Volume 43: Energy Transitions toward Carbon Neutrality: Part VI

Characterisation of hotel stock for climate change mitigation in England and Wales Jingfeng Zhou, Pamela Fennell, Ivan Korolija, Kaixuan Wang, Paul Ruyssevelt

Abstract

The hotel sector, which accounts for 1% of global carbon emissions, remains an under-researched sector of the non-domestic building stock. This study focuses on the characterisation of the hotel stock in England and Wales, targeting the data needed to assess options for climate change mitigation. The analysis utilises public datasets including Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), Valuation Office Agency (VOA) rating lists, UK Buildings, 2011 Rural and Urban Classification (RUC), and AddressBase Premium. The study aims to provide a comprehensive description of the hotel building stock, to identify sustainability challenges and opportunities, and to support the development of relevant policies and measures. The findings of the study show that there is scope to improve the energy performance of the hotel sector in England and Wales, with historic buildings accounting for a sizeable proportion of this. These historic buildings present carbon emission challenges, highlighting the need to improve energy efficiency while preserving their historic significance. This study helps to break down the data barriers of non-domestic stock studies to aid energy management and climate change response in the hotel sector, providing insights into the realisation of a low-carbon economy and sustainable development goals. The limitations of the data are recognised to improve the accuracy and reliability of future studies.

Keywords Building Stock Study, Hotels Characterisation, England and Wales, Public Datasets, Climate Change