Evaluation of water saving measures in hotels: A Spanish case study

Abstract

Water is an essential factor of production for hotel activities. Water consumption per person staying at a hotel tends to be high, and can be as much as three times the average consumption of people living at home. Thus, in the context of growing pressure on this scarce and strategic natural resource, the study of water consumption in hotels, and water saving possibilities, is of interest. This work deals with the case of a hotel in the city of Zaragoza (Spain) where equipment was retrofitted with water-saving technologies in order to reduce the amount of water consumed. The work analyses the impact of such retrofitting on consumption, and its financial and economic profitability. The results show how a small investment can lead to a very significant reduction in water consumption, and in the costs associated with it (especially energy costs).