How to make your hotel efficient and sustainable

Nowadays, the values of energy efficiency and sustainability are increasingly being instilled in all areas. The hotel sector is not going to be less, in fact, it is an important sector, as they have high energy consumption (electricity and hot water).

So, what steps should a hotel take to become energy efficient and sustainable? We are going to provide you with a guide so that in the very near future, your hotel can boast of being efficient and sustainable. In addition, at the end we will give you some tips to make your hotel 100% efficient and sustainable.

Control of energy supply contracts

The price of energy (electricity, gas, diesel, etc.) is constantly fluctuating, so we must control and carry out exhaustive studies of consumption in order to be able to implement saving measures. For example, in electricity supply, there are a multitude of marketers, and we recommend not getting stuck in one, but to review the current contract and the offers of other marketers every year. We should also be well advised on the contracted power (fixed term of the bill), so that it is in accordance with the real power consumed by our hotel, and is not oversized.

In addition, our hotel maintenance manager should have energy meters, which facilitate the monitoring of expenditure and savings, and thus be able to act where it is needed to make it an efficient hotel.

Switching to LED lighting

If you are involved in the hotel sector, you will know the importance of lighting in a hotel, and the expense involved. It is therefore very important to have efficient lighting (LED) and efficient lighting management. In the case of having manual control areas, hotel workers should be educated so that when a space is not in use, the lighting is switched off. Of course, always obtaining the maximum lighting quality for our clients. Being efficient does not mean that the client loses comfort.

Reducing water consumption without reducing the customer’s comfort.

As a customer you may not be able to imagine the water consumption of a hotel, but as an owner you should. Water is indispensable, but savings can be made without compromising customer comfort. To do so, you should use tools to reduce water consumption at the taps, consumption management systems, etc. In addition to saving money, you will also be helping the planet, a commodity that is becoming increasingly scarce.

Train the staff and Establish procedures and train our staff.

It seems obvious, but it is not so obvious. In order for a hotel to be efficient and sustainable, we must start by ensuring that our staff is trained in these matters and knows how to proceed in each case to achieve the hotel’s efficiency and sustainability objectives.

Comfortable and efficient temperature

We must have a temperature in the common areas of the hotel that is neither hot nor cold, as this can have a negative effect on the guests’ evaluation, although we must bear in mind that we all have different degrees of comfort (as far as temperature is concerned). Moreover, in the case of a high temperature, energy consumption will increase considerably. Regarding the rooms, they should also be kept at an average temperature, although each client will then have their own control. Therefore, it is essential to have an air conditioning management system, which controls temperatures, sectorises zones, etc.

Efficient DHW (domestic hot water)

Hotels have a high demand for DHW, due to the consumption of customers in their rooms, increasing if they have swimming pools or spas. Therefore, it is necessary to have a good control of the flow rate, as well as the operation of the boilers.

Tips to make your hotel 100% efficient and sustainable

Eco air conditioning

A high cost of the hotel is due to air conditioning, so it is very important to take into account the type of air conditioner to use in each case. In addition, it is necessary to establish setpoint temperatures to avoid surprises in energy bills. We recommend 21ºC in winter and 26ºC in summer. You can also use elements that help to be more efficient, such as heat recovery units.

Installation of renewable energies

One of the measures that generates the most savings in hotels is the installation of renewable energies, with which we reduce energy and economic expenditure, as well as reducing the emission of polluting gases and being more sustainable. Solar thermal energy is one of the most widely used, and we believe that it is the most suitable in hotels, due to its high demand in DHW. Currently there are the latest generation of hybrid solar panels, which generate DHW (like thermal panels), but also the same panel generates electricity, which can be used in the hotel. So with the same panel, we manage to reduce DHW heating by means of the boiler, and electricity from the grid. All powered solely by the sun, so it is totally free and sustainable thermal and electrical energy.

In addition, for buildings such as hotels, with their high demand for DHW and electricity, it is the renewable energy that best suits, in addition to the maximum profitability of the installation, which is amortised over 7 years, and considering that the useful life of the panels is 25 years, it can be considered an investment with a short-term return.

Acting on the passive part of the hotel

This means that it is all very well to have efficient air conditioning systems, renewable energies, LED’s, etc., but if we then waste all that energy through the windows, walls, floors, etc., we do nothing. We do nothing. So it is important to have good insulation in walls, floors and enclosures. It is also important, especially when building a hotel, to implement measures to make the most of sunlight. With these measures, energy savings of up to 70% can be obtained, and consequently, economic savings.