Sustainable Energy Management for Lodging

In today’s hospitality industry, energy management is no longer an option, but a core value of healthy operations. And it also helps the neighborhood thrive. Here is a summary overview.

1. The Vision: From Saving to Contributing

Energy efficiency is about the resilience of your lodging and your neighborhood.

  • Tourism as a resource: A sustainable energy policy strengthens the place. By relying less on external and fossil sources, you contribute to a livable planet and a healthy local community. By doing this together with the neighborhood, you also strengthen it. You think of neighborhood initiatives like energy sharing, neighborhood batteries, energy cooperative, heat networks, etc.
  • The Host as pivot: As a host, you are the connector. Your passion for the place translates into choices for renewable energy together with the neighborhood which inspires guests and makes them think: can’t we do something like that here too?
  • Balance: We strive for a “visitor economy that gives more than it takes.”

2. Our Objectives: What do we want to achieve?

A sustainable energy policy rests on three pillars:

  • Maximum Efficiency: Minimizing consumption without compromising guest comfort. If possible, a neighborhood renewal project will be considered.
  • Renewable Transition: maximizing the share of locally generated or green purchased energy. Group purchases and/or communal installations are preferred. This can intensify neighborhood cooperation.
  • Climate Action: To structurally reduce CO2 emissions with the ultimate goal of carbon neutral operations. This goes beyond neighborhood impact. It also makes a difference globally.

3. Measuring is Knowing: How and what do we measure?

Without data, no improvement is possible. Certification is usually subject to strict measurement requirements:

  • Frequency: Total energy consumption is best recorded at least monthly. (With the introduction of digital meters, this is quite easy)
  • Units: Consumption is measured in kWh. To compare performance, it is related to occupancy (e.g., kWh per overnight or per sq. ft.).
  • Levels: Consumption is best viewed at the district, lodging and room levels.
  • Carbon footprint: Use tools like the Hotel Carbon Management Initiative (HCMI) to calculate the total impact for your lodging. Think about how to introduce that in your district as well.

4. Practical Methods and Resources.

To achieve the goals, we can make all kinds of investments or process changes. See here the most common interventions.

Renewable Energy

  • Self-generation: Installation of solar panels, solar water heaters or heat pumps is strongly encouraged.
  • A renewable energy community with the neighborhood can result in less suitable residential entities still being able to use locally generated energy.
  • Green purchasing: If own generation is not sufficient, 100% certified green power will be purchased, preferably from an energy cooperative.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)

  • Insulation: Roofs, walls, floors and windows are best insulated. Eg: At least 90% of windows in heated areas should have high-efficiency, double-glazed windows. As cited earlier: a good idea is to carry this out in the context of a neighborhood renewal project
  • Default temperature: Set heating to maximum 21°C and cooling to minimum 23°C.
  • Smart control: An example: HVAC systems are best turned off automatically when windows or doors are opened.

Lighting and Equipment

  • Energy efficient lighting: Use energy efficient lighting, preferably fixtures with replaceable LEDs. Keep in mind safety but also light pollution and light nuisance to neighbors.
  • Automation: Use motion sensors in hallways & outdoor areas and keycard systems in rooms to reduce standby consumption
  • Electronics: New appliances (TVs, refrigerators) can best belong to the highest energy classes of the EU energy label.
  • For all such purchases, you can also consider group purchases.

5. The Financial Impact

Investing in energy can pay off financially on several levels:

  • Direct Savings: Measures such as pipe insulation and water softening (against limescale) have a short payback period due to lower consumption bills. Group purchases on top of that usually make it even cheaper and thus more interesting.
  • Willingness to pay: Research shows that 51% of guests are willing to pay more for a sustainable stay.
  • Future-proofing: By becoming more independent of fossil fuels, you protect your business and hopefully your neighborhood from volatile energy prices. You also reduce impacts of ETS2 and the energy tax shift by turning to renewable energy.

6. Planetary Frontiers and Social Impact.

Your energy policy contributes to the bigger picture:

  • UN SDGs: Direct impact on SDG 7, , SDG 12 and SDG 13.
  • Planetary Boundaries: By reducing CO2, you help guard the climate change boundary and protect the biosphere .
  • Minimum Social Limits: Equitable policies ensure the health of guests and staff (air quality) and contribute to local energy security.

7. More Information & Tools

This guide is a living document. By working with local partners and sharing experiences, we are building journeys to tomorrow together.

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