Every GM and chief engineer eventually asks us the same question: “So what temperature should an empty room sit at?” It’s a great question, and the honest answer is that there isn’t one magic number. The right setback depends on your climate, your HVAC, your humidity, and how fast a room has to feel comfortable again when a guest walks in.
What we can tell you is how to think about it, what goes wrong when setbacks are set too deep or too shallow, and how we tune them so empty rooms stop running for nobody while guests never notice a thing.
What a setback actually is
A setback is the temperature a guest room drifts to when nobody is using it. With smart thermostats & energy controls, the room knows the difference between three states:
- Occupied. The guest is in the room, and they’re in full control within the comfort limits you set.
- Rented but unoccupied. The guest is out for the day. The room eases back a few degrees and recovers before they’re likely to return.
- Unsold. No one is checked in. The room can sit at a deeper setback until the front desk assigns it.
Occupancy sensors and door contacts tell the system which state a room is in. When rooms are tied to the property management system, the controls also know which rooms are sold, which unlocks the deepest savings on unsold rooms.
The three things a setback has to balance
Energy. The further a room drifts from the guest’s setting, the less the HVAC runs while it’s empty. This is where most of the savings come from.
Recovery time. A deeper setback means a longer climb back to comfort. If a guest opens the door to a stuffy room after a long day, the savings aren’t worth it. Recovery speed depends on your HVAC type and capacity, which is why a PTAC wing and a fan coil tower may need different settings.
Humidity. In warm, humid climates, letting an empty room get too warm for too long can invite moisture, musty smells and worse. Good setback strategies set humidity limits as well as temperature limits, so a room never sits in conditions that create maintenance problems.
Signs your setbacks need tuning
- Guests call the front desk soon after check-in because the room feels too warm or too cold.
- Housekeeping reports musty or damp rooms, especially in vacant blocks.
- Engineering overrides setbacks room by room to stop complaints.
- Energy bills barely moved after controls went in.
Each of these points to settings, not hardware. That’s good news, because settings can be fixed remotely.
How we tune setbacks for a property
We don’t hand over a default profile and walk away. We start with your climate, HVAC types and room mix, set conservative setbacks, and then adjust based on how rooms actually behave: recovery times, humidity readings and guest feedback from your front desk. Rented-but-unoccupied rooms get a gentler setback than unsold rooms, and suites or corner rooms can get their own profiles.
Because we also handle integration with door locks, lighting for brand standards, and PMS or BMS connections, the controls can act on real occupancy and room status, not guesswork.
What owners typically see
Across all hotel brands, properties with well-tuned occupancy-based controls typically see 20–35% less HVAC energy use and a 12–18 month payback, often sooner with utility rebates. Results vary.* Many utilities offer incentives for these controls, and we check them for you. See our Rebates page.
FAQ
Will guests notice the setback? They shouldn’t. Setbacks only apply when the room is empty, and recovery is tuned so the room is comfortable when the guest returns.
Should rented rooms and unsold rooms use the same setback? Usually not. Unsold rooms can drift further because nobody is expected back soon. Rented rooms get a gentler setback so they recover quickly.
Can setbacks be changed after installation? Yes. Settings are adjusted from one central place, so tuning by season, floor or room type doesn’t require a visit to every room.
Does this apply to apartments too? Yes. Vacant units between leases benefit from the same idea. See how we help multifamily communities.
Find the right setback for your property
Our free, no-obligation assessment looks at your rooms, HVAC types and climate and recommends a setback strategy, plus a rebate check. Learn more about how we work, our hotels page, and the IHG requirements if you run an IHG property.
Book your free assessment → or call our team at (561) 762-9500
*Savings and payback vary by utility rates, climate, HVAC type, occupancy and available rebates. Rebate amounts, approval and timing are set by each utility and can change; we confirm eligibility for your exact address before you commit.
