Under the GrowSmarter project, Gas Natural Fenosa (GNF) has undertaken an ambitious energy refurbishment initiative covering nearly 12,500m² of tertiary buildings. The primary objective is to significantly reduce the combined energy consumption of these refurbished buildings by nearly 2 GWh/year. Among these buildings, the H10 Catedral Hotel presents a unique challenge; it not only requires a high standard of thermal comfort in its rooms (heating and cooling) but also demands individual temperature settings for each room and continuous consumption for common areas. The ultimate goal is to validate the technical and economic feasibility of executing an energy refurbishment of a tertiary building as part of an integral refurbishment, driven by the building owner's needs. 

Solution 

The building energy retrofitting measures are:  

Passive Measures 

• Façade Insulation and Roof Insulation: Implementation of External Thermal Insulation Composite Systems (ETICS), that improve winter comfort and curb summer heating. They also eliminate cold bridges. 

• Change of Windows: Replacing existing windows with those offering better thermal insulation (lower U-value) and reduced solar transmission. Thermal breaks in the new windows help overcome cold bridge issues, while high-quality installation further reduces infiltration and improves acoustic comfort. 

Active Measures 

• Boiler Replacement: Replacing the boiler with a high-efficiency condensing boiler improves performance. 

• Chiller Replacement with High-Efficiency Heating Pump: Implementation of High-efficiency heating pumps, monitoring their performance and optimizing its operation to reduce electricity consumption. 

• BEMS (Building Energy Management System) installation: BEMS monitors and Help controlling consumption and to take decisions for the optimisation of the working calendar of different systems, in order to improve both the control system and thermal comfort. 

Implemented Renewable Energy Solutions 

• Aerothermal Heat Pumps: Aerothermal heat pumps for the cooling process with performance higher than 2.5 (European Directive 2014/11/UE). 

Through a combination of passive measures, active measures, and renewable energy solutions, the H10 Catedral Hotel has embarked on a journey towards energy efficiency and sustainable comfort. This project serves as a testament to the feasibility and benefits of energy refurbishment in tertiary buildings, ultimately aligning with broader sustainability goals and the reduction of energy consumption in urban environments. 

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