Corte Novella, a newly opened hotel in Brescia, Italy, faced a common challenge: how to manage energy efficiently from the very beginning, without historical data or advanced monitoring system. As part of the EnergyEfficiency4HORECA, the hotel adopted a structure energy management approach using the Plan do Check Act (PDCA) cycle, turning energy efficiency into a strategic advantage.
The first step was to understand the operational context and define key performance indicators (KPIs):
- Electricity and thermal energy consumption per room per night
- Water consumption per room per night
- Preliminary CO2 emissions
- Supply chain indicators, including suppliers, transport, and local sourcing
Using only existing bills and meters, without installing new sensors, the project team could identify baseline energy use that occurs regardless the occupancy, analyse consumption patterns by time of the day, compare electricity and district heating contributions.
Early results revealed that the hotel had an average energy consumption of 52kWh per room per night and the CO2 emissions of 14kg per room per night |(indirect energy only). Based on that and without heavy investments, several measures helped deliver meaningful savings such as, optimising temperatures in unoccupied rooms, adjusting central thermostats for efficiency, training staff on the correct use of equipment’s, and initialising assessments for presence and lighting sensors.
Key takeway
The Corte Novella’s experience illustrates that energy efficiency can be integrated into hotel operations from the very start, shaping long-term sustainability and operational culture. Beyond immediate savings, the project fostered awareness among staff and management, creating a foundation for continuous improvement and smarter decision-making. This approach shows that even in resource-constrained settings, strategic planning and systematic monitoring can transform energy management into a driver of both environmental responsibility and business value.