The heart of a Clima Hotel

The issue of eco-sustainability is becoming a key factor also in the architectural design of spaces for hospitality, where increasingly often it is seen by clients as an added value when it comes to planning their leisure time.

A recent interesting case in point is offered by a hotel at Selva di Val Gardena in the heart of the Dolomites, designed by Paolo de Martin and Sarah Gasparotto, architects who are experts in the sector of timber construction. Certified in CasaClima Class A in the Clima Hotel category, the Mountain Design Hotel EdenSelva was built following an invitation-only ideas competition. Reduced environmental impact overall, high energy efficiency and prevalent use of natural materials were the basic criteria for establishing the design that would be winner with respect to Clima Hotel protocol.

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This important certification takes into consideration three areas for evaluation. The category Nature’ considers performance in terms of the energy efficiency of the building envelope and building services, as well as the use of resources linked to the design and management of the hotel structure. The category ‘Life’ assesses the way the hotel considers the wellbeing of the guests. A further criteria, ‘Authenticity’ evaluates the respect of the construction to traditions and use of materials. Finally the category ‘Transparency’ analyses the costs of construction and management, quality of service offer and capacity of communication of the values of eco-sustainability.

From a construction point of view the building features a dual system in concrete and timber, that reinterprets the use of local materials. The exterior is distinguished by a facade with a dynamic composition made up of strips of microlamellar spruce arranged at varying intervals defining the way light enters the building and acting as a brise-soleil, articulating at the same time the rhythm of the views of the surrounding landscape.

The interior layout of the spaces has been designed to favour maximum ease of circulation flow and to identify the various functional areas. The public spaces – reception, fireside lounge, breakfast room, bar and relaxation areas – are situated along the main axis, from where the central staircase is accessed and lift leading to the three upper levels where the bedrooms are located. The “modern alpine” decor of the rooms and suites invites guests to relax in an elegant, bright and ecological setting, built with particular attention to anti-allergic materials sourced at 0 km. However it is the “hidden parts” of the structure that give the Mountain Design Hotel EdenSelva its real added value, enabling it to achieve the standards required to qualify for CasaClima Class A.

The services, supplied by Viessmann, a leading company in the sector, in fact meet all the demands of a hospitality building of this type, with maximum attention given to reducing energy consumption. Heating is supplied by a dual system with gas-fuelled condensation boiler with a power rating of 130 kW. This is based on a system of micro cogeneration for the production of thermal and electrical energy, able to maximise the use in terms of hours of functioning both for heating the spaces and producing hot water for sanitary and technical use as well as for the wellness area. The partial moments of maximum energy requirement are supported by a condensation heat generator offering high efficiency and modulation relationship with correct regulation and automation of all technological equipment; this system has enabled optimal energy efficiency in order to achieve the objectives of high eco-sustainability.

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The heart of a Clima Hotel