CARROLTON, — Motel 6 will team with Honeywell and Pacific Gas and Electric Co. to perform energy efficiency retrofits of more than 7,000 hotel rooms in California.

The move involves the installation of sensors that shut off air conditioning and heating equipment when the rooms are unoccupied. The retrofit, which began in June and should wrap up this year, will save an estimated $140 per room in annual energy savings, or an average of 1,100 kilowatt-hours.

"By working with PG&E and Honeywell, Motel 6 now has a solution to a common energy issue in the lodging industry," said Dan Gilligan, vice president of utilities for Accor North America, Motel 6's parent company. "Motel 6 will no longer waste electricity in empty rooms and will also cut back on properties' carbon dioxide emissions - we have calculated that this program will yield a reduction of 10.1 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year for us. Programs like Cool Control Plus help Motel 6 to better serve its customers and the environment."

PG&E awarded Honeywell the $4.7 million contract in March. Honeywell will install the Telkonet SmartEnergy sensors in 7,530 rooms in 66 Motel 6 properties.

Motel 6 had previously installed the same sensors and thermostats in 49 California properties, bringing the number of retrofitted rooms to 13,440. Honeywell also will replace interior and exterior lighting and vending machines.