ENERGY IN RETAIL, HOTELS & LEISURE


Healthy building or efficient building? Why hotels don’t have to choose


As a high-rise business development manager and indoor air quality specialist, Matt Maleki explores how hotels can reduce carbon emissions while maintaining guest comfort, using a more holistic approach to HVAC and building performance.


Matt Maleki


Business development manager for Carrier UK&I


www.carrier.uk F


ew sectors feel the consequences of building performance more acutely than hospitality. Hotels operate


around the clock and face mounting pressure to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy performance, driven by rising utility costs and the UK’s wider Net Zero ambitions. Regulation is also placing greater emphasis on energy-efficient building services, effective controls and minimising greenhouse gas emissions. The drive for decarbonisation isn’t just being shaped by regulation; guest expectations and environmental considerations are increasingly influencing accommodation bookings. Booking.com’s 2026 Travel & Sustainability Report found that 85% of travellers consider more sustainable travel important or very important in their choices. At the same time, operators must deliver exceptional guest experiences and manage complex estates against a backdrop of economic uncertainty. It is understandable that some hotel


operators still view decarbonisation with caution. There is an enduring perception that reducing emissions comes at the expense of comfort, resilience or affordability. I’ve seen time and time again that the opposite is often true. The most effective strategies are not simply about replacing gas boilers with heat pumps or installing more efficient cooling equipment. They are about creating buildings that are healthier, more reliable and more efficient to operate. After all, hotels don’t sell rooms; they sell experiences built around comfort, relaxation and a great night’s sleep.


EIBI | SEPTEMBER 2026


Guest experience One of the biggest compliments we can receive as HVAC professionals is when nobody talks about our systems at all. Guests rarely leave a hotel praising the temperature of their room or availability of hot water, but they are quick to notice when something is wrong. A room that feels stuffy, a shower that runs cold or air conditioning that struggles during hot weather can undermine an otherwise positive stay. Building performance should


therefore not be viewed solely through the lens of energy consumption. It directly influences customer satisfaction, repeat business and operational performance. A well- designed HVAC system can improve indoor environmental quality, reduce operating costs and enhance resilience. Guests expect spaces to feel


fresh, comfortable and healthy, even if they do not describe those expectations in technical terms. Some hotel brands now actively position wellness and wellbeing as part of their guest proposition, recognising that environmental quality contributes to the overall experience. Well-maintained ventilation, effective


filtration and properly controlled airflow contribute to healthier environments. Intelligent ventilation can also improve efficiency by responding to occupancy and conditions rather than operating unnecessarily. Comfort and efficiency are not competing objectives; they often reinforce one another.


Understanding the building Domestic hot water remains one of the biggest concerns in hotel decarbonisation. Replacing familiar boiler systems with newer technologies can raise concerns about reliability and resilience, particularly when guests expect hot water on demand. However, modern air- and water-source heat pump solutions have matured significantly. When properly designed


around occupancy patterns, storage requirements and demand profiles, they can deliver robust solutions while substantially reducing energy consumption and emissions. The emphasis here is on design.


There is no universal decarbonisation blueprint for hospitality. Some hotels occupy modern developments, while others operate from historic buildings that have evolved over decades. Successful decarbonisation


therefore begins with understanding the building, not simply selecting new equipment. A considered strategy will examine


how heating, cooling, hot water, ventilation and controls currently interact, what equipment remains fit for purpose and where future opportunities exist. It does not have to mean stripping out and replacing everything at once. Phased upgrades can manage investment and minimise guest disruption while moving the hotel towards its long-term goals. Decarbonisation should be approached as a journey rather than a single project.


Beyond bills Heating, cooling and hot water can account for most of a hotel’s energy consumption, so HVAC decisions have consequences beyond utility bills. Efficient, reliable systems can reduce maintenance requirements, lower energy costs and minimise operational disruption while maintaining comfortable, healthy environments. Poorly performing systems can


also generate hidden costs, including guest complaints, service recovery measures, discounted stays and lost repeat business. Hotels should therefore consider HVAC systems as long-term investments rather than short-term expenditures, looking beyond initial capital cost to whole-life performance. This thinking also extends to


intelligent building controls. Future


hotels will increasingly rely on connected systems that communicate with one another, monitor performance and provide meaningful operational insights. A chiller, air handling unit, fan coil and building management system should function as part of an integrated ecosystem. The value of intelligent control


doesn’t just lie in collecting data; it lies in using it. Monitoring occupancy patterns, indoor environmental conditions and system performance allows buildings to adapt continuously. It supports demand-responsive operation, improves energy efficiency and provides greater visibility of asset performance. It can also identify issues before they become failures, helping operators avoid disruption and extend equipment life. As climate patterns change and buildings face more challenging conditions, resilience can no longer be considered separately from efficiency. Ultimately, hospitality


decarbonisation should not be viewed purely as an environmental obligation. It is an opportunity to rethink how buildings support both business performance and guest expectations. Clean hot water, clean cooling, clean air and intelligent controls work together to create healthier, more resilient and more efficient buildings. The hospitality sector cannot know


precisely how legislation, technology and guest expectations will evolve over the next twenty years. What it can do is plan. Operators that begin developing robust, phased decarbonisation strategies today are likely to discover that reducing carbon emissions and creating exceptional guest experiences are not competing priorities. More often than not, they are outcomes of the same strategy. And when guests leave without ever mentioning the heating, cooling or hot water, there is a good chance the building is performing exactly as it should. ■


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