People are traveling once again as we slowly make our way out of the pandemic, but there are new hurdles facing the accommodation sector. Rising power prices have put pressure on hotels. One UK hotel was reported to say that what normally cost them £1-2,000 per month to power 20 rooms now costs around £10,000.
What’s more is that guests are increasingly choosy when it comes to the sustainability of the rooms in which they stay. Nearly 75 percent of UK travelers want to see accommodations offer environmentally sustainable options.
While small business hotels, B&Bs, or hostels may not have the financial resources and staffing of international chains to implement grand climate-friendly strategies and energy efficiency measures, there are some things they can do to cut their energy costs.
In addition to savings, cutting back on energy usage, reducing your carbon footprint, and finding more efficient ways of running your lodging are great ways to improve your brand and eco-friendly credentials.
In this post, we share some small and achievable changes you can implement in your hotel or bed and breakfast that will net you sustainability credentials and savings on your energy bills.
Lighting
It is here where you can expect us to say “switch to energy-efficient LED light bulbs” as a way to cut energy costs. While this tip maintains to be a good one to follow, we have some other, more nuanced tips for you and your hotel establishment.
You can save even more money by installing computerised or occupancy sensors in both private rooms and in publicly used areas. These kinds of systems recognise the level of activity in a room and can adjust the lighting accordingly. These are particularly useful for public corridors, restrooms in both private rooms and public areas, and in staff areas like storage rooms or kitchens. You will save money on energy costs as well as extend the lifespan of light fixtures.
For guest rooms, consider installing a lighting system that is activated by guest key cards. This will help prevent guests or housekeeping staff from leaving lights on when they leave the room.
A final lighting tip to help you save money is to let in as much light as possible. The natural lighting in a common area is especially inviting for guests and creates a welcoming environment.
Heating and cooling
Heating and cooling can account for around 40 percent of a lodging’s energy bill, according to Energy Star. This means that the more you can reduce the use of your hotel’s HVAC systems, the more opportunities there are for you to save money.
The best place to start is to ensure all rooms, walls, doors, and windows are properly insulated and sealed. You will also want to change the air filters regularly – once per month, even. Having a well-maintained HVAC system is the first step to energy efficiency and savings.
The next step to consider is to link your energy management system with your reservation and automated checkout system. This would allow you to heat or cool a sold room to a comfortable temperature an hour prior to the guest’s scheduled arrival. When rooms are unoccupied – or unsold – the HVAC and energy management system will automatically shut off climate controls to save you money. Of course, guests can adjust their thermostat as they please when using the rooms, but this system will help you save energy and money for all those unused rooms.
Get your staff and guests to help out
Train your housekeeping and maintenance staff members to be your vanguards of energy-saving practices. Give them the directive to spot leaky plumbing or degrading insulation; have them be mindful to turn off lights and close drapes when rooms are unoccupied to save energy.
While it is the number-one priority of your hotel to make guests’ stay as comfortable and relaxing as possible, it does not hurt to ask them – politely – to do their part in turning out the lights, conserving water, shutting off the TV, and so on. Doing this through reminders on placards or fliers should do the trick.
Conserve water heating and usage
We mentioned above that heating and cooling consumes around 40 percent of a hotel’s energy bill. Add in the power needed to heat water, and that figure jumps to around 70 percent. To reduce electricity and gas use for water heating, run boilers for occupied rooms only. If you have a restaurant or two on site, find ways to reduce how often and the amount of water you boil.
Investment could be made towards a low water-consuming pot washing machine. These are said to save between 60-70 percent of water used in a hotel kitchen. Consider, too, to install spray faucets, as they reduce the amount of energy needed to draw water.
Do not forget to check for leaky faucets, non-stop running toilets, and other areas of potential water leakages. Fixing leaks creates small savings over time.
Support local businesses
You can reduce your environmental impact by making more sustainable purchases to supply your establishment. By seeking locally made and sustainable products, you can significantly cut down on generated waste.
Make it known that you are proud supporters of the local economy. The promotion of environmentally friendly businesses at your hotel will boost your own eco-credentials in addition to showing that you are supporting local businesses, too.
Energy-saving tips for hotel gyms, restaurants, and other facilities
If you have a restaurant or two at your hotel, you can check out our article on energy saving tips for restaurants and cafes to help you save more money.
Read our energy saving tips for recreational spaces to learn how you can cut down on energy waste in your gyms, pools, and other facilities.
Switch energy suppliers
Switching energy tariffs is a great and too-often-neglected way to save money on your business energy bills. If it has been a while since you last switched energy suppliers, chances are you are caught on a more expensive energy tariff than what you can otherwise get if you seek a new contract.
Take advantage of Business Energy Quotes’ smart grid-connected business energy price comparison tools for electricity and gas tariffs. Our system lets you search, compare, and ultimately switch to the best business energy deal for you in a matter of minutes.