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Energy and Water Conservation in Housekeeping Operations
Energy and Water Conservation in Housekeeping Operations
OPERATIONS
Energy conservation measures for Hotel Industry
This department consumes approximately 25% of the total energy cost so the opportunities to
reduce energy consumption in this area are excellent. Some helpful guidelines are given below.
1. Determine the preheating time for ovens, grills, boilers, fryers & other cooking equipments.
Generally speaking 10 to 20 minutes should be sufficient.
2. When preheating ovens, set thermostat at the desired temperature. Ensure thermostat
controls are operating the properly.
3. Determine cooking capacity of ovens; use smaller or more energy efficient oven when
possible.
4. Use additional fry units, boilers, oven etc. only for peak business hours.
5. Load & unload ovens quickly. If an oven door is kept open for a second, then it losses about
1% of its heat.
6. Cover pots & pan switch lids while cooking.
7. Turn off cooking & heating units that are not needed.
8. Oven should not be opened during operation. Food will cook faster and lose less moisture if
oven is kept closed.
9. Frozen food should be thawed in refrigerators. It will thaw easily & reduce power demand
on the refrigerator.
10. When using gas range for full heat condition, the tip of the flame should just touch the
bottom of the pan or kettle. Yellow flame is the indication of inefficient, incomplete
combustion and wastage of gas. Clean burners, pilot light regularly. If flames are still
yellow, have gas-air mixture adjusted.
11. A blue flame with a distinct inner cone is best. Flame should never flout but should just
wipe the surface. Adjust flame until it is entirely blue.
12. Thoroughly clean pot & pans to ensure there is no carbon build up at the bottom.
13. Placing foil under range burners & griddles will improve the operational efficiency.
14. Fryers need to be cleaned & oil filtered at least once a day.
15. Cooking rang burners should always be smaller than the kettle or pot place on it.
15. Have broken door hinges and cracks of oven doors attended to immediately.
16. Turn off Rotary Toaster when not in use. Use pop up toasters on lean timings.
17. Shut off steam Heater on dishwasher when dishwasher in not in use.
18. Use hot water only when necessary.
20 In pot washing area fill sink for washing utensils instead of running water.
(a) Intensive cooking such as baking and roasting during non-peak demand hours.
(b) Use minimum number of electric appliances at a time. Stager their operation.
(c) Try to use electrical appliances between 6 AM to 10 AM or after mid night if possible.
35. Equipment should be turned on at specific time to a specific temperature and turned off at
times when not needed. A 10-15 minutes preheat period is requires only 7 to 15 minutes for
pre-heating.
36. Clean heating elements at least weakly. This may even be done daily if you do high volume
frying.
37. Cooking foods in least volume possible for most economic use of energy.
38 If keeping electric burner on for shorter period is inevitable, when they are not in actual use
keep the temperature low until you are ready to cook. This will even prolong the life of burner
besides conserving energy.
39. Avoid turning on gas burners until you are ready to cook.
40. If possible, fill cooking vessels according to capacity. Large cooking vessel if used for
cooking lesser quantity of food will consume more energy.
41. Use flat bottom pots and pans for maximum heat transfer.
1. Front office can play an important role in energy conservation. When occupancy in
unfortunately not high, front office should rent room by virtue of their location. In summer,
rooms on the east or north sides of the building will be cooler. Also, corner rooms with two
The major space in a hotel is devoted to guest rooms and corridors. Number and variety of ways
to conserve energy in these areas are startling. Although the energy conserved in one room or
corridor does not seem significant, but when multiplied by 100 or so rooms, it does become
significant. Some of the opportunities for Housekeeping Department where they can significantly
contribute to energy saving listed below:-
1. Turn off guest room lights when rooms are not physically occupied.
2. Use minimum lighting when making up and cleaning rooms. Use natural light whenever
possible.
3. Turn off corridor lights, or reduce it to 50% when natural light is available.
4. Turn off lights in linen rooms, storage room and maids closets when not in use.
5. Check your areas for light level. Reduce number of lights if possible. Use lower wattage
bulbs wherever possible.
LAUNDRY DEPARTMENT
One of the large consumers of water and heat, the hotel laundry is an outlet that can significantly
reduce energy consumption with no effect on guest comfort or satisfaction. Some of the
important points to achieve desired results are listed below:-
ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
An analysis of Hotels show that approximately 60% of the energy consumed in a property is in
the equipment and machinery rooms, boiler rooms, air conditioning rooms, water treatment and
pump areas and sewage plants. Engineering Department is responsible for running and
maintenance this equipment. They are also concerned with entire building and complex.
Keeping the above in view, it is imperative that the Engineering Department operates these
equipments at peak efficiency. Engineering Department can help conserve energy in the
following Ways:
Some guidelines to achieve energy management goals at little or no cost are listed below:-
– As far as possible keep leaving chilled water temperature on the higher side.
