5 Energy Saving Tips For Hotels

What are some ways you can save energy for hotels?

1. Smart Lighting
2. Water Management
3. Food Management
4. Climate Control
5. Solar Power Technology

Efficiency is one of the things every hotel tries to strive for. That is because efficiency leads to savings not only in the financial sense but also in terms of energy and manpower. All these things are considered resources, and the implication is that resources need to be managed properly in order for them to be efficient. Security-wise, you have controlled access through local turnstile systems and other access controls, but what about energy management? Thanks to recent developments in technology, more and more ways to save energy are available to establishments like hotels and other hospitality services.

That being said, you might not be aware of these technological advancements and best practices that can help you save energy. To get you up to speed, here are 6 energy-saving tips for hotels.

Smart Lighting

In terms of energy management, you might notice that the word “smart” is becoming attached to terms like lighting and heating. That is because systems are becoming “smarter”. Smart, in this case, means having the feature of automated control. When applied to a hotel’s lighting system, having smart lighting means lightbulbs in hotel rooms have the ability to turn on and off under certain circumstances such as occupancy and availability of solar power. You can do this by employing the use of occupancy sensors and key card systems. The amount you can save on your electric bill is significant, so consider switching to smart lighting if you truly want to take your energy management and efficiency to the next level.

Water Management

Hot water is crucial for any hospitality business, especially when it comes to your customer’s experience. When it comes to that, a lot of energy is wasted when water is overheated. It can even cause discomfort to your staff or guests if not managed properly. Ideally, a temperature of 60°C is good enough for most situations where stored hot water is needed. It is comfortable enough to touch and is hot enough to kill some forms of dangerous bacteria. Remember to meter and control the temperature your water reaches when it’s being heated to save energy. On top of that, make sure to repair leaking taps as soon as possible, and ensure good insulation of your pipes.

Food Management

When it comes to the management of food, it’s not the food per se that needs managing, but the equipment. It is important for hotel businesses to have their equipment turned off or down when not in use. It is an age-old energy-saving principle that should be applied whether it’s in your household or business. Grills, fryers, and kitchen exhaust fans don’t need to be on during meal shifts. Aside from turning cooking equipment on when not in use, switching them on at the right time in terms of oven and grill preheating will do wonders for your energy-saving endeavors.

Additional food-management tips including using the right sized pans to cook and closing the refrigerator and chiller doors will help reduce your energy consumption. You can also use a frying pan instead of a large griddle if you’re cooking for only a number of guests. Lastly, replace the old, inefficient, and possibly faulty equipment with newer more efficient products. As a general rule of thumb, if your kitchen equipment is more than 10 years old, it is probably time for an upgrade.

Climate Control

Next on the list is climate control. The temperature of your hotel is important for any guest’s stay, but setting up the right temperature while keeping efficiency in mind can be a challenge. One thing you can do to ensure efficient climate control is to clean your ventilation systems regularly. Well-maintained vents can increase energy efficiency by up to 25%. Cleaning your fans, its parts, and corresponding air ducts can also reduce the risk of malfunction and breakdown. Aside from that, make sure that only either your air conditioning or heater is running at a given moment. The two compete with each other, and having both turned on is quite inefficient.

Solar Power Technology

Last but not least, solar power has long been associated with energy efficiency and environmental awareness. Naturally, one of the best ways you can save energy and employ the use of renewable, clean energy is by using solar power. Recently, solar power is becoming more accessible thanks to more affordable photovoltaic technology. By adding solar panels to your hotel’s structure, you not only reduce fossil fuel energy consumption but you can also sell excess solar power production to the market.

Hotels of all sizes are leveraging increasingly affordable photovoltaic technology to reduce their energy costs. Solar power technology offers businesses a two-fold opportunity: to reduce energy consumption from the grid and sell excess production back into that grid. Therefore, hotels can save on their energy costs and subsidize whatever energy consumption costs are left.

Key Takeaway

As you’ve read, saving energy in your hotel business is now easier than ever thanks to a mix of new technology and best practices. Management, in general, is becoming a more manageable task thanks to local turnstile systems, access control, and more. The key here is to take advantage of new devices and systems that will benefit you, your business, your employees, and clients.