Industry: Hotels & Hospitality
Location: UK
Case Study
Overview
A modern UK hotel, a 200+ room facility constructed 30 years ago, faced escalating operational challenges due to hard water (350+ ppm) from its on-site borehole. These issues included limescale build-up, legionella risks, and inefficient energy consumption. Traditional water softeners were ineffective, leading to rising maintenance costs and downtime.
Key Issues
The hotel experienced several critical water-related issues:
- Hard Water and Limescale: Severe limescale build-up in pipes, calorifiers, and heat exchangers reduced system efficiency and increased maintenance needs.
- Energy Inefficiency: Limescale deposits reduced heat transfer efficiency, increasing energy costs year-on-year.
- Legionella Compliance: Regular water tests detected legionella levels exceeding 100 CFU/L, requiring costly chemical treatments.
- Maintenance Costs: Frequent descaling and kitchen appliance failures added significant operational expenses.
Our Solution
To address these challenges, the hotel implemented a comprehensive solution, combining the Integro™ Technology with supplementary systems:
- Integro™ Units:
- One unit was installed on the cold water storage tank outlet to treat all incoming water, preventing new limescale and breaking down historical deposits that were feeding biofilm and elevating legionella levels.
- A second unit was placed in the hot water recirculation system to maintain efficiency.
- Reverse Osmosis (RO) System:
- An RO system was added to the kitchen supply, protecting appliances such as glass washers, dishwashers, and steam ovens from limescale build-up.
- Air Source Heat Pumps:
- Old, scaled-up plate heat exchangers were replaced with air source heat pumps. The Integro™ units ensured these remained scale-free and efficient.
Environmental & Other Benefits
Eighteen months after implementation, the hotel reported significant improvements:
- Energy Savings
- Removal of historical limescale deposits improved heat transfer efficiency.
- The hotel achieved a 14% reduction in energy consumption, saving approximately £12,000 per year.
- The new air source heat pumps operate efficiently without interruption.
- Legionella Control
- Legionella levels dropped below UK thresholds within six months.
- Consistent compliance over 12 months eliminated the need for costly chemical treatments.
- Maintenance Cost Reductions
- Chemical descaling, previously costing £3,600 annually, was no longer required.
- Kitchen equipment maintenance issues were eliminated, thanks to the RO system.
- Improved Water Flow and Pressure
- As limescale deposits broke down, water flow and pressure improved throughout the system, particularly in high-demand areas.
- Environmental Benefits
- Reduced energy use and chemical treatments significantly lowered the hotel’s carbon footprint and waste output.
Summary & Results
Financial Overview
The project delivered clear financial benefits:
Metric | Savings |
Energy cost savings (14%) | £12,000 per year |
Chemical descaling cost savings | £3,600 per year |
Legionella treatment savings | £3,000 per year |
Total Annual Savings | £18,600 |
With a total project cost of £57,600, including just £12,000 for the Integro™ technology, the hotel expects an ROI for the entire project in under three years, and has already achieved on ROI on the Integro™ technology (less then 12 months).
Conclusion
By integrating the Integro™ technology with air source heat pumps and an RO system, the hotel successfully addressed its water-related challenges. Energy efficiency improved, legionella risks were mitigated, and maintenance costs dropped significantly. Encouraged by these results, the hotel is now planning to roll out Integro™ technology across additional properties.
Contact Details
- Saltire Centre, Pentland Ct, Glenrothes KY6 2DA
- +44(0)1592 407807
- enquiries@sidonwater.com
