South Africa’s hospitality sector has taken some hard knocks in recent years. From lockdowns to loadshedding and rising energy costs, the industry has been left compromised and financially vulnerable. In a tough economy, hospitality faces the double squeeze of increased operational costs and overheads whilst still remaining attractive to cash-strapped customers. Oh, and did we mention that the industry is also under consumer and regulatory pressure to adopt more sustainable practices? One way that the hospitality industry can reduce operating costs and its carbon footprint is by becoming smarter about energy management.

What is smart hospitality energy management?

Unlike other commercial buildings, hospitality businesses have unique energy requirements, such as round-the-clock operations, changes in seasonal demand, varying levels of occupancy, and guests who need to be kept comfortable and happy. These factors contribute to the need for a specialised focus on energy management and operational effectiveness.

Energy management platforms like Centrica’s PowerRader^TM give hospitality businesses the flexibility to control and manage all their energy data using a single, holistic view of their energy footprint.

Data is collected by sensors and displayed on a central dashboard, and the platform provides detailed, up-to-date visibility of energy performance across the various facilities and functions. This helps businesses use clear, reliable data to identify opportunities to improve guest comfort levels while optimising the business’ energy consumption patterns. For example, the data may show that appliances are left running when not being used, or that certain equipment and machinery isn’t performing optimally. Taking steps to remedy these problems results in greater energy efficiency and cost savings.

The benefits of smart energy management

In a nutshell, energy management systems provide real-time and historical data for informed decision-making in day-to-day operations. This allows owners and managers to:

• Identify energy waste and reduce emissions
• Gain device-level, real-time insight into energy consumption
• Adopt a proactive approach to preventative maintenance to avoid costly downtime
• Develop a data-driven strategy to enhance building and business performance
• Improve guest experience

Using smart energy management to manage load shedding effectively

South Africa has been grappling with ongoing electricity supply challenges that have far-reaching implications for an industry which relies heavily on consistent power supply. To provide quality services to guests during loadshedding, many hospitality businesses are forced to rely on alternative power sources such as solar or generators.

These solutions are not cheap. In addition, because many hospitality businesses lack an accurate understanding of their actual energy needs, they end up over-investing in alternative power. Smart energy management systems like THOHO Energy’s solutions help businesses navigate this challenge by providing data on:

1. how much power is required
2. where it’s needed most during load shedding

When businesses know how energy is being consumed, they can ensure that resources are directed efficiently, avoiding over-supply and unnecessary expenses.

Energy data in action: saving CMR Restaurants $1.2 million

Centrica technologies helped CMR Restaurants, one of the largest restaurant operators in Mexico, reduce their energy consumption and unlock significant cost savings by providing local restaurant managers with the insight required to manage energy usage more effectively without negatively affecting the restaurant’s performance.

The system used wireless sensor technology to collect real-time energy data at a circuit level of granularity, enabling restaurant managers to understand their energy consumption and take steps to ensure they are using power most efficiently. By changing the way its restaurants use energy, CMR reduced its energy consumption by 11.4 GWh for the first quarter of 2020—a 17% reduction that enabled it to avoid $1.2 million in unnecessary energy costs.

Act now to ensure your hospitality business can survive future challenges

Learn more about how THOHO Energy can help you take control of your energy consumption and add to your bottom line. Please contact us if you have any questions; we’d love to hear how we can help your hospitality business improve energy efficiency and profitability.