Nowadays, due to the constant rise in oil prices, there is an increasing need for energy efficient products that provide greater savings to users. The hotel industry is among the most energy-intensive sectors of the economy, meaning soaring costs for operating the facilities. Most of the hotels use conventional and energy-inefficient systems such as conventional boilers in order to produce domestic hot water. The need to find more economical energy upgrading solutions for existing installations is imperative. The attention of interested parties is mostly directed towards the use of heat pumps or solar energy.
But, where does the truth lie and what is more economical?
Main advantages of using a heat pump compared to a boiler:
• Energy upgrading of buildings,
• Energy efficiency and operating cost reductions up to 70%, and
• Return on investment approximately within 3 years,
Main advantages of using a heat pump compared to a central solar field:
• Faster return of investment,
• Less space required,
• Less need for maintenance, and
• Smaller volume of hot water storage tanks and hence less space for boiler rooms.
These and many other advantages prove that the use of a heat pump is the best solution for the needs of a hotel.
- Installation of heat pumps at the Inbal Hotel in Jerusalem. The return of investment is estimated at 2 to 3 years
2. Installation of heat pumps in a British hotel
Solar panels and a ground source heat pump from Vaillant have been installed in one of the UK’s most innovative heating projects at the luxurious Lake House boutique hotel, near Windermere. A 10kW Vaillant geo THERM heat pump is believed to be the first to be installed in the UK without first draining the lake. It now provides underfloor heating for the hotel, while five Vaillant auro THERM exclusive vacuum tube solar panels preheat water which is fed into a bespoke tank in tank domestic hot water system, reducing energy bills further. Lakes are a good source of energy for heat pumps and probably better than a horizontal layout and almost as good as a borehole.