The U.S. lodging industry spends close to $4 billion on energy every year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). If hotels could improve their energy performance by an average of 30 percent, the hotel industry would see a savings of approximately $365 per available room night per year for every hotel room in the country. The good news is that there are many simple steps your staff can take to use energy more efficiently. And the great news is that electric utilities can help you. READ MORE

Energy conservation has always made good business sense. Now, with the nation's natural gas prices at or near record levels, it is imperative that hotel executives make sure they are getting the most value they can from every energy dollar. According to the latest data available from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the nation's lodging industry annually spends over $5.5 billion for energy. Of that amount, 40 percent is for natural gas. For hotel executives, knowing how a hotel uses energy is the first step toward knowing where to start conserving. Water heating alone, for example, accounts for almost 40 percent of a hotel's total energy cost, and two thirds of its natural gas use. READ MORE

American innovation, science and technology continue to transform the way our country produces and uses energy. During the past 30 years, our nation's economy grew three times faster than its energy consumption. America created more than 55 million jobs. It cut air pollution by 50 percent. The efficient use of energy, through sustained technology development, has played a large role in this progress-we are doing more with less. Looking ahead, continued efficiency gains are part of the reason why the nation's energy intensity, measured as energy use per dollar of gross domestic product (in 2000 dollars), is projected to continue dropping, falling an average of 1.8 percent per year through 2030. As America has become more energy efficient, it has also increased its use of electricity. This trend is expected to continue. Over the next 25 years, the nation's electricity use is projected to grow by nearly 50-percent. READ MORE

America is moving toward a low-carbon future. The shift is unmistakable. A number of states have already passed laws that will limit their emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHG) in the near future. Congress is now looking at over a dozen bills to reduce the country's GHG emissions, and all three presidential candidates have gone on record to say that they want legislation as well. To reduce the nation's GHG emissions, while keeping the cost of electricity and natural gas affordable, will be a challenge. To help guide the country in achieving both goals, the electric power industry has drafted a set of climate change principles. READ MORE

Last winter's high natural gas prices may make seem like a distant memory now, but you should think about your hotel's energy use as a regular and year-round cost to control, just like all your other variable costs. Every dollar you save on energy will go straight to the bottom line, giving you more resources for use elsewhere. The U.S. lodging industry today spends close to $4 billion on energy every year. If hotels could improve their energy performance by an average of 30 percent, the hotel industry's annual electricity bill savings alone would be nearly $1.5 billion, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This would represent a savings of approximately $365 per available room night per year for every hotel room in the country. READ MORE