CASE STUDY: LIGHTING THE WAY AT THE MANOR HOUSE HOTEL

Andre and Melissa Barmore met while attending a prestigious East Coast business school. After graduation, Andre worked for several years in hospitality management with a number of well-known luxury hotel brands. Melissa worked in business development with a real estate investment trust (REIT) where she focused on new property acquisition. However, Andre and Melissa had long ago set their sights on owning and managing their own business. The most natural fit for the Barmores was the hotel industry where they could leverage their combined work experience.

In early 2012, all of the pieces began to come together. Melissa had come across a mid - rise 1930s hotel building in the heart of Chicago's Gold Coat. The 100 - room hotel had numerous classic art deco design elements. However, significant refurbishment would be needed in order to realise the Barmores' goal of re-positioning the hotel as a boutique offering that would cater to a high - end clientele. Fortunately, by making use of their extensive contacts in the Chicago real - estate industry, they had been able to obtain financing for the hotel purchase and remodeling project from a large publicly - traded REIT (1). The Barmores hoped to complete the remodeling and to re- open the newly named Manor House Hotel in time for the holidays.

By early November the Barmores had finished re - fitting the hotel's common areas with customised lighting. One of the few remaining decisions concerned the choice of guest-room light bulbs. Although the choice might have seemed minor, the Barmores believed in taking a rigorous approach to all managerial decisions and wanted to set a strong example for their new business.

Lighting technology

Until the 1800s, people relied on fire fed by combustible materials such as wax, whale oil, or kerosene to create visible light (2). Then in 1752, the world began to change rapidly after Benjamin Franklin' famous kite flying experiment ushered in the electrical age. By 1802, Humphry Davy had created the first incandescent light bulb that could be commercialized. The incandescent light bulb is still with us today, but several newer technologies have emerged that may soon displace the incandescent bulb.