How do you encourage guests to be mindful of energy usage?

[Elisa]

 

Hello everyone and have a great week! 😊

Reading through your posts in the community, I’ve noticed that managing electricity use is a common challenge for many of you.

Some guests might not be fully aware, which could unintentionally result in extra energy use.

Clear communication seems to go a long way, and tools like smart thermostats have also been mentioned as helpful solutions.

I’m sure there are plenty of other creative, guest-friendly ways to approach this. How do you encourage guests to be more mindful of their energy use during their stay?

I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts!

Warmly,
Elisa 🌻

[Mike3314]

Our biggest issue is the AC…it still amazes me how low people will set it as soon as they get there.  So we added a smart thermostat that will re-set to 70 if they lower it more than that.  Hasn’t been a issue with any quests.

[Elisa]

Hi @Mike3314 😊, 

Thank you for sharing this here!

Does this thermostat also help you manage the heat?

Warm regards 🌻,

[Mike3323]

You can't. PERIOD. People are going to do what they do, so the upper-crust part of AirBnB hosting folks have lots of resources, but the lower to mid-market are just hoping to have good denizens. It doesn't have to be that way. For example, in my Costa Rica place, I installed a big new split aircon. It is mindful of movement, much like the NEST in the USA. If there are no movements, it turns off. My electrical bill in Guanacaste for an 800 sq. ft. place was $240 last year. This year = $100. 

[Mike3323]

Per month.

[Elisa]

Hi @Mike3323 😊, 

Thank you for sharing your approach here!

How did you get the idea? You got a wonderful result 😍
Did another host suggest it to you?

Warm regards 🌻,

[Selina192]

Hey @Mike3323 ! Where did you find this? I have a house in Guanacaste too and I’ve been looking for a solution to people over using the AC. 
also how much did it cost to install this?

[Peakpulse0]

Hello!

Wishing you a productive and positive week ahead as well.

As a property manager who’s overseen a variety of short-term rentals over the past five years, I can definitely relate to the concerns around energy use. It’s something that tends to come up more often than expected.

In my experience, two things make a big difference:

Setting expectations early – Including a short note in the welcome guide or digital house manual reminding guests to turn off lights and AC/heating when not in use. Framing it as a sustainability effort usually helps.

Smart tech – Properties using smart thermostats and motion sensors have seen noticeable improvements in usage control, especially in off-peak hours.

At the end of the day, it’s about balancing comfort and consciousness. I’d love to hear what strategies have worked for others as well!

[Elisa]

Hi @Peakpulse0 😊,

It’s lovely to read you here as well, thank you for sharing this.

Have you ever received any negative feedback from a guest about the short note you include in the welcome guide?

Warm regards 🌻,

[Peakpulse0]

Hi @Elisa,

Thank you so much always a pleasure to connect with like-minded hosts!

To your question: No, I haven’t received any negative feedback about the short note in the welcome guide. In fact, I’ve found that when the tone is friendly and clear, most guests really appreciate the transparency and thoughtfulness. It helps set expectations early and adds a personal touch that guests remember.

Warm regards.

[Becky620]

Hello Elisa!

We have a small rental and have not had an issue since we opened 1 1/2 years ago.  I do put in the guide book that and in their check out instructions to turn all A/C's off when leaving and turn the heat down to 65.  Most guests are good about the A/C's, they do forget about the heat at times but since I am in there the day they leave to clean, I am able to catch that.

Rebecca

[Elisa]

Hi @Becky620 😊, 

Thank you so much for sharing this here!

That's a great approach. Do you have the guidebook in multiple languages?

Warm regards 🌻,

[Christy292]

I try to encourage guests to be mindful, framing it in a manner that encourages them to think of the costs incurred by leaving AC units on, and impact on the environment & sustainability.  I remind them to not use AC with the doors open and while they are not there, and for the most part I find that most guests do not abuse it.  The only time that I experienced a guest with excessive usage was before using Airbnb as my rental platform.

So far, Airbnb guests have been wonderful! 

[Elisa]

Hi @Christy292 😊,

Thank you for taking the time to comment here!

How did you manage the situation with your guest who wasn’t mindful of their energy usage?

Warm regards 🌻,

[Brendan226]

I have installed timer switches on the outside lights. This has made a big difference because guests dont know which switches are wich and they will turn them on during the day, they stay on often all day and often night. They are flood lights so 600w total, per outside light. There are multiple. Now they only turn them on when they need to and then they turn off automatically. Its actually very handy. I love using them.

For the inside, I have installed sensor switches. These switches have "vacancy mode" so they dont turn on automatically. You turn them on and if it does not detect any motion in a half hour, it turns them off. Not all switches are desirable to do this with, and not all switches are in the right position to pick up motion correctly (and would hence become a nuisance) but many work out well, and lights are left off much more now. Before 80% of the lights on were not in use. Now its more like 30%