ENERGY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF HOTEL BUILDINGS IN VARADERO, CUBA

Abstract

Introduction:
Hotels are among the most energy-intensive building types; improving their efficiency offers both economic and environmental benefits. Reliable assessment of energy performance requires statistically validated baselines and performance indicators.
Objective:
To evaluate the energy performance of hotel buildings in Varadero, Cuba, using statistically derived baselines and performance metrics.
Materials and Methods:
Baseline energy consumption (EnB) was established for 15 hotels using the IDELIN_Hotel software tool, which integrates occupancy and cooling degree days (CDD) into a combined variable (Room Degree Days, RDD). Statistical validity was verified using the correlation coefficient (R2), the mean squared error coefficient of variation (CV-RMSE), and the normalized mean error coefficient (NMBE). Performance in the subsequent year was evaluated using specific energy consumption (Cee), non-service energy (Eo), energy variance (Ev), and cumulative sum of deviations (CUSUM).
Results and Discussion:
Twelve hotels achieved energy savings relative to their baselines, while three operated inefficiently. The best performance was observed in Hotel K, which saved 1300 MWh/year. Indicators highlighted the influence of occupancy and outdoor temperature on consumption patterns.
Conclusions:
The study confirms the statistical robustness of the baselines and demonstrates the utility of IDELIN_Hotel software tool for energy performance assessment. Comparative analysis of indicators provides actionable insights for energy management systems in the hotel sector.