The hospitality industry is undergoing a significant shift, with businesses transitioning from traditional operating practices to more sustainable approaches. With ambitious targets for energy management efficiency and a commitment to reaching net zero, companies are actively exploring strategies to manage energy use and make environmentally responsible choices. These efforts are paving the way for a fully eco-conscious approach, helping hospitality businesses reduce their carbon footprint while also lowering costs.
By adopting strategies like energy monitoring, installing smart upgrades, and incorporating renewable energy sources, hospitality businesses can move closer to achieving their net zero goals. In this post, IMS connect outlines the importance of net zero in the hospitality industry and shares 3 effective energy management strategies you can put into action.
Why net zero is important for the hospitality industry
The hospitality industry is increasingly committing to net-zero targets, with businesses redefining how they operate to reduce their carbon footprints and enhance environmental responsibility. Achieving net zero is crucial for the ongoing success of hospitality as businesses work to meet their set sustainability goals and adapt to changing guest expectations. This shift towards greener practices not only benefits the planet, but also builds a forward-thinking reputation that resonates with environmentally conscious guests and customers.
What is net zero?
Net zero refers to the goal of balancing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted with an equal amount of carbon removed from the atmosphere – a process known as carbon removal. This global target is essential for preventing further climate change and requires collective action from industries, businesses, and individuals worldwide. Achieving net zero involves reducing emissions as much as possible while offsetting any remaining emissions to reach a neutral balance.
For businesses in the hospitality industry, committing to net zero demonstrates their leadership in sustainability and helps future-proof operations against evolving environmental regulations and guest expectations.
Why is it important for the hotel industry?
The journey to net zero for the hotel industry provides them with the opportunity to reduce their impact on the environment, whilst also addressing the rising demand for sustainable practices. By striving for this goal, hotels can lower their carbon emissions, cut their costs, and enhance their reputation as an environmentally friendly place to stay. Below, we highlight 3 net-zero approaches that support hotels in reaching their emission-free targets.
Reducing carbon emissions: Pursuing net zero goals helps hotels to play a meaningful role in addressing climate change by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions. Given the high energy demands of the hospitality industry, focusing on energy efficiency and renewable energy sources can substantially cut their emissions. By making these adjustments, hotels not only contribute to environmental protection but also become part of the larger sustainability movement within the industry.
Improving operational efficiency and lower costs: Net zero initiatives also benefit hotel operations by reducing their energy consumption, which leads to lower operating costs. Hotels often face high energy costs due to their substantial electricity demands, but through energy efficient upgrades can significantly lower these costs whilst boosting overall efficiency. These improvements enable hotels to achieve their sustainability goals, whilst also benefiting from cost savings.
Meeting guest expectations and lead in responsible tourism: Today’s guests increasingly prioritise eco-friendly accommodation, and commitments to carbon neutrality resonate with their values. By adopting sustainable practices, hotels can attract this growing demographic while setting a benchmark for the industry. This approach not only inspires other hotels to embrace sustainable practices but also enhances the hospitality sector’s collective positive impact on the environment.
3 strategies for energy management for hospitality businesses
For businesses within the hospitality industry, various strategies can enhance energy management and support their path toward net zero. Here are just 3 key strategies that hospitality businesses can implement to meet their sustainability goals and achieve a greener future:
– Monitoring and targeting
For hospitality businesses with net zero and sustainability targets, monitoring and targeting energy use is fundamental. Having real-time visibility of energy consumption allows businesses to track where energy is used, understand usage patterns, and make data-driven adjustments.
Without this visibility, it’s challenging to pinpoint areas of high energy use or identify waste, which directly impacts both environmental goals and operational costs. Monitoring tools offer essential insights into usage trends, empowering hotels to implement targeted strategies that improve efficiency, cut costs, and advance sustainability goals.
– Lighting
Lighting is a key area for improvement in hospitality, where switching from traditional fluorescent lighting to LED can significantly reduce energy use. LEDs are not only more energy-efficient but also have a longer lifespan, reducing future costs. Integrating intelligent lighting systems, such as occupancy sensors and timers, enhances efficiency by ensuring lights are only on when needed.
Smart lighting solutions can also often adjust brightness based on natural daylight levels, reducing unnecessary energy use throughout the day. These lighting upgrades, alongside other retrofit adjustments like smart meters and advanced HVAC systems, create a more sustainable environment while lowering operational costs and energy use.
– Renewable energy sources
Incorporating renewable energy sources like solar panels, wind turbines, or small-scale hydro systems allows hotels to generate “behind the meter” energy. This onsite renewable energy supports net zero targets by reducing reliance on grid electricity and lowering carbon emissions. Solar panels, for example, can supply energy for lighting and heating, while wind or hydro options may be suitable for certain locations, depending on environmental factors and property layout.
Many hospitality businesses are also pairing renewable energy systems with battery storage, allowing them to store excess energy for use during peak times or cloudy days. By implementing these renewable systems, hospitality businesses can sustainably manage energy needs, lower costs, and further align with environmental goals.
Achieve your sustainability targets with IMS connect’s net zero experience
At IMS connect, we are driven by a passion for real environmental change – helping hospitality businesses to make a lasting, positive impact on the planet. Our range of energy management solutions is designed to propel your sustainability goals and help you achieve carbon neutrality through our hardware, software, and ongoing professional services. Whether you manage a hotel, serviced apartment, or aparthotel, our Net Zero Experience equips your hospitality business with the data, visibility, and energy efficiency solutions needed for net zero success.
Our innovative IoT technology suite is designed to deliver your business impact from day one. All accessible at your fingertips through an app, it provides a comprehensive, minute-by-minute view of your energy usage along with smart recommendations and insights, enabling you to identify optimisations and unlock energy savings. By working with IMS connect, you can stay fully in control of your hospitality businesses energy management journey, with our full support along your net zero mission.
Contact IMS connect today
Ready to join the net zero movement for your hospitality business with IMS connect? Contact us today to get started. Fill out our online contact form, call us directly on +353 61 310 752, or email us at sales@imsconnect.com. Partner with IMS connect to transform your hospitality business into an energy-efficient, carbon-neutral environment through our Net Zero Experience.
IMS connect is a go-to partner for organisations who want to achieve or maintain the ISO 50001 certification, the international standard for energy management systems. We provide accurate data collection and performance measurement tools so you can measure energy use, identify opportunities for improvement and drive efficiency. Whether you are already certified, have taken steps toward certification, or are at the very beginning of this journey IMS connect has the resources and expertise to help you simplify compliance, improve energy performance and achieve long term energy management success.
