Energy Efficiency
3 Questions for Frank Lüddecke
Why of course it is. Energy efficient planning and building is an issue with almost all of our projects. This is also ensured by the German Energy Saving Regulation that is constantly marking out the energy framework for buildings in narrower terms. So we plan our lighting, heating and air conditioning to be as energy efficient as possible.
For “The George” we developed a variable refrigerant volume small cooling system together with the company Daikin – something that is fairly unique in the German hotel industry. It suits the structure of the building perfectly,
which had to be accommodated within small-scale surfaces and parameters. For this reason, instead of the standard refrigeration unit and heat exchange device on the roof, we have deployed a space-saving direct damping system at “The George”. As well as for cooling, the system can also be deployed like a heat pump for heating the hotel rooms. In this way we achieve a relatively good energy consumption value of an average 55 kWh per square metre.
No, of course not. In future, buildings will noticeably be designed as low-energy buildings and will work in ways that save even more energy. In any case, low-energy buildings will demand far more efficient insulation, which will be a considerable cost factor in larger projects. Just like everything in the construction industry, the issue of energy efficiency has to be weighed up against other factors; however, with increasing energy prices, it should carry a great deal more weight in future.