South Africa’s hospitality sector is poised for a lucrative festive season, with a 12% expected increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) this summer. To optimise profitability, industry players, including hotels and guesthouses, are being urged to adopt smart technologies.
Energy efficiency powers hospitality success
This is according to Dr Andrew Dickson, engineering executive at CBi-electric: low voltage, who says that smart technologies can reduce energy consumption in hotels by as much as 30%. “Although energy costs represent a relatively small fraction of hospitality business turnover, reducing them directly translates into higher revenue. With energy prices escalating, these savings are more critical than ever.”
“Curbing energy usage also supports sustainability efforts as the hospitality industry accounts for 1% of global carbon emissions, with hotels contributing about 21% of this share,” he notes. “Additionally, 83% of tourists globally consider sustainable travel important and 75% want to travel more sustainably in the coming year.”
IoT solves energy wastage
Stan Wilson, head: product management and value engineering at CBi-electric: low voltage, explains how IoT solutions like a smart isolator can help optimise energy management. “This tool provides valuable insights into electricity consumption, enabling businesses to control the amount of electricity guests use and avoid unexpected utility costs that eat into profits.”
To illustrate, he points out that combining a smart isolator with occupancy sensors ensures that electricity is automatically turned off when a room is vacant and restored when guests return. “Additionally, power can be programmed to shut off at the designated checkout time, helping ensure guests depart on time and allowing cleaning crews to prepare the room for the next arrival.”
Wilson adds that a smart device designed for centralised management of multiple devices or systems, can communicate with and instruct other connected smart devices to perform a particular action. “Using an app, staff can remotely control geysers through smart controllers, air-conditioners via smart isolators, and refrigerators connected to smart plugs in unoccupied units.
“This allows them to deactivate appliances when not in use and reactivate them prior to guest arrivals, minimising energy waste and eliminating the need for manual intervention from maintenance teams.
“Some hotels schedule geyser and fridge downtimes between certain times, when rooms are not occupied to save energy without compromising guest satisfaction.
“Additionally, accommodation staff can remotely adjust schedules or override settings via an app to cater to individual guest preferences. Unit owners with hot tubs can use smart isolators and automation to ensure guests don’t leave these high-energy-consuming appliances running continuously,” shares Dr Dickson.
Simplified power outage management
Although South Africa has been free of load shedding since March, he cautions managers of holiday properties equipped with solar PV systems to prepare for unexpected interruptions to the national grid power supply caused by load reduction, severe weather conditions, or increased cable theft.
“A smart power indicator can send real-time outage alerts to property owners, enabling them to take immediate action —either through manual or automated intervention— such as turning off high-energy appliances and staggering their restart to prevent power surges. It also regulates voltage to protect devices when power is restored, ensuring that the voltage remains within a safe operating range.”
Dr Dickson highlights that in these properties, the tool keeps essential infrastructure, like lighting, running when mains power is disrupted. “This allows users to deactivate energy-hungry appliances such as geysers and pool pumps, preserving battery life and preventing the system from overloading.”
“The adoption of smart technology is a crucial step forward for the hospitality industry, offering deeper insights into energy consumption and system performance.
“By connecting devices and automating processes, property managers can optimise operations, conserve energy, reduce waste and improve the guest experience. Doing so ultimately increases profitability – all while ensuring guest satisfaction remains a top priority,” he concludes.
