16 Aug
Creating An Energy Efficient Hotel : What Can Be Done
Posted on Aug 16, 2023
by D-ENERGi
Improving the energy efficiency of a hotel you run or own is a great way to save money and reduce the carbon footprint of your business. Not only does this help to reduce business costs but it helps to save the planet too! Since a hotel is unlike any other type of business there are several steps, some of which unique to the hospitality industry, that you can take to make sure that your hotel runs as efficiently as possible. In this blog we offer some top tips for hotel businesses, with advice on how to apply some of the simplest methods for reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency within a hotel.
Consider all areas of the hotel from the bedrooms to the kitchen
Energy efficiency should start in the key areas of your hotel but should become a focus within every aspect and area of the establishment. From the guest rooms through to the kitchen and staff areas. Good energy saving practices should be carried out throughout.
In areas where guests are not permitted, staff can ensure an energy saving culture is created. This can include teams of people making sure that lights and appliances are switched off when necessary. As well as overseeing the proper use of appliances and making sure that these are serviced regularly.
Installing Energy Efficient Technologies
Introducing energy efficient technologies can make a big difference to the overall energy usage of your hotel. Technologies such as LED lighting, solar panels and automatic heating systems are all great options for reducing energy expenditure. As well as offering long-term savings in terms of costs, they also help to significantly reduce carbon emissions which is great news for the environment!
These technologies can also have additional benefits such as improved comfort for guests and staff. For example, LED lighting can provide a brighter, cleaner light than traditional bulbs and solar panels can help to heat hot water. If you’re considering introducing energy efficient technologies into your hotel it’s important to do research and find out which are most suitable for your needs.
Educating Guests on Energy
In the guest rooms, energy-efficient lighting can be installed which is not only more cost effective but also gives off a more pleasant light. Guests should also be encouraged to switch lights and appliances off when they are not in use or when they leave their room for extended periods of time.
For most hotels, laundry has become a hugely expensive and large consumer of energy. This is why you may have already seen some hotels requesting guests use their provided hotel towels for more than one day. This way the hotels can cut down on the amount of energy used for washing and drying.
Regular Inspections and Maintenance
Regular inspections and maintenance of your hotel’s energy systems are also important to ensure that they are running at their most efficient levels. Any potential problems should be looked into and fixed as soon as possible in order to avoid expensive repairs or replacements later on. This can include anything from checking insulation to making sure air conditioning units are serviced.
Making your hotel energy efficient is not only good for business but also important for the planet. By focusing on reducing energy consumption and implementing energy saving technologies, hotels can help to reduce their carbon footprint and make a positive contribution to environmental sustainability. With some thought and effort any hotel can become more eco-friendly and reap the rewards in terms of savings. Creating an energy efficient hotel is a great way to ensure the future of your business and the planet.
What is P272? P27what? You aren’t alone in the dark about P272. P272 is regarded as one of the biggest shakeups to the business electricity market since deregulation. Sounds more like a character out of star wars, but here are some facts on P272, which we have put together hopefully jargon free. If you unsure on how P272 affects your business please do not hesitate to contact us for free on 0800 781 7626, we will be delighted to help you further. You may also like to view our infographic and visit our support page dedicated to the P272 OFGEM legislation.
The Facts – What Is P272
P272 is a new regulation which has been implemented by OFGEM. It affects the way suppliers settle electricity consumption for businesses with a specified energy use. Resulting in sites being changed to half hourly.
Remember, remember the 5th November… “Guy Fawkes?”. No, no… this is when the P272 migration began! The deadline for all sites to be settled to Half-Hourly is 1st April 2017. Don’t be fooled by the date, it really is 1st April! Also, don’t be put off by the 2017 threat – it’ll be here before you know it!
The settlement is being put in place in order for suppliers to balance the amount of energy being purchased from the Generators. The aim for P272 is to make the readings more accurate via the half hourly consumption. This will provide distributors with more understanding on electricity use. This results in networks ensuring they are sufficiently developed and maintained.
Ultimately, P272 helps you and your business manage and also use the energy smartly. It gives you the opportunity to see where and when you are consuming energy. Also, a more accurate settlement which could lead to better tariff rates… something nobody would say no to, agreed?
Now you (hopefully) have a little more understanding of P272 here is how to prepare:
Learn if your portfolio is affected.
Speak to your supplier, they will be more than happy to explore your options with you.
Select your Half-Hourly Meter and Data Collector.
If your business has a maximum demand electricity supply categorised by profile classes:
05 06 07 08
And you have an Automated Meter Reading meter of which is capable of HH data collection and remote programming. Just to let you know… 160,000 sites are affected so it is definitely worth double, maybe even triple checking!
“How do I check?!” I hear you say? Simple… you just check the S number at the top of your electricity bill to find out your sites profile class.
Believe it or not, P272 can be very beneficial for you and here’s why:
You receive accurate billing
It offers you the ability to avoid peak times of electricity use
It gives you an insight on your energy usage
It allows you to make room for an opportunity of improvement and efficiency
REMEMBER…
This is an OFGEM regulation affecting ALL maximum demand meters and ALL electricity suppliers equally. If you’re being advised P272 does not affect your business, please let us double check this for you.
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A Russian rocket blasted into space this month to investigate whether any methane gas is present on Mars, as part of the joint ExoMars project created by the European and Russian space agencies.
Methane is a gas created by living microbes, and if it were to be detected it would be a revelation in the space industry as it could prove that life exists or existed on the red planet, some 225 million kilometres away from the Earth (which is itself something of a shock, given that in 2003 Mars was a mere 56 million kms away).
We already know there is life-giving water on Mars. Just like the Earth it has ice caps, although the water they contain is more elusive. The American space agency NASA made a huge discovery in 2006 when it found there was water flowing through the planet in even the hottest months of the year, and that the ‘lines’ that appear on our satellite images of Mars are streaks of flowing salt water.
That’s when the questions ‘did life exist on Mars, and can we find out?’ really started to arise.
The ExoMars project involves sending up a Trace Gas Orbiter to sniff the Martian atmosphere for methane, and if the results are positive then this would establish that methane has been generated via geology or a biological process.
As part of the same mission, a stationary lander called Schiaparelli will test the technology for a subsequent mission – ExoMars 2018 – which will see a UK-built rover collect soil samples filled with water particles and drill below the planet’s surface to look for other signs of life. That’s when the search for Martian life will start in earnest.
These two projects combined will cost an eye-watering £900 million but isn’t it worth it for the chance to make one of the biggest discoveries of all time? What a time to be alive!
Planetary scientist Dr Peter Grindrod, from Birkbeck, University of London, who is funded by the UK Space Agency, certainly thinks so. “It’s incredibly exciting,” he enthused. “This is a series of missions that’s trying to address one of the fundamental questions in science: is there life anywhere else besides the Earth? Finding that life exists elsewhere in the solar system would be a huge discovery, so the evidence has to be strong. As they say, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
Wouldn’t it be amazing to find out if there really is Life On Mars, or if there has been in the past. It’s astonishing to think there could be more than just us Earthlings in our solar system!
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