PERSPECTIVE
Want to save money ?
REDUCE UTILITY COSTS . HERE ’ S HOW .
Contributed by JOHN PAULSEN , HOTELAVE
percentage of revenue , this surged from 2.8 % in 2019 to 3.3 % in 2022 . With utility costs forecasted to increase in the coming years , hotel operators need to take action to reduce this expense .
Step one : Conduct an energy audit There are numerous energy audit templates available to assist operators in creating a baseline of data actions related to energy consumption and waste . hotelAVE updates the energy audit annually to add the latest information that can assist property managers in reviewing energy-efficiency initiatives . The current checklist has 158 items that should be checked and reviewed by the property team . Some examples of these items include the following questions :
• What temperature does the housekeeper set the thermostats after cleaning guestrooms ?
• Do the stairwells and back-of-house areas have motion sensors to automatically shut off lights ?
• Does the property have an “ Opt-Out ” towel and linen replacement program in place ?
• Do housekeepers report leaks promptly ?
• Are kitchen appliances Energy Star rated ?
• How often are the seals checked for leaks on refrigerators and ovens ?
• Are PTAC filters cleaned quarterly or monthly ?
• Is the HVAC equipment checked by a licensed contractor on a semi-annual basis ?
Conducting an energy audit will provide the operator with a baseline of data to evaluate and , subsequently , come up with a plan to make changes .
Step two : Create an energy reduction plan Address areas that will have the most impact and yield the best results . Select different items to address each month and develop a plan to create the desired change . Examples include :
➀ Instruct housekeepers to leave each vacant room at a set temperature point — 68 ° F in winter and 76 ° F in summer .
• Participate in room attendant stand up meetings to explain why this is important and how they can help to reduce energy consumption by doing this simple step every day .
• Ask for room attendants ’ assistance and make them part of the solution .
➁ Tackle a light bulb audit when the engineering team is conducting preventive maintenance checks in the guestrooms .
• Replace any older incandescent bulbs with more efficient CFLs or LED bulbs .
• A ROI analysis should be conducted on guestroom bulbs to determine if more expensive LED bulbs should be installed .
• Ensure that any CFL fixtures are the most efficient with improved ballasts .
➂ Ensure thermometers are calibrated regularly .
• Equipment used to test temperatures should be calibrated correctly to provide the user with proper data .
September 2023 hotelsmag . com 67