The energy renovation of the spa hotel will cut its carbon footprint by 800 air trips per year.
LeaseGreen, Finland’s leading energy service company, designed and implemented an energy renovation project for the Rauhalahti Spa Hotel in Kuopio. The new technology will reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint and energy bill, and improve the conditions in the building.
“Apart from the economic side, this is a question of values. Our customers also appreciate sustainable development,” says Maarit Paunonen, Hotel Manager.
“The environment is important to us, and we do small things for it every day. For example, our leftover food does not end up in the bin, but finds its way to the eaters through the ResQ service. We also take care of the cleanliness of the local environment. This spring, we are applying for the Green Key label, which includes many aspects.”
Energy efficiency is eco-efficiency. The energy renovation now completed will reduce the hotel’s carbon footprint by 101 tonnes per year, equivalent to driving 720 000 kilometres in a low-emission car or 840 return flights from Helsinki to Stockholm. The total energy cost savings will be around €740 000.
During the renovation, Rauhalahti’s ventilation was modernised and adapted to the needs of the building. Much of the lighting was replaced with LEDs, and an exhaust air heat pump was installed. The technology is connected to LeaseGreen’s remote monitoring system. The service ensures in real time that equipment is working as designed, conditions are optimal and promised savings are being made.
The corona had surprisingly little influence on the energy renovation. The spa hotel was not flooded with Christmas parties as it usually is, and the festive season did not interfere with the progress of the renovation.
“There was some excitement about how the interest rate would affect delivery times and so on. However, the worries were unfounded and everything was delivered on time,” says Paunonen.
Situated on the shores of the Kallavesi River and in the vicinity of a nature reserve, the spa hotel consists of eleven separate buildings. The main hotel building was built in the early 1980s and has 106 rooms. In addition to the main building, the complex includes an apartment hotel, a studio hotel, a Jätkänkämppä restaurant and a smoke sauna.
During the holidays, Rauhalahti is full of families with children. At other times, the most typical customers are middle-aged and older couples who come for a good meal or dancing in addition to the spa. Many people also enjoy the culture and events in the centre of Kuopio, just six kilometres away.
Energy efficiency and spas do not sound like an easy combination. In Rauhalahti, there are more than 19 000 heated square metres in total, and a huge number of heated cubes. It is therefore important to find solutions to reduce electricity and energy consumption. Rauhalahti is part of the Solaris group of spas, which has been actively developing the energy efficiency of its spa hotels in Kuopio and Lohja for many years.
The Rauhalahti Spa Hotel is Solaris Spas’ second energy efficiency project, implemented in cooperation with LeaseGreen. Two years ago, LeaseGreen carried out a similar energy renovation at the Solaris Kylpylöiden Lohja spa hotel, now known as Lohja Spa & Resort. Both renovations have been carried out on a monthly fee basis.
The good experience of the cooperation encouraged the company to undertake energy renovation also in Kuopio.
LeaseGreen, which specialises in energy renovation for large buildings, has carried out numerous energy efficiency projects for spas, hotels and sports halls.
“Improving energy efficiency is a long-term effort consisting of small and large measures,” says Thomas Luther, CEO of LeaseGreen.
“The most important thing is to be constantly active and think about how to take the whole thing forward, both in everyday matters and in the context of major renovations.”
Maarit Paunonen, Director, Rauhalahti Spa Hotel
+358 44 541 9342, maarit.paunonen@rauhalahti.fi
Thomas Luther, Managing Director, LeaseGreen
+358 40 5344 256, thomas.luther@leasegreen.com
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