Nashville’s Hilton Downtown, a luxury all-suites, full-service hotel in the heartland of country music sits right next to the Country Music Hall of Fame (formerly the Grand Ole Opry).  The owner, Turnberry Associates, recently completed a multi-million dollar modernization project upgrading this world-class site from the ground up.

The renovation included an extensive makeover to the atrium, lobby, ballroom, fitness center, concierge and front desk areas, as well as a complete overhaul of all 330 guest suites.

Seemingly small details that add a sense of luxury for guests were essential to the makeover. Hilton required an automatic illumination source in the closets of their guest suites.  That’s where Leviton came in.

One solution was a plunger-style door jam switch. The other was to use a sensor to automate lighting. The closet doors in Hilton’s guest suites slide bi-directionally. “The use of a passive infrared sensor triggered by the movement of either door was a perfect match for our needs.” Said Shaw Flippen, the Project Manager for Turnberry Associates.

He placed a call to Empower Electric, the hotel’s electrical contractor, to source out product options. Empower worked with Keith Wiemann, their local Leviton sales rep from our Lebanon Tennessee location. They went through multiple Leviton options and finally decided to try out the Leviton OSF10 Fixture Mount Sensor. Samples were sent to the contractor for a test installation and it turned out to be the perfect solution! 

The integrated transformer design and compact footprint made it the smart choice. Engineered for installation inside a light fixture, the multi-component design of the sensor enabled it to easily mount outside the fixture, with the sensor head directly installing into the overhead closet door tracks. When either door is slid across the tracks of the door frame, the sensor detects the motion, turning the light on, and after a 30 second time-delay, shuts the light OFF.

Unlike a door jam switch, the Leviton OSF10 Sensor automatically switches lighting OFF after a time-out interval that users can set between 30 seconds and 30 minutes.  Once the time delay is triggered, the sensor switches lighting OFF even when the doors remain open. The compact footprint of the sensor provided an unobtrusive look that conformed to the hotel’s requirements.

In addition, the device’s integrated photocell detects natural light and pre­vents lights from turning ON when there is adequate ambient lighting in a room or area. “Having the lights turn on automatically adds to the atmosphere our guests appreciate.  Not having to reach over for a light switch is a nice amenity that adds to the overall guest experience.” said Mr. Flippen.

The installation of Leviton’s OSF10 Fixture Mount Sensor in over 300 suites resulted in a functional upgrade for the hotel that added the perfect blend of convenience and luxury. It also resulted in an added bonus beyond the project’s intended objective: It ensures that closet lights can’t be left on accidentally by guests or employees, helping to conserve energy and costs!

Hilton and Leviton, building a smarter tomorrow together.