The country’s hospitality sector anticipates a 12% year-on-year growth in revenue per available room this summer and industry experts are advising establishments to tap into the potential of smart technologies to maximise profitability.
Engineering executive at CBi-electric: low voltage, Dr Andrew Dickson, said embracing smart tech could cut energy consumption in hotels by up to 30%.
“While energy costs account for a small portion of hospitality turnover, reducing these costs directly boosts the bottom line. With rising energy prices, these savings are more important than ever,” said Dickson.
He adds that reducing energy use not only helps businesses save but also aligns with global sustainability goals. The hospitality sector contributes around 1% of global carbon emissions, with hotels making up about 21% of that share. With 83% of global tourists prioritising sustainable travel, and 75% looking to travel more sustainably in the year ahead, going green has never been more vital.
To maximise profitability, hotels, guesthouses, and other hospitality establishments are encouraged to embrace smart technologies.
“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.”
Head: Product Management and Value Engineering at CBi-electric: low voltage, Stan Wilson, explained 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 pointed 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 added 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,” shared Dickson.
Although South Africa has been free of load shedding since March, he cautioned 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 highlighted 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,” Dickson concluded.