CASE STUDY: HEATING TOURIST FACILITIES

How to heat a tourist facility properly, and what solution to choose?

High altitude, low temperatures, and extraordinary winter conditions could have easily soured the Alpine Pearl hotel’s investment in more efficient heating. But, since they knew where to look for the right solution, they sure found it.

 

 

WARMTH IN THE WILD

Whenever you plan a vacation, a break, or even just a quick excursion in the great outdoors, comfort and well-being are always at the top of your concerns. But not at any price. More and more hotel owners and guests are beginning to realize how important it is to live in green harmony with the environment. How, then, should the Alpine Pearl tackle its heating challenges, and what was their ultimate decision? Located right on the Cerkno ski resort, the Alpine Pearl is a great example of how an investment can lead to savings, while at the same time lowering carbon footprints and keeping the environment pristine. Read more to find out!

 

BASIC INFORMATION

Name The Alpine Pearl – Cerkno Ski Resort
Location Cerkno, Slovenia
Building type Tourist facility
Building description Skiing lodge with a big restaurant and hotel rooms
Heating profile Built around 2007, insulated with 10 centimeters of fiberglass
Original heating system Heating oil
Previous heating costs approx. €50,000/year
Challenge Cut down on massive amounts of heating oil used
Appliance 4 x WPL-90-K1 HTT + WPB-65-1 XHT
Number of appliances 5
Heating capacity (kW) 425
Source Air/water, heating
Year of installation 2019
Description of new system Central system
Note of interest 1291 meters ASL
Heating costs after installation 70,000 kWh/year
CO2 reduction 24 T/year
Savings 63.6% per year

 

MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF HEATING OIL 

Since the Alpine Pearl stands at a respectable 1291 m ASL, it’s important to keep the guests warm at all times. The altitude also made investors a bit skeptical. The ski hotel, with its huge restaurant is a big consumer, using primarily heating oil to warm its rooms and heat its water. With a state-of-the-art Kronoterm heat pump they slashed their costs in half, despite being at such an altitude.

 

EXTREME CONDITIONS

How to find the best heat pump, especially when you’re looking for a solution that will heat up a tourist facility that operates in extreme weather. After all, most heat pumps do not adapt to the requirements of building and meteorological conditions. This adaptability is one of the main reasons that clients happily choose Kronoterm heat pumps with booster systems. Designed for the Slovenian climate, they work even at –25 °C, a demanding environment in which to produce high output temperatures and still cut costs. Not only are Kronoterm heat pumps up to the challenge, but at –10 °C they can even heat water up to an enviable 65 °C. The Alpine Pearl chose a combination of the Kronoterm WPL-90-K1 HTT and WPB-65-1 XHT, ensuring that the temperatures are always toasty, even at 1291 meters.

 

NEVER COLD

After listening to our honest advice about a solution for such extreme conditions, the investor decided on an air/water heat pump with a system booster. The pumps have been putting out water at 80 °C, allowing them to heat sanitary hot water above 60 °C. And all that with no additional electric heater. At the end of the day, the Alpine Pearl ensured that they’d never run out of warm water and never send guests to a room that was anything less than toasty. 

 

CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Kronoterm heat pumps helped the Alpine Pearl do its part for the environment and for all life on earth. The building, constructed in 2007, only had 10 centimeters of fiberglass, and so it needed a great heat pump to keep its guests comfortable. With all their savings, lower consumption, and economic benefits, they will see a return on their investment in 4.2 years, during which countless guests will feel as snug as a bug while enjoying unforgettable Alpine experiences. It was clear that this solution for heating their tourist facilities was not only the most affordable, but also the most effective.