Mediterranean luxury resort hotels reach their peak occupancy during the summer months, when the air temperature is high and the availability and quality of potable water is low. The competitive advantage of Mirragio’s Hotel will result from a system capable of addressing all cooling, heating and water needs at the same time:

1. has a very low energy consumption
2. has low building costs
3. requires minimum or zero roof space
4. is reliable and corrosion proof

Design and implementation of a ’combined energy and water system’ for 5* hotels and spa by SYCHEM SA. The combined system uses sea water and electrical energy to provide:

1. Space cooling and heating
2. Underfloor heating
3. Domestic water heating
4. Pool & spa heating and cooling
5. Domestic water production (reverse osmosis desalination)
6. Sea water supply for Thalassotherapy Center
7. Sea water and brackish water supply for pools re-filling
8. Heat rejection for hotel’s centralized refrigeration systems

The innovation of the system lies in the joint use of the mechanical equipment and resources (sea water, electrical energy, reclaimed heat) for several combined users, under the control of a sophisticated Building Energy Management System (BEMS).

The main synergies of the combined system are:

1. Extensive in-series reuse of the sea water by water-source schillers, water-source heat pumps, desalination plant, centralised refrigeration, thalassotherapy and pools. The route of the sea water is controlled according to the specific temperature requirements of each sub-system. The result of sea water reuse is the substantial reduction of sea water intake infrastructure and pumping energy.
2. Reclaim of waste heat by water-source chillers for the heating of the pool and underfloor heating
3. Reclaim of waste cool by water-source heat pumps for space cooling
4. Use of thermal springs for heating of the pool

Moreover, all the equipment used follow the highest energy efficiency standards and is dynamically regulated to further enhance the already very high efficiency of the innovative combined design³³.