4. Lower hot water temperature for heating when outside temperature rises.
5. When chiller is not operating, make certain that chilled and condenser water pumps are
shut down.
6. Use proper water treatment to prevent fouling or sealing of condensers, cooling towers and
piping.
7. Repair all hot, chilled and condenser water lines, valves and pumps. A considerable quantity
of water is lost through leaky pump glands which can be saved easily.
8. Repair or replace damaged hot or chilled water line insulation.
9. Check cooling water tower bleed off periodically.
10. Check efficiency of chiller against manufacturer’s specifications by checking water
temperature and pressure drop in and out of chillers and condensers and motor amperage
on compressor.
11. Condenser tubes should be kept clean.
12. Stop all refrigerant leaks.
13. Check daily purge operation on chiller for signs of air leaks
14. Remove algae growth from cooling towers.
15. Check all belt drives. Replace worn out or frayed belts.
16. Clean AHU coils and fans periodically, check chilled water sample to know the internal
condition of coil. Do periodic cleaning of coil.
17. AHU filter must be cleaned periodically.
18. Check all thermostat for correct functioning.
BOILERS
1. Check Boilers Room for negative air pressure which can reduce combustion efficiency.
2. Avoid multiple boiler operation. One boiler operating at 80% is more efficient than two at
40%.
3. Operate boilers at as low steam pressure as possible.
4. Avoid excessive boiler blow down.
5. Clean burner nozzle periodically.
6. Pre-heat the fuel to correct temperature before injection.
7. Maintain a good water treatment program.
8. Repair and replace if necessary boiler and flue insulation that is damaged.
9. Repair and replace all worn or damaged steam and condensate piping insulation.
10. Insulate all condensate and steam pipe line flanges.
11. Check and repair all steam traps.
12. Eliminate all steam leaks.
13. Check fuel lines for leaks.
14. Check combustion control in order to maintain maximum efficiency.
15. Check all safety valves for any leaks.
1. Check and back wash water filtration plant for higher efficiency and reduction in water
system scaling.
2. Check water analysis periodically.
3. Repair at once all leaks, dripping faucets and shower heads.
4. Check toiler flush valves for any water leaks.
5. Lower hot water temperature to 120oF.
6. Check and adjust swimming pool make up water (not to exceed 10%).
7. Shut down pool filtration plant when pool is not in use.
8. Reduce lawn and shrubbery watering to absolute minimum.
9. Check water regulating valves on water coolers, refrigerant units and ice machines.
10. Consider sprint loaded self closing water valves in Kitchens.
1. Seal all exterior windows, doors cracks and openings to reduce outdoor air leaks.
2. Reduce gap under the doors of air conditioned spaces to minimum.
3. Check grounds for leaking pipes underground.
4. Check and repair all door closers.
5. Make certain all electric connections are tight.
6. Keep all ‘contacts’ clean.
7. Check Lighting levels in all Engineering spaces to see if they can be reduced.
08. Replace all incandescent fixtures with fluorescent and energy efficient lamps like PL-9
or SL-25 etc.
8. Keep all light shades clean. Use shades that allow more light to pass or reflect.
10. Do not switch on lights unless necessary.
9. Arrange schedules for turning or reducing lights in guest corridors, lobby area, function
spaces, restaurants, bars, shops, kitchens etc.
10. Make a house inspection of all departments to see that energy conservation is being
observed.
WATER CONSERVATION
1. Carry out a water audit to show where the major water costs are and where savings can be
made.
2. Compare total and departmental consumption figures with hotel industry benchmarks to
determine the potential for savings.
3. Calculate water used per guest by dividing the total water consumed in guest rooms by the
Staff training
Ensure staff are trained to look for leaks, that they report them quickly and problems are
responded to swiftly.
Use a plug and a bucket when cleaning baths and basins rather than letting the taps
(faucets) run.
Clean the toilet after cleaning the bath and basin so that the water can be used for a final
swill down.
Involve staff and ask them to suggest water conservation ideas.
Measurement
Maintenance
Conduct regular inspections of taps, showers, toilet mechanisms, overflows from water
storage and pipe joints for leaks. Check around the grouting on taps and shower fittings for
signs of leaks.
Check for a leaking toilet. Add food colouring to the cistern to detect leaks (coloured water
will appear in the bowl if the toilet is leaking).
Check that plugs are fitted to basins and that they produce an effective seal.
Fittings
It can also reduce your costs. As well as saving water, it means less wear on fabrics, prolonging
their life, and saves housekeeping staff time.
Ensure there is a towel rail in the bathroom for guests to hang their towels for reuse.
