Energy Analyses and Optimization Proposals for Hotels in Sicily: A Case Study

Andrea Guercio (), Domenico Curto, Vincenzo Franzitta, Margherita Frascati, Daniele Milone, Pierluca Martorana and Miriam Mantegna
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Andrea Guercio: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Domenico Curto: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Vincenzo Franzitta: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Margherita Frascati: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Daniele Milone: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Pierluca Martorana: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Miriam Mantegna: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-18

Abstract: The recent post-pandemic period has economically affected many business sectors. One of these is the hotel industry. As a result of this economic crisis, it is necessary to act on the economic costs of running energy-intensive buildings such as a hotel. The thermal and electrical energy consumption of an accommodation facility weighs heavily on the economic balance. Governments around the globe have moved to help those activities in need. To improve the sustainability of the hospitality sector from an environmental and economic point of view, the introduction of energy retrofit solutions is mandatory. Following European sustainability laws, the impact and efficiency of the building were calculated using smart readiness indicators. The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of a 5-star hotel located in southern Italy characterized by high energy consumption. Precisely these consumptions are due to air conditioning, lighting, hot water, catering, and all other utilities. The entire building and the systems serving it were characterized by means of software that studies consumption with dynamic models, Trnsys. The same software made it possible to model the case study by replacing the existing air conditioning system with one supplied by renewable energies. Two energy retrofit hypotheses were chosen to obtain the best economic and environmental results. First, the choice was to install solar cooling powered by flat solar panels, and the second choice was solar cooling powered by evacuated tube collectors. This paper reports the technical and economic characteristics of both proposed solutions, quantifying the energy and economic savings to identify the best solution.

Keywords: energy retrofit solutions; energy saving; solar energy; heritage building (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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