On 13 January, Unioncamere del Veneto promote the webinar “Understanding the HORECA chain: consumption, emissions and good practices”. Organised in collaboration with the University of Brescia within the framework of the EnergyEfficient4HORECA (EE4HOREC) project, the vent focused on how energy efficiency emerged as a key strategic lever for hotels and restaurants.
Energy efficiency is no longer only about reducing energy bills. It also strengthens the reputation and competitiveness of businesses. In the HORECA industry, it is characterised by high energy consumption due to continuous operations, with significant peaks related to the production of domestic hot water in hotels, which accounts for around 24% of total consumption, and the use of professional kitchen equipment in restaurants and catering services, which can reach up to 60%.
During the webinar, several good practices were presented to reduce environmental impact, starting from the importance of regular monitoring and maintenance of systems to prevent energy waste. Particular emphasis was also placed on the involvement of staff and customers, highlighting how training activities and guest awareness are essential drivers of long-term cultural change.
Sustainable procurement choices were also discussed, such as prioritising seasonal products and collaborating with suppliers that have a low ecological footprint, in order to optimise transport and storage processes. Specific focus was given to the main areas of intervention across the sector: in hotels, domestic hot water management and heating and cooling systems; in restaurants and catering, the kitchen as the core of energy consumption; and in logistics, especially for catering services, the cold chain and transport as critical points for improvement.