Hotel Verde Receives The Energy Efficiency Forum Award For 2013

In recognition of their leadership and excellence and innovation in energy efficiency, Hotel Verde was announced the winner of the Energy Efficiency Forum Awards on 26 November.

 

The Energy Efficiency Forum created the EEF Awards In recognition of leadership and to motivate continued reduction in energy consumption. Applications are judged on the implementation of significant energy efficiency interventions – in terms both of technological and behavioural change – that result in substantial reductions in energy consumption in buildings.

Mario Delicio, owner of Hotel Verde, says: “Hotel Verde had the advantage of starting from scratch, so building new meant we could plan much more than by retrofitting an existing building.”

He adds, “From the design and construction phase through to the operation of the hotel, many dedicated and passionate individuals have gone to great lengths to develop a system that is as sustainable as possible. Advanced energy modelling was applied to the entire building envelope to optimise building design as well as operational practices.”

 

Technologies installed and recognised include:

Renewable Energy and Energy Generation –

· Three vertical-axis wind turbines

· Photovoltaic panels on North-facing roof and façade

· Energy-generating gym equipment

· Elevators with regenerative braking

Energy Efficiency in passive building design –

· Thermally (and acoustically) well-insulated structure and services

◦ double-glazed windows

◦ spectrally-selective windows

◦ insulated roof

◦ high-SRI (Solar Reflectance Index) roof

◦ insulated ductwork and piping

· Airtight windows, doors, entrances to minimise losses of conditioned air

· Northern-facing windows shaded by photovoltaic panels

· Natural ventilation in strategic areas

· Indirect sunlight for lighting, especially for corridors, lobby and other general areas

· Light interior colours to increase light penetration

· Skylight for natural lighting

· Green Roof (Partial)

◦ Improved insulation

◦ Reduced heat island effect

· Living wall

· Tiered building for sectional occupation and complete shutdown of unused tiers

· Strategic filling of more efficient rooms

Energy Efficiency in active systems –

· Intelligent Building Management System to actively and continuously optimise efficiency and autonomously report malfunctions or inefficiently-running equipment

· Energy-efficient and intelligent Heating Ventilation and Air-Conditioning system using geothermal ground loops coupled to heat pumps for central heating/cooling and domestic water

◦ Geothermal ground loop technology

◦ Heat pump technology

◦ Strategic zoning and placing of thermostats

◦ Public area demand control ventilation

◦ Occupancy-controlled ventilation

◦ Carbon monoxide monitoring, activating additional ventilation in basement only when necessary

· Energy- and/or water-efficient equipment – Energy Star certified

◦ Washing machines which utilise the rinsing water of the last rinse to pre-rinse the next load

◦ Dishwashers

◦ Lighting (low voltage bulbs and/or LED lights)

◦ Personal Computers

◦ Printers

◦ Screens

· Motion/Occupancy-controlled lighting in public and back of house areas, e.g. corridors, bathrooms, gym, offices, store rooms, etc.

· Main power isolation switch to each bedroom and meeting room

· Demand-controlled ventilation to bedrooms

Andre Harms, Sustainability Manager and founder of Ecolution Consulting, says, “We looked at different ways of doing everything right, from the word go.”

Hotel Verde has been open only since 27 August 2013 and so not enough data from energy readings is available at this stage. However, according to advanced energy modelling, the building is predicted to be 50% more efficient than the LEED baseline, which is already a very stringent requirement,and an estimated 75% more efficient than other similar hotel buildings.

Ongoing monitoring and metering of energy consumption is undertaken. Harms notes, “This plan means that the services in the hotel will be monitored and maintained in a very pro-active way rather than in a reactive way. This will ensure that the building is being operated at its maximum efficiency.”

In addition to the hotel’s Building Management System (BMS), the hotel also has a Sustainability Committee that meets on a monthly basis to discuss sustainability-related issues and goals as well as to brainstorm new ideas for creating awareness among staff and guests and minimising energy and resource use. The team sets monthly energy usage goals and assesses the company’s performance on a monthly basis.

“We are delighted and proud to accept this award in recognition of our efforts in this arena”, says Mario. “Hotel Verde holds the title of ‘Africa’s Greenest Hotel, but we hope that soon other hotels will compete with us for the title. It is my strong desire, and the team’s, that Hotel Verde will be a benchmark for other new and existing hotels to build from and that it will lead the way for them to be built and operated in a more sustainable way, and consequently to encourage guests to adopt sustainable lifestyles too.”