With this article we want to highlight the benefits of Geothermal utilization on tourism sector in island of Crete and beyond.
Mr. Serhat Ünaldi originally from Germany decided to establish a prototype Boutique hotel, energy fully autonomous based on the development of sustainable tourism in South Rethymno. The hotel will implement a closed loop Geothermal system which will fully cover the building’s Heating-Cooling loads as well as part of the Hot Water needs.
The climate prevailing in the area is characterized by hot with very strong winds. Geothermal energy as a renewable energy source takes advantage of the constant temperature of the subsoil offering an annual energy saving of 50% compared to an Air source heat pump. Also, the Geothermal heat pump during the cooling operation, recovering the heat loads before disposing of them underground, helps in the production of Domestic Hot Water. Thus, in combination with Photovoltaics, they transform the building into a building with almost zero energy consumption.
This project is a prototype as the hotel will not be connected to the electricity grid and Geothermal plays a key role in the design, reducing its energy costs. It is worth noting that the strong winds that prevail in the area are not a problem as the Geothermal pump located inside the building thus ensuring the longevity of the system, away from damage or damage due to initial conditions.
It is also worth mentioning that Geothermal will not affect the particular architecture of the building as it does not have exposed equipment (cables, pipes, outdoor unit). Mr. Serhat essentially chose to utilize a Renewable Energy Source which will reduce the high demands (peaks) of the hotel in cooling and heating, thus turning the hotel into a building with almost zero energy consumption, which has multiple benefits both in energy saving as well as in the transformation of the hotel into a sustainable tourist property.
Andreas Koutelidakis
MSc Mineral Resources Engineer, PK
Accredited Installer (IGSHPA)
W: www.whelveenergy.gr
e-mail: akoutelidakis@whelveenergy.gr
Dr. Serhat Ünaldi
Owner of THE GROVE CRETE
W: www.thegrovecrete.com
e-mail: serhat@thegrovecrete.com
