Hotels and Resorts

Buiness Challenge

The lodging industry spends an average of $900 per room annually on energy. Major energy expenditures in the hotels and resorts sector include water heating (41%), lighting for guest rooms and common areas (18%), space heating (18%), and ventilation and air conditioning systems (7%). Reducing energy costs while continuing to meet and exceed a diverse range of customer expectations is challenging.

The range in costs between energy efficient properties and those properties that are inefficient is more than 350 percent! Research has shown that the age of a hotel and its use of energy efficient technologies DO NOT determine where a property may fall within this range.

Value of Energy Management

Recent research has shown that, on average, hotels could cut energy costs by 20 percent or more by adopting proven energy efficiency measures. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has calculated that the cost savings associated with a 10-percent improvement in energy efficiency is equivalent to increasing average daily room rates by 62 cents and $1.35, for limited-service and full-service hotels, respectively. Energy efficiency improvements to lighting, controls, and heating and ventilation (HVAC) systems can drastically reduce operating costs. In addition, incorporating good energy management strategies and best practices will provide many other benefits, including:

• Reduces risk of future energy price increases
• Encourages organization sustainability
• Encourages employee pride and job satisfaction
• Builds "green" awareness
• Increases profitability.

Energy efficiency policies and programs could also support the hotel's marketing and branding messages. In summary, superior energy efficiency protects and enhances a property's bottom line and increases its asset value, as well as protecting the environment.

NHI's Hotels and Resorts Solution Can Help

Based on our client experience, we know that every property can achieve energy savings. But energy efficiency doesn't happen without management commitment, a strategy, and a plan.

NHI offers a variety of solutions to help hotel managers incorporate energy efficiency into their hotel operations. NHI helps hotels and resorts improve their overall energy management, identify and source energy efficiency technology and service providers, and benchmark energy use data. NHI works with providers of energy efficiency technologies and services to raise the visibility of energy efficiency within the industry in and to educate hotels on energy saving opportunities. Some of NHI's specific services for the hotel sector include:

• Minimizing hotel operating costs through proven energy reduction practices, processes, and technologies
• Helping hotels incorporate energy efficiency measures at the design and construction stages
• Developing and disseminating energy and water efficiency guidebooks
• Conducting classroom and hands-on training for hotel management and energy managers
• Disseminating energy efficiency case studies
• Training hotel managers and engineers to benchmark energy-use data to identify improvements and track results
• Creating networks of hotel energy managers to share information and resources
• Developing Internet accessible resources for hotels to source information on energy efficiency technologies and services
• Encouraging hoteliers to adopt and obtain energy and environmental certification.

We can help you achieve greater guest comfort, extended equipment life, lower operating costs, a cleaner environment, and improved financial performance.