7 Ways for the Lodging Industry to Reduce Energy Costs

January 9, 2025

In the lodging industry, guest comfort and satisfaction are paramount. At the same time, saving money on operational costs can go a long way for your business. Hotels, motels, and bed and breakfasts can get the best of both worlds by implementing a range of energy efficiency practices.

Check out these tips to reduce your energy use and save money while keeping your guests happy.

Do an energy treasure hunt

Your business probably has dozens of opportunities to save money by reducing energy use. But do you know where to look? ENERGY STAR has a comprehensive checklist that can guide your way.

Efficiency Smart is also available to help your business discover additional ways to save energy and help prioritize your energy efficiency opportunities.

Up the efficiency in your guest rooms

Your guests likely only stay a night or two, so it's important to make it as easy as possible for them to conserve energy in the room. Here are some things to pay attention to:

Turn down the heating/cooling during the day. For rooms with manual heating and cooling, make sure your housekeeping staff adjusts the temperature between guests, in addition to closing the blinds in the summer and opening them in the winter for added temperature regulation. For rooms with smart thermostats, use temperature setbacks during the day when the room is unoccupied. Another option is to use occupancy sensors to control the thermostats.
Turn off the lights during the day. Some hotel rooms require guests to insert their keycard to control the lights. Another low-cost option is putting a sign on the back of the door reminding guests to turn off the lights when they leave. You can also ask your housekeeping staff to turn off the lights when they’re done cleaning a room.
Use efficient appliances and lighting. If your guest rooms have appliances like mini fridges and televisions, make sure you purchase ENERGY STAR-rated models when it’s time to replace them. Make sure to also use LED lights throughout the room.

Maintain your HVAC system

It's a lot cheaper to maintain your HVAC system than to replace it. Regular maintenance of your building's HVAC system will keep your space comfortable and ensure that your equipment lasts longer. Here are some things to keep an eye on:

Change your air filters regularly. When filters are clogged, your HVAC system uses more energy to do the same amount of heating or cooling.
Make sure your condensing unit fins are running smoothly. This is especially important if you've recently had a hail storm or other extreme weather that could damage the fins.

Check out more of our HVAC energy-saving tips

Make your public spaces work smarter, not harder

Do you offer amenities like a pool, a workout room, or a business center? If so, here are some common energy-saving opportunities:

The pool: Make sure your pool has a variable-speed pump. These nifty devices ramp up and down based on your settings, unlike traditional pool pumps which run continuously at high speed. Look for ENERGY STAR-certified products.
The business center: While your guests are getting a good night's sleep, your computers and printers can, too. Use smart power strips so that when one item on the strip is off, they're all off. You can also remotely implement sleep mode on all computer stations during certain hours.
The workout room: Just because your guests are working hard doesn't mean your building should be. First things first: Install an occupancy sensor that turns on the lights when someone's in the room. Make sure it's strategically placed in an area with visibility to all the workout spaces, so that it doesn't accidentally turn off while someone's working out. You can also install a smart power strip that turns off all the workout equipment when one item on the strip is off. Make sure televisions have sleep timers so they turn off after inactivity.
Vending and ice machine room: When your guests are grabbing a late-night snack or a bucket of ice, they need to be able to see. But the rest of the time, there's no harm in keeping the lights off. This is a great space for an occupancy sensor that turns on the lights when it senses motion. When it's time to upgrade your equipment, look for ENERGY STAR-rated vending machines and ice machines.
Restrooms: Automatic faucets are an easy way to reduce water use and water heating costs.
Parking lot: Guests often arrive at night. You can help them get into the building quickly and safely with LED parking lot lights and exterior lighting. LEDs can reduce your energy use by up to 40 percent, and they last up to four times longer than other models, so you'll save a good chunk of change in the long run. Plus, LEDs provide better lighting for security cameras, so you'll get some additional peace of mind.
Lobby and hallways: Make sure that your hallways and lobby are lit with LED lighting.

Plan for kitchen upgrades

Does your facility offer a hot breakfast or serve meals and snacks throughout the day? When it comes to saving energy, commercial kitchens are a gold mine of opportunity. Energy-efficient refrigerators cost less to run, and they're more reliable too, which helps keep your food fresh longer. Another worthwhile investment is an occupancy sensor for your range hood, so the hood only runs when something's cooking.

Check out more of our tips to lower energy costs in your kitchen.

Wash linens more efficiently

Your guests might not need their linens washed daily. You can give guests the option to have their linens washed daily, every other day, or once a week. Just put a little card in the bathroom explaining how your guests can indicate their choice, for example, by leaving towels on the floor. Then, when it comes time to upgrade your commercial washing machine, keep an eye out for an ENERGY STAR-rated machine.

Don't forget the stairwells and elevators

Your guests need to get around the hotel safely and comfortably. In the stairwells, consider a multi-stage occupancy sensor that maintains the lights at a lower level until someone enters, at which point the lights go up to full brightness. If you're building a new hotel, consider an efficient elevator with regenerative drives that store extra energy when descending to reuse during the ascent. If you want to get even more sophisticated, you can implement advanced controls that prevent the elevator from returning to the ground floor unnecessarily; it will just wait on the most recent floor until it's summoned elsewhere.

Want more information?

Efficiency Smart is your energy efficiency partner from start to finish. We can work with your hotel, motel, or bed and breakfast to provide customized recommendations based on your goals. We also provide financial incentives on qualifying projects.

Contact your local account manager or our customer support team at (877) 889-3777 or [email protected] to get started.