The Most Effective Ways to Make Your Hotel or Resort More Eco-Friendly
One of the most cost-effective methods of updating a hotel or resort is to invest in measures that will either decrease energy usage or lower their demand for power from an external grid. So, what are the most effective ways in which a hotel can renovate and remodel their complex to be more eco-friendly and energy efficient?
- Utilize Recycled Building Materials
- Depend on Durable Finish Materials
- Implement A Renewable Energy Plan
- Energy Efficniency Upgrades
Utilize Recycled Building Materials
Remodeling a hotel or resort often involves ordering a bulk supply of building materials. This provides the perfect opportunity for a business to rebrand themselves as extremely eco-friendly by purchasing only recycled materials. This will let guests know that the business is dedicated to preserving the world around us. With consumers that are more informed than ever before, they often seek to spend their hard-earned dollars on businesses which will take the extra effort to also care about the same issues as their customers.
Depend on Durable Finish Materials
The truth is there is only so much material which can be derived from recyclables. At some point, hotel developers and renovators seeking eco-friendly approaches will have to opt for first-use materials such as wood, marble, and other elements of the finish. Despite seeming like the opposite of going green, using wood and other natural resources for building environmentally-friendly lodging is actually not a bad idea if done the right way. The key is to opt for high-quality materials which stand the test of time. For example, a Northern California hotel developer might select Mountain View cabinets made from cherry, maple, ash, or one of the many other types of wood with a reputation for durability. While it means depending on natural resources, it ensures the consumption is minimally invasive overtime; if countertops, cabinets, and flooring only have to be replaced once every 30 years instead of every 15, this helps reduce a hotel’s carbon footprint.
Implement a Renewable Energy Plan
A way how hotels conserve energy usage from the grid is by generating their own power thus not requiring energy from the grid to begin with. This is usually done through the use of a solar system. Solar systems are most effective when used in a resort setting as there is often tons of roof space that can be utilized to mount solar modules and generate electricity with entirely free fuel from the sun. For single hotels, a solar system could also be ground mounted in an adjacent field also owned by the hotel. This power can then be fed to the hotel which can then lower energy bills each month. In theory, if a resort were to generate more power than they produce, their power meters would begin to spin backward, and the utility would be required to pay them for this excess power. Additionally, solar can be used to produce hot water which is one of the major power consumers of hotels and resorts. Solar hot water systems utilize the power of the sun to heat a liquid to incredibly high temperatures which is then passed through a coil in a hot water tank. This hot coil heats up the water that can then be used by guests.
Energy Efficiency Upgrades
One of the easiest and fastest returns on investment is by investing in energy efficiency upgrades for lodging sites. This means looking into things like lighting upgrades, HVAC system overhauls, boiler replacements and a variety of other tactics that can greatly reduce the energy bill of a large resort style hotel. Hotel owners can seek to have an energy efficiency audit performed by a qualified professional which can estimate the potential savings based on existing energy rates and proposed changes to the business’ energy systems. It is not out of the realm of possibility to see energy savings of thirty to forty percent when a full energy efficiency plan is put into place at an aging business. In an industry that is highly energy intensive, these savings can make a serious difference in the annual bottom line.
By virtue of their business model, hotels and other forms of lodging are more likely to renovate and remodel than similarly sized enterprise. This gives owners, developers, and investors plenty of opportunities to upgrade to a more energy efficient operation. Not only does it help the Earth, but it also helps their bottom line over time. What’s not to love about that?
