Hotel Carbon Footprint Tool
Every accommodation has daily routines: lights switching on, linens being washed, and AC cooling rooms. These activities all use energy and resources, but it isn’t always obvious how they translate into your carbon footprint.
This tool provides a simple snapshot of emissions from hotel operations. It focuses on major sources such as energy use, laundry, and HVAC, using industry averages. With just a few quick inputs, you’ll receive a high-level estimate of your property’s annual emissions.
Next Steps
After you receive your footprint estimate by email, you can begin planning your broader climate strategy. This may include
- Measuring emissions from other parts of your business
- Completing a full property-specific footprint using our advanced assessment
- Identifying reduction opportunities
- Addressing any remaining past emissions through high-quality carbon offsets
Tools to Measure Other Hotel Emissions
Round out your hotel’s carbon footprint by measuring emissions from transport, guest travel, and events.
Guest Travel
Add a calculator to your website so guests can measure and offset the emissions from traveling to your hotel.
Hotel Transport
Calculate emissions from staff commuting, business travel, and hotel-operated transfers and vehicles.
Events
Use our Event Tool to measure the carbon footprint of meetings, retreats, or other on-property events.
Need a More Detailed Hotel Footprint?
For properties that require a more comprehensive footprint, our Advanced Hotel Footprint Tool collects detailed operational data across electricity use, fuels, refrigerants, waste, and laundry. This detailed assessment utilizes activity-based data to identify emissions hotspots and provide more accurate insights to support ESG reporting and reduction plans. Request access to get started and receive guidance on how to use the tool.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the most commonly asked questions about hotel carbon footprint measurement.
How does the tool calculate my hotel footprint?
We calculate your results using the 2024 emission factors from the Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index (CHSB)—the leading global dataset for estimating hotel energy use and carbon intensity. These factors are built from industrywide benchmarking data collected from thousands of properties worldwide.
Your estimate is based on key variables that influence a hotel’s carbon footprint, including the country where the property is located, its star rating, number of rooms, average occupancy, and the number of nights in the reporting period.
Does this tool cover all my emissions?
The Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking (CHSB) factors used by the tool include the core operational emissions typically generated by hotel stays. These cover on-site energy and fuels used for electricity, heating, and hot water; outsourced laundry emissions; and a small standardized uplift to account for mobile fuels and refrigerant leakage. The factors do not include broader Scope 3 emissions such as waste, food and beverage, supply chain impacts, guest transport, or staff commuting.
If you want to measure your specific accommodation’s footprint, our advanced assessment tool captures property-specific operational data to produce a more detailed, comprehensive result.
What's the difference between the quick tool and the advanced tool?
The quick tool on this page provides a high-level estimate of your hotel’s emissions. It uses industry averages, so you can calculate your footprint quickly without gathering detailed operational data. If you’re just beginning to measure your carbon footprint, this is a practical place to start.
The advanced tool uses more specific information about your property’s operations, such as the types and amounts of fuels used, refrigerants, and waste management practices. This produces a more accurate footprint to support planning, tracking, and reporting on your reduction efforts.
Who should use this tool?
Our hotel carbon footprinting tool can be used by any accommodation provider, from small guesthouses to luxury resorts. Tour operators seeking more accurate measurement of the hotels included in their trips may also share this tool with their accommodation partners.
How long does it take to receive my results?
You’ll receive the estimate in your email inbox within a few minutes.
Do you share or publish my hotel's emissions data?
No. Your emissions data and the information you provide are kept confidential and are not shared or published.
Questions?
Contact our team to learn more about our Hotel Carbon Footprinting Tool and other climate solutions.
