Energy efficiency in accommodation facilities: optimizing DHW and consumption in campsites with heat pumps and thermal storage

Hospitality facilities, and especially campsites, have highly variable thermal demand concentrated during peak hours: showers, domestic hot water, and common areas often require high consumption over short periods. In this context, adopting effective strategies for energy saving in hospitality structures becomes a key driver of competitiveness. Using a heat pump combined with a thermal storage system allows you to manage peaks, optimize consumption, and improve overall sustainability.

Why focus on domestic hot water for hotels and campsites

The production of domestic hot water (DHW heat pumps and thermal storage) accounts for a significant portion of consumption in facilities like campsites and tourist villages. Key aspects to consider:

• High demand concentrated at specific times in the morning and evening.
• Importance of avoiding interruptions or shortages during critical demand times.

Adopting a heat pump in hotels suitable for DHW production and a thermal storage system helps to:

1. Reduce the nominal power of the system since the demand is met by the storage.
2. Improve guest comfort by avoiding temperature fluctuations or waiting times.
3. Reduce energy consumption and thus the facility's operating cost.
   

Technological solutions: heat pump + photovoltaics + storage

For a sustainable campsite (“eco camping”), the combination of technologies is a winning strategy:

• Hotel / campsite heat pump for DHW and heating.
• Hotel photovoltaics to power the pump or generate renewable energy.
• Thermal storage for businesses / hospitality facilities to store heat during favorable times and use it during peak periods.

Best practices include:

• Accurate calculation of the DHW consumption curve,
• Sizing thermal storage to cover peak hours,
• Using photovoltaics to power the pump during the day and store heat for evening hours.

This approach significantly reduces consumption and makes the campsite a model of sustainable camping.

Specific advantages of thermal storage for hospitality businesses

Installing a thermal storage system brings numerous benefits to hospitality facilities:

• Greater energy efficiency for hospitality structures thanks to peak load management.
• Better use of the heat pump under optimal conditions, avoiding frequent ON/OFF cycles.
• Possibility to reduce the nominal power of the heat pump, lowering the initial investment.
• Greater autonomy in the evening hours or during high occupancy days thanks to stored energy.
• Access to incentives and grants for solar energy in campsites or DHW efficiency improvements.

A campsite equipped with these systems can turn its energy demand into a true asset of sustainability and competitive advantage.
For more insights, also read: Heat pump and thermal comfort.

Planning and design: key phases

To achieve the best results from an energy efficiency project for hospitality facilities, it is advisable to follow these 5 phases:

1. Facility audit: analysis of DHW and heating consumption.
2. Thermal storage design: selection of the right battery for the campsite’s needs.
3. Integration with heat pump and/or photovoltaics: ensuring a synergistic system.
4. Installation and commissioning: testing performance during demand peaks.
5. Monitoring and verification: analysis of real results and continuous optimization.
   This approach enables tailor-made systems for hospitality structures, raising the level of energy management and comfort.

Integration with regulations and incentives

Outdoor hospitality facilities — such as campsites, tourist villages, and glamping areas — can, if eligible, benefit from the Thermal Account 3.0 (CT 3.0), the national tool that incentivizes energy efficiency interventions in existing buildings.

Among the eligible interventions and expenses are:

• installation of heat pumps
• installation of solar thermal systems
• thermal energy storage systems, a category that fully includes i-TES thermal batteries

The integration of photovoltaics, heat pumps, and thermal storage allows campsites to:

• reduce the committed electric power
• optimize the production of domestic hot water (DHW)
• mitigate consumption peaks
• achieve a positive impact on operating costs and connection charges

Thanks to the modularity and scalability of the i-TES thermal batteries, it is possible to design DHW systems suited to seasonal needs and guest flow variability, turning the system into a true sustainability asset.

Contact us to evaluate how to implement an integrated solution that makes your campsite more efficient, renewable, and ready to access the CT 3.0 incentives.