Optimizing Energy Performance in U.S. Hotels

Jean Garris Hand and Andrew Schulte, ICF International

Keywords

Abstract

The hospitality industry has weathered many storms in recent years, including the devastating 9/11 decreases in tourism and business travel, being targeted for terrorist acts abroad, and suffering severe damage in the Gulf Coast following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Despite these setbacks, the industry has made significant progress on its road to recovery, and there are
optimistic predictions of the industry’s financial future. At the same time, however, the issue of rising energy costs has come to the forefront and has become a standing topic of discussion among the industry’s C-level executives and their engineering managers.

The unique characteristics of hotels offer an opportunity for creative energy efficiency initiatives. Hotel guests are accustomed to having clean towels and linens daily, to taking long, hot showers, and to leaving the lights on and the air conditioning running even when no longer in the room. Despite these factors, leading hotel companies are demonstrating that strategic energy management can cut waste and have a dramatic effect on the bottom line – often resulting in energy cost savings of over 20%.

This paper will evaluate the state of the current marketplace, discuss the impacts of rising energy prices on the hospitality industry, and present various approaches by which hoteliers can save energy and increase profits. Best practices, low-cost opportunities, lessons learned, and effective strategies of high performing hotels will be outlined through case studies. Finally, we will introduce some promising educational tools and resources, as well as innovative utility and state-sponsored energy efficiency programs targeting the hospitality industry.