Combating Energy Inefficiency in the Hospitality Industry: Insights from Air Conditioning Practices and Compliance Factors

Energy use continues to place considerable pressure on the hospitality sector. This study examines how far South African hotels have moved towards adopting energy-efficient and regulation-compliant air conditioning systems, and how hotel staff perceive the risks associated with using non-compliant units. Drawing on survey responses from 234 employees across different organisational levels, the analysis combined descriptive statistics with exploratory factor analysis and reliability testing to build a clearer picture of current practices. The results point to only moderate compliance: while many hotels have begun incorporating inverter technologies, energy labels, and appropriate refrigerants, efforts to engage guests in energy-saving behaviour remain limited. Two core patterns emerged from the factor analysis first, recognition of the environmental, economic, and operational impacts of non-compliant systems, and second, strong support for strategies such as training, regulatory enforcement, collaboration, incentives, and technology-based monitoring. Both constructs demonstrated acceptable reliability (α = 0.741 and α = 0.844). Overall, the findings suggest that although awareness of energy-efficient practices is growing, much work remains to translate this into consistent operational behaviour. The study adds to ongoing discussions on sustainable hospitality and offers actionable guidance for policymakers and hotel managers seeking to improve energy performance across the sector.