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HospitalitySaving energy without compromising comfortenter

HospitalityContents264Energy management andpeople solutionsEnergy consumption inhospitality businesses5Next steps28Go online to get more29Opportunities for energy saving7Heating and domestic hot water7Ventilation and air conditioning11Lighting13Building fabric19Catering21Leisure and fitness facilities24Preface3Introduction2

HospitalityPrefaceReducing energy use makes perfect business sense; it saves money,enhances corporate reputation and helps everyone in the fight againstclimate change.The Carbon Trust provides simple, effective advice to help businessestake action to reduce carbon emissions, and the simplest way to do thisis to use energy more efficiently.This overview introduces the main energy saving opportunities for thehospitality sector and demonstrates how simple actions save energy, cutcosts and increase profit margins.3

HospitalityIntroductionSaving energy is one of the simplest ways to increase profits.Within the hospitality sector, energy costs may only bea small percentage of turnover, but reducing them candirectly increase revenue without the need to increasesales. Money saved on energy goes straight to thebottom line which makes businesses morecompetitive – and with rising energy prices, this ismore important than ever. Purchasing energy sourcesthat are recognised as 100% renewable will helpachieve long term cost savings, alongside ensuringthat the company’s carbon footprint is being reduced.The implementation of simple energy efficiencymeasures can further increase levels of staff andcustomer comfort as well as improving generalmorale.Fact:Energy used in catering accounts for between 4and 6% of operating profits. Saving energy candirectly increase revenue and profitabilitywithout the need to increase sales.In addition to financial and customer service benefits,there are of course, social and environmentaladvantages to reducing energy consumption, such asmitigating climate change. Increasing awarenessabout these issues has seen customers and guestsbecoming more discerning about the environmentalcredentials of the businesses they deal with. Beingenergy efficient can enhance business reputation andhelp to attract more customers.Controlling energy use often makes conditions morecomfortable for guests and customers – andcomfortable customers will be encouraged to return.Who is this publication for?Managers and staff in most hospitality organisationsincluding pubs, restaurants, hotels and guesthouses can benefit from the advice in thispublication. Focusing on low and no-cost measureswith quick paybacks, this overview demonstratesthe best energy saving opportunities for hospitalitybusinesses and will help managers to: Assess the potential for energy savings andhighlight areas where businesses can improve. Raise awareness of energy conservation amongststaff and motivate them to reduce waste.4

Hospitality5Energy consumption in hospitality businessesAnnual energy costs for this sector are in excess of 1.3 billion, resulting in carbon emissions of more than8 million tonnes per yearHospitality businesses are expanding rapidly with anumber of leading brands experiencing significantgrowth. This means that the relative energyconsumption of the sector could increasedramatically unless a proactive approachis taken to improve energy efficiency.Did you know? A range of modern controls exist to switchenergy consuming services down or off. Controls can be implemented to saveenergy in a number of cases e.g. when anindividual vacates a room, storeroom, officeand back of house areas.The hospitality sector is diverse, comprising hotels,guest houses, pubs, bars, restaurants and othercatering establishments. Despite the diversity, thereare several common areas where energy is wasted.The pie charts on the next page show where hotelsand pubs use the most energy and where the biggestsavings can be made: which are in heating, lighting,hot water, and catering.In each of the areas identified in the pie charts, thereare three main opportunities to save energy:Switching offAll energy consuming equipment should be switchedoff when not required. This can be done by staff, or byusing automatic switches or building control systems.MaintenanceA number of energy efficiency measures can becarried out as part of routine maintenance.RefurbishmentThe hospitality industry renews and refurbishespremises on a regular basis. Most professionalestablishments refurbish every 7–10 years and thisprovides a significant opportunity for energy savings.Some hospitality businesses have seen energy costsreduce by as much as 40% when energy efficiencyopportunities are maximised during refurbishment.Within the hospitality sector, an establishment cantypically achieve a 10% or more reduction in energyuse by implementing some simple efficiencymeasures. With additional investment in energyefficiency, Carbon Trust surveys indicate thatpotential carbon savings of 6% are achievable frommeasures with a payback period of less than oneyear, rising to 12-13% for measures with paybackperiods of 1-2 years.

