Reducing energy use in historic hospitality sector (NL)

Middelburg’s city centre is known for its heritage buildings, vibrant hospitality sector, and growing climate ambitions. Yet the path to sustainable hospitality is not straightforward. Hospitality businesses face high energy use, rising costs, and stricter regulations while often operating in rented, protected monuments where structural upgrades are difficult to implement.

This pilot explores how hospitality entrepreneurs and property owners can work together on sustainability improvements, even within the constraints of historical buildings and rental arrangements.

This initiative aligns closely with the core values of 3ST: strategic, smart and sustainable transformation in urban tourism.

• Smart: The pilot promotes the use of monitoring tools, energy-efficient technologies, and digital coordination for collective action.
• Sustainable: It targets CO₂ reduction, energy savings, better indoor climate, and long-term improvements in listed buildings.
• Strategic: The city centre is both an economic engine and cultural heart of Middelburg. Greening the hospitality sector here sets an example for other Dutch cities and towns.

This collaborative pilot supports the Dutch Climate Agreement and Regional Energy Strategy (RES) Zeeland.

So far, the project has:

• Mapped energy challenges in various hospitality businesses
• Held interviews with both entrepreneurs and property owners
• Identified core obstacles, including split incentives, monument restrictions, and lack of cooperation
• Built a framework for data-driven energy analysis, focusing on kitchens, bar equipment and terrace heating

The next step is to develop differentiated energy profiles and test practical solutions. From smart kitchen upgrades to alternatives for outdoor heating.

This pilot is a joint effort between:

• Municipality of Middelburg
• Impuls Zeeland
• Hospitality entrepreneurs and property owners
• Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN, hospitality sector association)

Using the 3ST Theory of Change (ToC) methodology, the project works through shared problem-solving, pilot testing, and capacity building. Local ownership is key, and the pilot focuses on activating trusted intermediaries, champions, and peer learning.

The project aims to deliver:

• A clearer understanding of energy flows in hospitality operations
• Practical, cost-effective sustainability measures
• Models for cooperation between entrepreneurs and landlords (e.g. green lease agreements)
• Collective workshops and a local hospitality sounding board
• A scalable approach for greening hospitality in other city centres

The main focus areas are:

• Energy-intensive kitchens and bar equipment
• Inefficient terrace heating
• Collaboration gaps between businesses
• Incentive misalignment between property owners and tenants

Impuls Zeeland is responsible for coordinating this pilot project. Please feel free to contact this organisation if you have any questions.