio, visual and additional technological capabilities. There is also a 50 inch flat screen television on one wall for viewing presentations. The Executive Boardroom can seat up to 22 people. The room features its own kitchen alcove for food and beverage service, offering ease and convenience for small business meetings. In addition, the resort's 12,000 square-foot Arizona Ballroom can host 800 people for a seated event or 1,200 for a classic reception.

Solar Hot Water System
The installation of the solar hot water system is the first of several projects over the next three-year period to reduce overall gas consumption by 30% and electrical consumption by 40%. This system is one of the largest in the country, created and installed by Novan Solar Inc., of Golden, Colorado. The Novan system is part of an energy-reduction project designed by the Hartman Company of Austin, Texas.

October 1, 2008 - Novan Solar Inc. of Golden, CO will install one of the nation's largest solar hot water systems ever built for a hotel at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Novan solar thermal system will provide domestic hot water for guest rooms, the main laundry services room and all the restaurants at the 492-room resort.

The 27-acre Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa has complete resort facilities, including a 2.5 acre "water playground", 27-holes of championship golf, world-class tennis, Spa Avania and the Native American and Environmental Learning Center as a part of the 560-acre Gainey Ranch resort and residential development in Scottsdale.

The 172-collector Novan solar system is part of an energy-reduction project designed by the Hartman Company, an engineering and design firm in Austin, Texas, which will eventually reduce the resort's energy use by approximately half. The solar system has a 20,000-gallon storage tank, larger than currently required, which will enable a possible Phase 2 of the project doubling the current system size.

"This solar project is not simply an add-on system," Tom Hartman, president of The Hartman Company stated. "It represents a component of a major re-design of the resort's hot water infra-structure and modifying how the resort produces and utilizes hot water resources. Due to substantial energy savings, state utility incentives, and the federal Investment Tax Credit for renewable energy, the system will pay for itself in approximately three years."

The solar water heating system from Novan will generate nearly 31,600 therms (316 million BTUs) of energy yearly. More than 156 metric tons of carbon dioxide (green house gases) will be offset by the system each year. This is the equivalent to carbon sequestered by 133 acres of forest per year or over 360 barrels of oil being consumed yearly.

Arizona Pubic Service (APS), the local power utility, will be partnering with the project through their Renewable Energy Incentive Program. This partnership will help the Hyatt to achieve an approximate 3-year payback on their investment by having APS purchase the Renewable Energy Certificates generated by the commercial DHW system. The solar project will be installed and operating by the end of this year.

"This project is in accordance with Hyatt Corporation's global initiative of environmental consciousness and sustainability. This initiative encompasses building, designing and managing innovative and sustainable hotels, while protecting the natural environment and local communities in which we operate around the world," stated Jennifer Schaff, Director of Engineering for the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa.

"We have been told that we were the first resort in the country to have an environmental program including energy efficiency, waste minimization, environmental health and safety for employees, and environmental education for our guests," added Ms. Schaff.

The Hyatt system will also feature the new Novan Spectrum(TM) Commercial Controller, the solar industry's first controller designed for commercial thermal applications that integrates directly with existing building management systems (LON and BacNet compatible). The Novan controller also offers a remote web server for monitoring and control, 100% control of pumps and valves, expandability for unlimited data points, and interfaces with Fat Spaniel(TM) hosting services.

Novan founder and president, Jacob Futro, stated, "Novan was chosen because of the stringent timeline and complexity of this project, and we are proud to be part of this ground-breaking project for the hotel industry. Our new Spectrum(TM) Controller is perfect for this type of project to maximize the solar performance."

Novan has also designed, and will complete this year, a 73-panel domestic hot water system for the newly renovated Andaluz Hotel (formerly La Posada) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The 107-room Andaluz was developed by Goodman Realty and will be operated by Gemstone Hotels and Resorts.

Other Novan installations include: a 144-panel solar water heating system for the North Boulder Recreation Center in Boulder, Colorado, a 70-panel system for the new Erie, Colorado, Recreation Center and a 63-panel system for the new Aquaplex Recreation Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. In addition, Novan was recently chosen to provide a 64-panel system for the Durango, Colorado, Recreation Center, and a 68-panel system for the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Recreation Center. Novan has other solar projects in various stages of development in Colorado, Arizona and Utah.

Novan Solar Inc. is the largest solar thermal company in Colorado and the Southwest. Novan specializes in turnkey solutions for large-scale commercial and industrial water heating needs in addition to supplying systems for residences.

Novan
Kirk Norlin, VP of Marketing, 303-279-8108
norlin@novan-solar.com
www.novan-solar.com
or
Hyatt
Ann Lane, Director of Public Relations, 480-444-1234
ahlane@hyatt.com
www.scottsdale.hyatt.com