Energy Management in Hospitality: a Study of the Thessaloniki Hotels

Abstract

Due to the economic crisis, hoteliers are nowadays more environmentally conscious than ever because it can cost far more to operate a lodging facility if it is not sustainable. Hotels use huge amounts of energy, therefore, investments in more efficient energy use can lead to significant reductions in energy consumption, operating costs and energy bills. Some innovative energy management systems could cut energy costs for hotel owners by up to 65%. The study included in this paper intended to identify the energy saving systems in the 4 and 5 star hotels of Thessaloniki, Greece as well as explore whether these systems reduce the energy and consequently the operating costs of the hotels. Moreover, the findings were compared against the industry averages and a number of solutions for energy efficiency and cost reduction are suggested. Simple green practices (such as energy-efficient lighting) could contribute in costs controlling, as well as in environmental sustainability. Other cost-effective solutions suggested to facility managers include: the adoption of eco-labelling, use of energy toolkits, participation in projects aiming to reducing energy use and the integration of wireless energy management systems. Training of the hotel managers and their staff can lead to better understanding, energy saving and certainly increased profitability.