What is a Hotel Energy Saving Switch and How Does it Work?

Today, hotels are facing a significant challenge: the operational costs are rising and electricity expenses are the largest contributor. In this context, energy-saving switches play a crucial role by effectively reducing energy consumption in guest rooms.

These intelligent devices turn on and off by themselves, ensuring that lights, air conditioning, and other electronics are only powered up once a guest has placed their room keycard. Therefore, hotels can save quite a lot of energy wastage when rooms are unoccupied.

Energy-saving switches are one of the main components in the hotels’ guestroom supplies, allowing properties to manage energy expenditure effectively. These provide a way for hotels to save from 6 to 10 percent on their energy costs, which is a huge area for them to save. This will not only help in cutting costs but will also support the broader sustainability goals of the hospitality industry.

This comprehensive guide explores ways to improve your hotel’s energy efficiency, focusing on one key area: power conversion. By strategically assessing the need for capacity shifts, you can make informed decisions that contribute to a more sustainable and cost-effective operation.

What are Energy Saving Switches in Hotel Rooms?

Making hotels energy-efficient is essential for sustainable operations. Designed specifically for the hospitality industry, this innovative solution empowers hospitality items suppliers to support hotels in improving energy efficiency and reducing electricity consumption.

The switch provides central control of all fixed lighting and electricity in the room. By requiring guests to enter a specified key card for electricity activation, the system effectively eliminates unnecessary energy consumption when the room is empty. This approach ensures that the building’s existing lobby fits perfectly, providing guests with a familiar and easy experience.

The versatility of making hotels more energy-efficient extends beyond traditional hotel design. This benefit can be used effectively in a variety of settings such as hotels, budget hotels, serviced apartments, and office buildings.

Types of Hotel Energy Saving Switches

This document describes the various types of hotel room energy saving switches available, categorized based on the access card technology used by the hotel lock system. Here are some common switches :

Mechanical Power Switch

This early technology relies on a physical key plate. Inserting the key plate into the switch activates the room’s power supply. When the guest removes the key upon leaving, the power connection is severed,  disabling electricity.

Magnetic Card Power Switch

Coinciding with the introduction of magnetic hotel locks, this switch utilizes a magnetic card.  Inserting the card activates an infrared sensor, turning on the power. While still present in some older hotels, this technology is becoming less common.

IC Card Power Switch

This switch reads data from an inserted IC card’s chip pins.  By verifying the card’s presence and type (specifically an IC card), it controls the power supply. This technology holds a relatively minor market share.

Low-Frequency Card Power Switch

This widely used switch caters to contactless proximity cards operating at 125KHz, including EM, TEMIC and IT cards. It verifies the frequency of the card and provides power if it matches the 125KHz standard.

High-Frequency Card Power Switch

Dominant in today’s market, this switch works with high-frequency identification cards such as Mifare s70 and s50, operating at 13.56MHz.  It grants power by verifying if the card’s ID meets the pre-defined standard.

Verify Room Number Power Switch

A niche technology, this switch reads the room number on the access card.  Only if the card’s room number matches the room it’s used in will the power be activated.

Verify Check-in Time Power Switch

Another specialized switch, it reads both the room number and time data from the access card. It verifies if the card’s validity period aligns with the room’s booked stay before granting power.

Bluetooth Energy Saving Switch

This innovative smart switch combines energy-saving functionality with gateway capabilities.  Beyond basic on/off control, it offers features like remote power management, power usage data collection, and SMS alerts for anomalies.

How Does an Electricity Energy-Saving Switch Work?

Occupancy sensor systems are used in guest rooms to increase energy efficiency. Upon entering, simply insert your room key card into the designated slot near the door. This will activate the room’s power supply, allowing you to use the lighting, air conditioning and television.

To save energy while you’re away, simply remove your key card when you leave the room. After a grace period of 15 seconds, the power will turn off automatically. To reactivate the room when you return, simply insert your key card again.

How to Install a Hotel Energy-Saving Switch?

• Power down : Make sure the main power switch is in the idle position for safety.
• Cassette repair: Securely tape the cassette to the specified position.
• Switch Panel Access: Open the switch panel to reveal the wiring area.
• Wiring Completion: Carefully follow the provided wiring diagram and video tutorial to complete the necessary connections.
• Switch Panel Mounting: Place the switch into the designated bottom box and secure it firmly using screws.
• Enclosure Completion: Securely reattach the cover and panel to the enclosure.

Why Does Your Hotel Need an Energy Saving Switch?

Investing in hotel energy-saving switches offers a multitude of benefits that go beyond simply reducing your electricity bill. Let’s explore the compelling reasons why these switches are a smart choice for your hospitality business.

Automated Energy Savings and Guest Convenience

Hotel energy saving switches integrate seamlessly with your existing door lock system. Guests simply use their keycard to activate the room’s power supply upon check-in. Conversely, when the keycard is removed on departure, the system automatically cuts off power. This eliminates the risk of lights and electronics turning on unnecessarily, promotes sustainable practices and reduces your hotel’s carbon footprint.

Enhanced guest room safety

Imagine a situation wherein the visitor forgets to turn off the appliances earlier than leaving the room. Traditional setup leaves those appliances prone to overheating and potential fireplace risks. Energy saving switches dispose of this problem by automatically shutting off the electricity while the room is unoccupied, ensuring a safe environment for your visitors.

Measurable Cost Savings

The economic blessings of an electricity-saving switch are undeniable. Consider a 100-room resort whose power charges are $0.1 in keeping with kWh. Implementing these switches ought to probably save your hotel just 1 hour of energy savings in line with room:
USD 4,745 yearly (calculation: 1.3kW x a hundred rooms x 1 hour/day x one year x $0.1/kWh)

These financial savings can translate into vast cost reductions over the years.

Improved Operational Efficiency

An energy-saving switch gives you valuable insights into your hotel’s energy use. By tracking individual room electrical utilization, you could identify capacity anomalies. These statistics can help you find unauthorized room occupancy or malfunctions with electric gadgets, enhancing operational performance.

Streamlined Guest Check-Out Process

For hotels that often leave later, energy-saving switches offer an alternative solution. The switch can automatically turn off the power after the specified check-in time by activating the timer function. This gentle push encourages guests to leave the room faster, allowing for faster turnaround times and improved efficiency. In addition, the ability of guests to reconnect electricity remotely provides flexibility and convenience.

By adopting a hotel energy storage revolution, you gain a powerful tool to drive sustainable growth, enhance guest safety, significantly save costs and streamline your hotel operations

Chanya’s Hotel Energy-Saving Switch

Hotels can optimize their energy efficiency by choosing our innovative room management solutions. We offer a variety of energy saving switch supplies to meet specific needs and preferences. Whether you prioritize ease of use, advanced features, or integration with existing systems, we have the flexibility to fit the bill.