Electricity Rates for HotelsHotels are a critical part of the travel, tourism and hospitality industry within the United States and the rest of the world. These buildings not only provide a place for travellers to rest their weary heads, but also use a significant amount of energy – both electricity and natural gas.

With guest comfort at the forefront of any hotel’s design, over the past ten years, the industry has had to tackle the growing problem of energy conservation for many reasons. These reasons include growth, changing markets, improved technologies, and a desire to conserve both cost and energy.

For many of us, our knowledge of the hotel industry is limited to the room we stay in during our visit to a particular location. The information provided here aims to change all that.

Continue reading to learn more about the industry, and the different ways in which it uses energy to run its daily operations.

Industry Subsections

There are several industry subsectors associated with hotels. These subsectors include,

ACCOMODATIONS

Hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts are classified as a form accommodation for both business and vacation travellers. It is the largest subsector and provides 19% of the total travel industry service.

FOOD SERVICE

Typically, hotels have one to many restaurants or bars located within the building. This is where the kitchens are located. The kitchens, and the staff that work there, provide food to guests, staff and locals. The one perk guests of any hotel can enjoy is, room service.

AIR TRAVEL

Many hotels are located near or are directly connected to airports. The reason for this is to accommodate traveller?s requirements when it comes to early flights, or even cancellations that occur due to weather or other delays. The success of a hotel in this subsector depends on the popularity of the location as well as the size of the airport.

Business Stats

For 2016, the hotel industry was slated to produce 550 billion in global revenue. The hotels in the United States that have so far contributed to this prediction include, Hilton Worldwide, which has 3,992 hotels located across the globe, as well as Marriot International, which has 3,672 hotels worldwide.

The following are some additional stats about the hotel industry in America:

Most Expensive Hotels: Hawaii & New York
Revenue of industry in U.S: 163 billion
Occupancy Rate: 65.6%
Average Daily Rate: $120.01
Average Highest Rate (New York): $271.00
Number of Hotels & Motels: 47,000

Utility Stats

Due to their size and number of rooms, hotels consume a lot of energy. Electricity is the largest source consumed, while water heating that uses natural gas comes in at a close second.

ELECTRICITY USAGE

A hotel?s use of electricity can be broken down over the following elements:

Lighting ? 57%
Cooking ? 1%
Computer Equipment ? 2%
Ventilation ? 2%
Office Equipment ? 2%
Refrigeration ? 5%
Water Heating ? 5%
Heating ? 6%
Cooling ? 10%
Other ? 10%

NATURAL GAS

Hotels use natural gas for the following:

Water Heating ? 65%
Cooking ? 7%
Heating ? 21%
Other ? 7%

Hotels in particular need to remain aware of their peak demand in order to keep their energy consumption reasonable and cost effective. There are many things managers, and others employees who work in the building, do to help address these issues.

Back Rooms & Lobby ? many hotel managers will request that maintenance turn HVAC settings down during hours of low use.

Laundry ? staff are encouraged to set washing temperatures to 120 degrees Fahrenheit for maximum energy conservation. This temperature is also effective for dishes and other water needs.

Pools and Hot Tubs ? cover both when not in use to prevent heat from escaping. This can save 50 ? 70% on a pool or hot tub’s energy use.

Housekeeping ? when staff cleans a room, they will turn off all lights and lower room temperature. When guests return, they have the option to turn the lights back on and the temperature up.

Fitness Rooms ? many hotel fitness rooms have low flow, automatic showerheads and faucets to help reduce the waste of hot water.

Front Desk ? staff are directed to book rooms in clusters whenever possible to centralize heating and lighting use.

Office Equipment ? in general, computers can be set to use less energy. Otherwise, staff will turn off monitors and other equipment.

Major Operations – Energy Equipment

HVAC

These systems, while costly, provide hotel guests with the comfort they need to enjoy their stay. While it might seem like an indulgence, modern hotel HVAC models come with the ability to program different functions based on time of day, area or rooms within the hotel and more. It is using equipments like specialized HVACs that enables hotels to reduce their energy consumption, while also provide heating, cooling and ventilation to their guests.

LAUNDRY FACILITIES

Most hotels have multiple industrial washers and dryers to handle the massive loads of sheets and towels that need to get cleaned every day. Water heating makes up a third of a hotel’s energy usage. To help, hotels will typically use commercial water heaters because they are up to four times more effective and efficient than conventional models. To really benefit from cost savings and reduced energy consumption, hotels use direct-vent, sealed combustion condensing water heaters. These units are 90% more efficient than its competitors.

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT

In order to feed the constant flow of guests that come in and out of the hotel, its restaurant kitchens must be equipped to handle many orders at the same time. Similar to how any regular restaurant would work, hotel kitchens require large refrigeration units, as well as special ovens. Kitchens also require lights and other appliances to help staff prepare and cook the food. Overall, this means that the kitchen area of any hotel is another space where large quantities of energy are consumed.

Hotel Green Energy Initiatives

Many hotels in the United States are trying to deal with the rising costs of providing energy for so many different rooms. Visitors and business travellers sometimes forget to turn off lights and leave televisions on. In addition, the amount of sheets and towels that guests will use when they only stay for a few days can get a little ridiculous.

Many hotels have started Green Energy programs. These programs are simple and don’t really require much effort from guests. These hotels will often ask guests who are only staying a few nights to indicate that they don’t want their sheets or towels changed. If a guest participates, the hotel might provide vouchers for a free breakfast or drink at the bar.

There are many green hotels in deregulated areas within the United States. They include,

  • Element New York Times Square West (New York)
  • Berkshire Shirakaba (Massachusetts)
  • Golden Arrow Lakeshore Resort (New York)
  • Habitat Suites Hotel (Texas)
  • Williard InterContinental (Washington)

Companies of Note

There are hundreds of major hotels located all over the United States. Many of these hotels are located in deregulated states, which gives them the option to choose their supplier. These hotels include,

Texas

  • Embassy Suites by Hilton
  • The Westin Dallas Fort Worth Airport
  • Radisson Hotel
  • Hampton Inn and Suites
  • Crowne Plaza

Pennsylvania

  • Best Western
  • The Windsor Suites
  • Red Roof Inn
  • Aloft Philadelphia Airport
  • The Radnor Hotel

New York

  • Sheraton
  • ROW NYC
  • Park Central New York
  • The Roosevelt Hotel
  • The Shoreham Hotel

Maine

  • Four Points by Sheraton Bangor Airport Hotel
  • Howard Johnson Inn
  • Comfort Inn
  • Ramada Inn
  • Hilton Garden Inn

There are many other energy deregulated states, as well as hotel chains. The examples above serve to provide a snapshot of these options.