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Empowering Small Business

Lodging

Hotels, motels and other hospitality facilities often generate excessive energy waste. Cut energy costs, improve your operational performance and enhance guest comfort with these tips.

Savings Opportunities: Peak Demand Management

Discover ways to maximize energy savings and manage demand. Check out the tips below to improve efficiency in each area of your hotel or motel.

HVAC
  • Seal cracks around windows, doors and packaged terminal air conditioner (PTAC) units.
  • Add weather-stripping to doors and operable windows.
  • Install guest room controls that adjust the temperature when vacant.
  • Install shade screens or window film to reduce solar heat gain.
  • Achieve energy savings and avoid frequent HVAC breakdowns with proper preventive maintenance.
  • Replace older PTAC units with energy-efficient models and save 30% or more.
  • Install an energy management system (EMS) to centralize control of HVAC equipment.

To see if your business qualifies for free AC maintenance services, please visit the LADWP AC Optimization Program website. If you have questions, please email acopt@ladwp.com or call 1-855-665-9469.

Plug Loads
  • Buy ENERGY STAR-certified televisions, refrigerators, ice machines and microwave ovens for guest rooms.
  • Turn off exercise equipment overnight.
  • Use timers on exterior signage and pool pumps.
  • Schedule pool pumps to run outside the peak hours of 1-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
  • Utilize the power-saving mode on room entertainment equipment and network computers.
  • Use smart power strips to turn off televisions, microwaves and refrigerators when a room is vacant.
  • Use vending machine controls to reduce lighting and refrigeration loads during periods of non-use.
Appliances
  • Modern detergents and bleaches allow laundry to be safely washed at lower water temperatures, which reduces water-heating costs.
  • Replace electric-resistance hot water tanks with heat pump water heaters or add timers.
  • Replacing a 2.6-gallon, pre-rinse spray valve with a 1.6-gallon, low-flow model in your restaurant can save about 22,000 gallons of hot water per year.
  • Dishwasher booster heaters provide a high-efficiency and cost-effective solution for sanitizing dishes in the final rinse.
  • Check and replace refrigerator door gaskets to prevent the escape of cool air.

The LADWP offers rebates for water conservation equipment. For more information please visit the Water Conservation Rebate Program website.

To learn how your business can obtain free water conservation items, send an email to waterconservation@ladwp.com or call 1-800-544-4498 and press "5."

To learn how your business can save money on appliances (food service equipment), visit the LADWP Food Service Program website. If you have any questions, please email foodservice@ladwp.com or call 1-213-367-4134.

Lighting
  • Purchase indoor lighting with an 80+ CRI color quality rating.
  • Replace fluorescent lamps with LEDs and save 30% or more.
  • Use high illumination levels and high CCT (over 4000K) for common areas and outdoor lighting.
  • Use lower illumination levels and lower CCT (less than 3000K) for guest rooms.
  • Take advantage of natural light.
  • Turn off all lights in unoccupied spaces of your hotel or motel.
  • Install occupancy sensors in guest bathrooms, exercise rooms, storage areas and meeting rooms.
  • Control lighting with timers, occupancy sensors and daylight sensors for optimal energy savings.

To see if your business qualifies for free energy efficiency upgrades visit the Commercial Direct Install Program (CDI) website or call 1-877-714-1254.

A Case Study in Lodging Efficiency

After a facility energy assessment, a 197,000 square-foot hotel built in 1842 implemented a number of efficiency measures. Upgrades included kitchen hood controls, networked guest room thermostats, variable frequency drives on pumps and fans and energy-efficient lighting. Major projects included gas-fired boiler conversion, chiller replacement, and installation of a building automation system.

The upgrades resulted in more than $447,000 in annual energy cost savings, as well as increased property value and higher occupancy rates. Additional benefits included less maintenance, fewer guest complaints about room light and temperature and a positive environmentally friendly image.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy

LADWP offers many savings opportunities for businesses. For more information please visit LADWP.com or email SBS@ladwp.com.