PE2 seeks hospitality sector adoption of ESCO model to improve cooling and heating efficiency

QUEZON CITY, 4 March 2026 – Philippine Energy Efficiency Alliance (PE2) president Alexander Ablaza was invited anew by ESCOM Events to speak in the Philippine Hotel Innovation Summit 2026, held earlier today at the Novotel Manila Araneta City. Ablaza’s presentation “Hotel Cooling and Energy Efficiency through the ESCO Business Model” was intended to raise awareness among players in the hospitality sector on the opportunity to allow the energy service company (ESCO) sector to accelerate investment decisions to retrofit space cooling and water heating systems with more energy-efficient technologies through ESCO-financed shared savings performance contracts.

“Across hotels in Southeast Asia, the top 2 energy uses are space cooling (averaging 52%) and hot water production (averaging 15%),” Ablaza said.

The PE2 head explained that the key factors affecting energy use in the hospitality sector are:

• Location/Climate: Hotels in warmer climates spend more on cooling, while those in colder regions spend more on heating.
• Hotel Star Rating: 5-star hotels typically have higher energy use per room due to more extensive amenities (e.g., spas, 24-hour services).
• Occupancy Rate: Energy consumption often spikes with higher occupancy, particularly in guest-room water heating and HVAC usage.
• Operation Type: Full-service hotels with laundry and restaurant facilities consume far more energy than limited-service properties.

Ablaza cited chiller plant retrofit energy savings ranging from 20%-35% achieved in major hotels in Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia.

PE2 recommended basic steps for hotels to identify and prepare energy efficiency upgrades in their facilities, which include the engagement of DOE-registered and DOE-certified ESCOs to conduct facility-wide level 2 energy audits and investment-grade level 3 energy audits targeted at the most energy-intensive systems – the air conditioning or chiller plant and the hot water systems.

The Philippine Hotel Innovation Summit 2026 is part of the Hotel Innovation Summit Asia, formerly known as Future Hotel Events, as a premier B2B conference organized by Escom. Since 2014, Escom has hosted annual hotel leadership conferences across the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand, serving the full hospitality value chain, including hotel owners, developers, operators, and industry stakeholders. Each conference draws around 300 professionals from diverse sectors, such as property developers, investors, architects, designers, consultants, and technology providers.

The Summit's agenda covers a wide range of topics, from investment and design to operations, guest experience, and revenue management. Over the past decade, more than 10,000 senior executives have attended these events, with each conference attracting a strong attendance of industry leaders. Escom has hosted over 1,000 speakers and panelists and partnered with over 300 organizations, helping them leverage the platform to reach their marketing and business goals.

PE2 members OSP ESCO International, Hi-Cool Engineering, Vega Energy Services and Climargy attended the hotel summit.