One of our UK-based hotel groups has been using Con-Serve™ to monitor their electricity and gas usage since 2015. In 2017 Considerate Group delivered a series of workshops to address consumption hotspots identified through Con-Serve™, as well as educating staff on initiatives to effectively drive reductions in energy use. The focus was on behavioural change rather than capital investment, and best practices from the industry were then shared among the group, such as reducing boiler temperatures by several degrees, insulating pipes and installing light sensors in public areas.
Through the data housed in Con-Serve™, the effectiveness of these workshops was clear as day! Our analysis of their data shows that their energy costs in 2017 compared to 2016 reduced by more than £150k, with per room night energy costs falling by 16.2%. But lo and behold, with no further initiatives or training sessions, energy consumption in 2018 crept back up by almost £100k compared to 2017. In fact, the appended chart shows that the lowest per room night consumption of 49.79kwh (£2.73), achieved directly after Considerate’s last workshop, has not been reached against since.
“We see time and time again that data on its own does not lead to lasting reductions, and that behaviour does not change overnight,” says our Sustainability Advisor, Leyla Basacik. “And this case proves just that. In order to maintain optimum energy performance, we need to drive continuous engagement – initiatives need to be on-going and employees need regular training and touch points, especially in the hospitality sector where we are dealing with high staff turnover,” adds Leyla.
Further investigation of the group’s 2019 data offers one further interesting correlation. Within the group, the hotels that demonstrated better energy performance were the ones actively using Con-Serve™. So while data alone may not be the direct cause, we see that Con-Serve™ is certainly a valuable operational tool which can facilitate better energy management if used frequently and well.
Contact us with any questions or if we can support you with Con-Serve™ or workshops.