HospitalityFigure 1 Indicative breakdown of energy use within theaverage hotelFigure 2 Indicative breakdown of energy use within theaverage pub6

HospitalityOpportunities for energy savingBusinesses should focus on implementing a variety of both short and long term energy saving strategies.Whilst low cost ‘Quick Wins’ can deliver immediate efficiency improvements and reduce costs by up to10%, longer term solutions can deliver greater cost savings of up to 20-25%.Heating and domestic hot waterHeating can account for more than 40% of energy usein non-domestic buildings which means that there arebig opportunities to make savings.Most managers recognise the importance of keepingcustomers and guests comfortable, but many do notrealise that it is possible to improve the efficiencyand minimise the cost of heating and hot water.HeatingCosts can be reduced by maintaining appropriatetemperatures and ensuring that heating equipmentand controls are operated and managed correctly. Infact, it is possible to save up to 20% on heating coststhrough the implementation of some simple energysaving measures.Table 1 Recommended temperatures for specificareas in hospitality businessesRoom TypeTemperature (ºC)*Bars, lounges20-22Guest bathrooms26-27Guest bedrooms19-21 Restaurants &dining rooms22-24Corridors19-21Kitchens16-18Appropriate internal temperaturesA good starting point is to know the recommendedtemperatures for specific areas in hospitalitybusinesses and use that as a guide.*Source: Adapted from Environmental Design CIBSEGuide A, 2006.Maintain boilers and pipeworkHave boilers serviced regularly by a reputable firm.Gas-fired boilers should be serviced once a year; oilboilers twice a year. A regularly serviced boiler couldpotentially save 5% on annual heating costs, andensure the continued smooth operation of the boilerand heating system.Boilers, hot water tanks, pipes and valves should beinsulated to prevent heat escaping. Payback canusually be expected within a few months ofinstallation, with additional savings in subsequentyears.See the Carbon Trust’s technology overview ofHeating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)(CTV046v3) for more detailed information on HVACopportunities.7

HospitalityControlling systemsCase StudyWhat other hospitality businesses are doingA luxury hotel in the West Midlands wasidentified to have two inefficient gas waterheaters that were only operating at 60%efficiency. With the help of the Carbon Trust, twonew water heaters were identified with animproved performance efficiency of over 90%.Alongside further improvements to existingboiler systems across the hotel, it is expectedthat these changes will help contribute towardsan annual saving of 5,500.Often, simple adjustments to the location and settingof controls can reduce costs without affecting staffand customer comfort. Some signs of poor controlinclude: Heating being on in unoccupied areas, becausetimers are not set correctly. Heating being on too high or not high enough,because the thermostat is located where sunlight,radiators or other heat sources affect the reading.Ensure controls match building and room occupancy.Check that the system is operating only during hourswhen staff and customers need heating, ventilationand cooling. Requirements will vary throughout theday. Use programmable time switches to helpautomate this process so that nobody forgets – andensure time settings are reviewed every month or soto check that they are correct. Many systems functioninefficiently because someone made a short-termadjustment and then forgot about it.ThermostatsThe location of thermostats is very important. Checkthey are not influenced by draughts, sunlight or internal heat sources like radiators or fireplaces. Discourage staff from using thermostats as on/off switches8heating process; the space simply overheats, makingcustomers uncomfortable.Thermostats should be regularly checked to ensurethat they are working correctly. Some businesses useseparate room thermometers to double check thatthermostats are turning the heating on when required.Heating should only be on if the temperature dropsbelow the recommended minimum (see the table onpage 7). If heating is on above these temperatures,check thermostats and adjust accordingly. If they arealready set correctly and the heating is still on, ask aqualified heating technician to check or replace them.Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs)A TRV is a simple control valve with an air temperaturesensor, used to control the heat output from a radiatorby adjusting water flow. Correctly fitted and operatedTRVs can provide efficient, localised control. In a largeroom with several radiators and a variety of activitiesand heat gains, control of individual radiators canprovide the correct level of localised heating. Forexample, in crowded pubs, restaurants and commonareas of hotels, TRVs will reduce the amount of heatoutput from radiators as the space fills with people –and their own body heat. It is therefore important tocheck settings regularly and adjust appropriately toprovide optimum comfort conditions. Tamper-proofTRVs will prevent customers from altering the setting.