Introducing Calm Tech Certified™ for Spaces

Human-Centered Technology for Hospitality

Hotels obsess over thread count, shower pressure, and minibar selection. But the factors that most often affect the guest experience are largely invisible—infrastructure such as bathroom fans, air conditioning units and smog can make-or-break a stay, yet are more likely to be overlooked than an interior design rehab or a set of nice sheets. 

Why We Made Calm Tech Certified™ for Spaces

When guests spend less energy sorting out a room, they can spend more time doing what they intended: relaxing, resting and restoring. Environmental sounds, stuffiness, and light aren’t easy to photograph, leaving a gap between expected experience and actual experience upon arrival. 

Calm Tech Certified™ for Spaces provides a research-backed set of improvements aimed at improving guest and employee experience. 

Initial Testing Results

Calm Tech Institute quietly evaluated four California hotels, with stays of minimum two nights each to experience properties beyond first-night adjustment. 

• Ace Hotel, Palm Springs, CA

• Marriott Redondo Beach, Torrance, CA 

• Bluestem Hotel Torrance Los Angeles, an Ascend Collection Hotel

• Hilton Pasadena 

For these four, two properties achieved provisional certification: Ace Hotel, Palm Springs and Marriott Redondo Beach.

Ace Hotel scored well on lighting, materials, and attention, while Marriott Redondo scored well on smell, materials and sound.

While these certified hotels didn't have the latest smart room technology, they had quiet plumbing, HVAC systems programmed for air quality, and physical controls findable by touch—among other things. 

Both properties and individual rooms were assessed on 104 criteria, across all eight categories, listed below.

What's covered in a property evaluation?

Calm Tech Certified™ for Spaces scores environments on factors that determine lived experience: 

Light	The experience of light (natural daylight, flicker, CRI, color temperature and diffusion) dramatically affects human experience.
Air and Smell	High C02 levels significantly affect thinking, decision-making and alertness. Cleaning materials shouldn't announce themselves when you walk in the room.
Periphery	Interfaces with tactile feedback require less cognitive load and visual attention.
Materials	Many natural materials age beautifully. Good materials tell the story of time.
Durability / Graceful Failure	Good systems are built to last with repairable components.
Noise Abatement	Dampening or conditioning of unwanted noise sources, such as HVAC systems and bathroom fans.
Sound Quality	Quality speakers and sound system on the property. No distortion or overlapping sounds. Acoustic diffusion behind entryway check-in counter.
Attention	Way-finding smoothly communicated without confusion or second-guessing. Comprehendible Icons. Controls that communicate function through form.

Building Better Spaces

We’re excited to bring Calm Tech Certified™ to the lived environment through making the invisible visible. We've partnered with two companies with deep experience in technology and hospitality.

1. Blend (blend.technology), a premier, LA-based sound, light and control system integrator that transforms technological spaces into ones that are quietly supportive of daily life and work.

2. Nestwell (nestwellhospitality.com) creating a new standard for hospitality.

Interested in partnering with the Calm Tech Institute to evolve your space?

Calm Tech Certified™ for Spaces 

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