Can older hotels become energy efficient in a simple and cost-effective way? Yes, and it starts in the guestroom with some easily installed equipment that has a fast payback. Using the guestroom keycard to send the room into occupied or unoccupied mode gives the guest the control they expect, while saving properties money in empty rooms.
There are a number of ways a 15- or 20-year-old hotel can see increases in the bottom line without major renovations or loss of available room nights. We all know that simple fixes like changing a light bulb can have a noticeable decrease in energy consumption. Going just a bit further, with HVAC controls, can save as much as 45 percent of in-room energy consumption.
The days of energy efficiency being too expensive to implement have been overridden by skyrocketing energy costs and increased product innovation and competition. The competition among the many different energy conservation suppliers lends itself to more affordable solutions. Hotel guests also express more interest in “green” hotels. Tax credits and rebates are making it more worthwhile every day to invest in energy management systems (EMS). A simple plug-in system or new thermostat is a very fast way to reduce your energy costs and does not result in any lost room availability.
Why Use the Keycard?
The keycard switch has proven itself around the world as a simple, effective way to positively determine occupancy. Motion detection systems are likely to invite guest complaints by giving a false reading of “unoccupied” during sleeping or other quiet times. One chain in particular has started systematically removing their in-room motion sensors because of too many guest complaints and battery life and disposal issues.
Properties in Europe and Asia have used the guests’ room keys to control energy costs for more than a decade and it is becoming more common every day in the United States. Property owners can use market-proven, battery-free, wireless technology to implement a keycard-based EMS that can install in five to 10 minutes, has no batteries to maintain and pays for itself in a matter of months. Payback time can be even faster when using government credits and utility rebates. These systems can be used with virtually any type of heating and cooling system.
How Much Will My Property Save?
While individual guest behavior is impossible to predict, shutting off or setting back the HVAC is an effective method of reducing energy costs. While reports have shown that an up to 60 percent reduction in energy can be achieved with a keycard-based system, it is more likely to be between 20 to 45 percent. The range is large because of the variables in guest behavior, environment and energy costs. This is also based on in-room energy usage only; it does not include public spaces.
Every dollar wasted comes off the bottom line, impacting RevPAR and property performance. In-room conservation options have attracted the attention of the U.S. government and the utility companies across North America. There is a growing awareness in the hospitality industry of reducing such waste.
The U.S. government EPACT, which was recently extended to 2013, gives a property owner the ability to apply a $1.80 per square foot federal tax deduction for efficiency upgrades. This means a 300-square-foot guestroom can qualify for up to $540 in federal deductions, $180 of that for HVAC alone, with the other $360 deduction per room available for lighting and building envelope upgrades. Utility companies have been seeing the results of in-room EMS as well, with some pledging as much as 50 percent of the installed cost in rebates. Available incentives can help the property achieve payback on their investment in five to nine months.
Troy Davis is vice president, North America for RoomEnergy and has experience in building controls, HVAC and energy efficiency.