Ensure all staff are aware of the programme and the reasons for it. If a card is included in
the guest bathroom suggesting that the guest uses them again, housekeeping staff must
Robert Cialdini, professor of psychology and marketing at Arizona State University and one of the
most quoted social psychologists, carried out research to test which types of signs would most
encourage hotel visitors to reuse their towels. Three cards used a version of the typical
environmental appeal. A fourth card added true information that the majority of guests reused
their towels at least once during their stay. The final message was the most successful,
increasing towel reuse by over 28%. Cialdini concluded that when people are uncertain about a
course of action, they tend to look to those around them to guide their decisions and actions, a
principle he calls “social proof”.
“In most cases, for an organisation to boost effectiveness by 28%, some expensive steps have to
be taken; typically, organisational structure, focus, or personnel must be charged,” explains
Cialdini. “In this instance, however, none of that was necessary. All that was required was to
convey the facts about the preferred behaviour of the majority… What’s most interesting to me is
that the most effective strategy was entirely costless to the hotel. But I’ve never seen it used by
any hotel room in any city.”
Swimming pools
In a large hotel, a swimming pool can increase freshwater consumption by as much as 10% so,
before installing one, consider carefully whether a pool is a necessity for guests, particularly if
water is scarce locally.
Design the system so that you can capture and reuse backwash water to irrigate the
grounds.
When cleaning the area around the pool, use a brush and pan to collect debris rather than
hosing.
Cover the pool when not in use to avoid water evaporation.
Fit water-saving showerheads, dual flush or water-efficient toilet cisterns and push-button
taps in all changing facilities.
Check the water meter last thing at night and first thing in the morning to detect leaks.
In coastal areas, a reverse osmosis (RO) plant is an option for converting seawater for use
in pools. However, acids and caustic substances are required to keep these systems clean,
creating a waste stream that must be neutralised before discharged. Care should also be
taken with siting. Most good RO systems incorporate waste neutralisation, making the
process simple and efficient.
Spas
To detect leaks, check the water meter last thing at night and first thing in the morning and
carry out visual checks.
It makes sense to use water resources sensibly in your grounds, even where water is
plentiful.
Use rainwater harvesting techniques to divert rainwater from roofs and gutters into storage
tanks.
If possible, use greywater from baths and sinks for irrigation. Consider installing a
treatment system that will enable you to use treated black water from toilets in the gardens.
A well-designed and controlled irrigation system will deliver water when and where it is
needed on a regular basis and will help plants to thrive.
Do not use hoses for watering plants and avoid sprinklers on lawns.
Avoid using high-pressure jets to clean paving.
Condition clay soils with powdered or liquid gypsum to improve water penetration.
Using your own organic compost will add nutrients and help retain moisture in the soil. You
can also add polymers that help retain moisture.
Match the choice of plant material to the climate, avoid laying lawns where water is scarce
and select the type of grass carefully.
Remove weeds regularly from garden beds as they compete with other plants.
If a water feature is essential, give thought to the size, design and how quickly the water
will evaporate.
Toilets
Installing waterless urinals can save up to nearly 230,000 litres (60,000 US gallons) annually per
urinal. Other techniques include using include passive infra-red devices, which initiate a flush
when they detect activity or flush at shorter intervals at busy times. Timers that flush more
frequently at peak times are another option, as is a sleeve-based urinal system, with a disposable
sleeve to remove odours and flushes four to six times a day.
Switching to low-flow or low-flush toilets produces big water savings – newer designs typically
consume around six litres (1.6 US gallons), compared to 26 litres (7 US gallons) per flush in older
models. Toilets with a dual-flush can save water by enabling guests to select a full or half-flush.
Other water-saving toilet technologies include a cistern volume-adjusting device such as bricks,
plastic containers, bags filled with water (“hippos”) or pebbles in the cistern. Finally, composting
toilets, which do not require water, are suitable in remote areas and ecologically sensitive places
where there is no/poor infrastructure.
Taps (Faucets)
Changing standard taps on sinks to automatic, restricted or aerated models will also make
significant water savings. Electronic controls can be retrofitted or installed and save up to 70% of
water as well as proportional savings in heating, water treatment and sewage.
In bathrooms, select the size of baths and basins carefully as it will have a dramatic effect on
water consumption. Even using one litre less per bath per guest per year will yield huge savings.
Also consider installing programmable controls to dictate the temperature and maximum fill
level.
Horizontal sprinklers
The latest models prevent water being wasted through evaporation, overspray and water run-off
by watering turf on the surface in a bottom-up model rather than the typical sprinkler/top-down
Pool drainage
Eliminate the need to drain a swimming pool and waste water with an Aquazerve unit that
attaches to a pool pump to refresh the pool water every day, eradicating the need to drain the
pool.