Every quarter our colleague Bridget Donofrio offers us, directly from the VDA Telkonet office in the United States, her personal point of view on the latest innovations in terms of technology, sustainability and energy saving to help hotel and non-hotel establishments remain competitive. 

Let’s read together her article for Bridget’s Suite December 2025. 

Ten years ago, my job looked very different. Back then, communicating the Group’s value meant focusing on guest comfort, smooth integrations with PMS platforms and door locks, and the impressive energy savings our system could deliver. Those were the headline topics—the pillars hotels cared about most. And while all of that is still important, the conversation has changed dramatically. The industry has evolved and so have the expectations placed on technology partners like us. 

What’s been most striking is how naturally this shift unfolded. It didn’t happen overnight. Each year brought a slightly broader question from hotel groups, a new requirement, a deeper look at how technology supports their long-term goals. Gradually, the focus expanded from room-level functionality to a wider evaluation of the systems and organizations behind it. Hotels began looking not only at how well a platform works, but how secure it is, how it aligns with corporate policies, and how it contributes to environmental goals across entire portfolios. 

This broader lens has reshaped nearly every conversation we have today. 

A shift toward security and stability 

One of the most significant changes has been the heightened emphasis on security and compliance. Years ago, these topics lived at the edges of discussions—important but not defining. Now they shape the framework of almost every engagement. Hotels want platforms that can stand up to increasing digital complexity and that fit neatly into their internal governance models. They ask about monitoring, documentation, infrastructure controls, and long-term resilience. They want to understand not just how a device operates, but how the organization behind it ensures consistency and safety over time. 

This shift has influenced our work at VDA Telkonet in very real ways. It has encouraged us to strengthen our architecture, refine our processes, and deepen the safeguards around our platform. These efforts reflect the new level of trust hotel groups expect from their technology partners. 

Sustainability becomes a shared responsibility 

Sustainability has always been a critical part of the conversation in hospitality, and that hasn’t changed. What has changed is the structure and intention behind it. Hotels have long cared about reducing energy use and improving operational efficiency, but today those aims are more measurable and tightly connected to corporate commitments. Sustainability is no longer an isolated initiative—it informs long-term planning, procurement, and brand identity. 

Our platform has supported these goals from the beginning, helping properties reduce energy consumption by 30–40% across more than 60 countries. Those reductions continue to play an important role in chain-level reporting and environmental planning. At the same time, we’ve expanded our own view of sustainability to include the full lifecycle of our products—how materials are selected, how manufacturing impacts the environment, and how devices remain reliable over time. 

Even as expectations grow, the underlying principle remains the same: sustainability is a shared responsibility between hotel groups and technology partners. 

Looking toward the future of hospitality

When I think back to those early years—explaining integrations, describing guest comfort features, highlighting energy savings—I can see how foundational those messages were. They remain essential, but they now sit within a more complex framework. Today, hotel groups seek partners who bring technical capability, organizational maturity, and long-term alignment with their broader goals. 

For VDA Telkonet, adapting to these expectations has meant broadening our perspective and strengthening our foundation. As the industry continues to evolve, we’re committed to helping hotels create environments that are secure, resilient, and sustainable—for today’s guests and for the future they’re preparing for.  

Happy holidays to all!