Value
Proposition: Sustainable Design
There are a number of sustainable energy practices available to
the hospitality sector specific to aquatics that can help achieve LEED-Gold and
LEED-Silver ratings. Such design practices include designing pools and spas
with variable frequency drives (VFD), employing high efficiency heaters as well
as designing flat-plate and evacuated tube solar thermal systems. These systems function not only to augment
the high efficiency pool and spa heater but also to provide hot water for the
hotel laundry, kitchen, and bathrooms.
Incorporating a simple VFD into the swimming pool design allows
the hotel operator to reduce the RPM of the circulation pump along a linear
curve of flow reduction while taking advantage of an electricity use reduction
along an exponential curve. In layman’s terms, the operator can reduce the
RPM’s by half while simultaneously reducing electricity use by 87.5%.
Additionally, using a high-efficiency condensing, or
noncondensing, hydronic water heater for the pool and spa achieves an
efficiency rating of 98%, which is well above the accepted “high efficiency”
standard of 88% in today’s marketplace. Moreover, the client can achieve installation
cost reduction because the exhaust flume construction of a hydronic water
heater is Sch. 80 PVC as opposed to costly stainless steel power vent
applications.
Last, employing photovoltaic (PV) solar panels is common for the
creation of electricity for residential and commercial use; however, few
architects are aware that a PV solar array produces less than 14% of the energy
as a flat plate/evacuated tube solar thermal configuration. The solar thermal
energy collection method allows the hotel operator to augment the gas and
electric costs associated with heating not only the pool and spa but also the
hot water used in hotel kitchens and bathrooms as well as the re-heat required
in central HVAC units. With a useful life between 20 and 25 years coupled with
a multitude of state and federal tax incentives a hotel/resort owner can realize
a 500-800% ROI over a 15-year period. It is clear that increasingly consumers
are demanding sustainable practices in the hospitality sector. Moreover, the
energy savings, LEED Certification, and marketing cache generated from these
design/renovation practices substantially improve the hotel brand’s positioning
in the marketplace while achieving long-term, sustainable operating savings.
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