Mr. Kiesner

Eco-Friendly Practices

Climate Measures Return Public, Economic Benefits

By Steve Kiesner, Director of National Accounts, Edison Electric Institute

Another environmental issue rising to the top of America's consciousness is the concept of global climate change. Although the debate continues over what the scientific research shows-and to what extent human activity is responsible-many Americans say that global climate change is already happening. Taking a proactive course of action now to limit the "greenhouse gas" emissions that your hotels produce through their energy use could yield similar benefits to your customers and to your bottom line as the campaign to conserve water.

President Urges Voluntary Efforts

Recently, President Bush announced a plan to address climate change that relies on the use of a new metric-greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity (linking emissions to gross domestic product, GDP)-to slow and eventually reverse the growth of GHG emissions. The President's approach relies heavily on voluntary efforts to reduce U.S. GHG intensity by 18 percent by 2012, a goal the administration calls "ambitious but achievable."

Becoming more energy efficient is a logical and effective way for the hotel industry to reduce its greenhouse gas intensity. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, every kilowatt-hour of electricity your company doesn't use prevents 1.34 pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere. And, with energy typically accounting for three to five percent of a hotel's total operating expenses, remember that becoming more energy efficient will also help to improve your company's profitability.

Here are just a few quick and easy ways to start taking control over energy use and its costs:

Wise Use Assistance

For cost-effective advice and assistance in becoming more energy efficient, hotel managers are encouraged to contact their electric company. Electric companies typically offer advice on using energy wisely, and many offer no- or low-cost programs that can help hotels take control over their energy use. Some sample electric utility energy management programs include:

Electric Companies As A Resource

America's electric companies encourage their customers to use energy wisely because it is good for both groups. It helps their customers to get more value from their product. And it helps electric generating plants and transmission wires to operate more effectively. This can improve the reliability of electricity supplies, especially during peak electricity demand periods such as the summertime.

Encouraging the efficient use of electricity also helps the power company to conserve our natural resources and protect the environment. America's electric companies are among the nation's leaders in creating voluntary programs, such as wise use energy programs, to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

The nation's electric utility industry responded to the President's greenhouse gas intensity challenge by forming a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to launch Power PartnersSM in February 2003.

Power PartnersSM builds on the success of the electric utility industry's voluntary Climate Challenge program launched in 1994. DOE reported that in the year 2001 alone, over 650 electric utilities voluntarily reduced, avoided, or sequestered 250 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions through the Climate Challenge.

Power PartnersSM features numerous industry-wide programs, including 'Wise Use', an initiative to help homes and businesses use their energy wisely. Other Power Partners initiatives include ForesTree Carbon Company, an effort to plant trees in critical habitats in the lower Mississippi River Valley area to sequester carbon dioxide; Coal Combustion Products Partnership, which will recycle coal ash from power plants as a partial replacement for cement and other concrete products in building materials; Harvesting the Wind and Biomass for Electricity Generation, two initiatives to increase the use of renewables energy sources for electricity generation; and International Power Partnerships, which will form international partnerships to promote renewable and energy-efficient technologies.

The hospitality industry spends now over $5 billion a year on energy. Taking actions with the help of electric companies to use that energy more efficiently can lower greenhouse gas emissions. This can make a real difference for the environment, your perception with customers, and your bottom line. For help in getting started, I encourage you to contact your electric company today to find out more about their voluntary energy efficiency measures and programs.

Steve Kiesner is Director of the Edison Electric Institute’s National Accounts Program. Based in Washington, D.C., Edison Electric Institute (EEI) is the association of United States shareholder-owned electric companies, international affiliates and industry associates worldwide. Our U.S. members serve approximately 90 percent of the ultimate customers in the shareholder-owned segment of the industry, and nearly 70 percent of all electric utility ultimate customers in the nation. They generated almost 70 percent of the electricity generated by U.S. electric utilities. Mr. Kiesner can be contacted at 202-508-5000 or skiesner@eei.org Extended Bio...

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