Keeping cool?
I hope so. There’s been a bunch of reporting that this July will be the hottest single month on record.
“Every day this month has set records for average global annual temperatures, and already, 17 days in July have been hotter than any others in more than 40 years of global observations,” the Washington Post reports, citing climate scientists.
Record highs across the U.S. are proving deadly, even to the point that the U.S. National Park Service has reported that more people have died from extreme heat this summer than any other year since 2007, according to ABC News. The deaths of at least five people in the parks since the start of June are believed to be heat-related.
There are wildfires in Canada — think about that again, Canada has wildfires. There’s a heatwave in several European countries currently. China hit 126 degrees.
This isn’t a fluke. We’ve seen temperatures trending, and even jumping, this direction for years. Ignoring other things such as worsening hurricane seasons, flooding, droughts, you know that unless we have some major changes, the temperatures will likely keep going up.
So what does that mean for travel and for hotels? Unless you’re able to generate your own power on property through solar panels, you can expect energy costs to keep going up as your hotels keep the air conditioning going to beat the heat. In certain locations, people may turn to hotels to become cooling stations if they can’t stay cool at home.
Solar panels would definitely be a great investment, especially if local utilities can’t handle the demand on their systems from everyone running their own AC units. Owners really should consider installing solar panels where possible to keep the hotel running, and guests and employees cool, during power outages.
Hoteliers may want to consider rethinking their landscaping, finding ways to reduce their water usage. That's already a thing, yes, but as temperatures increase, more regions may need to adopt this practice.
See what shade you can provide around your property, creating cooler areas for people to sit or walk. There's also the potential to cool your property as well if you're able to add trees.
As your guests and employees are out and about your property, keep an eye on them, especially if your hotel has a lot of outdoor space. Be ready to recognize the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion and know how to respond quickly. Having water easily available, and for free if possible, would be a great help.
Do your best to keep your employees and guests safe during the hot months of summer. These temperatures aren't coming down any time soon.
You can reach me at bwroten@hotelnewsnow.com as well as Twitter and LinkedIn.
The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel News Now or CoStar Group and its affiliated companies. Bloggers published on this site are given the freedom to express views that may be controversial, but our goal is to provoke thought and constructive discussion within our reader community. Please feel free to contact an editor with any questions or concern.