The Monte Marcella project involves the renovation of a farmstead into a sports resort. In addition to 16 rooms for 42 guests, the hotel includes a fitness center, a 25m outdoor swimming pool, a wellness area, a fully equipped industrial kitchen, and a cinema. What makes this hotel unique is that both the rooms and the main common areas can be brought "to altitude."
Altitude Training
Air pressure depends on the altitude above sea level. It decreases the higher one is above sea level. High in the mountains, it can be simplified to say that the air presses less hard on the lungs, causing the body to work harder to absorb oxygen. The body will adapt to this by producing more red blood cells. This is the goal of a classic altitude training camp.
The purpose of an altitude room at Monte Marcella is to simulate the effect of an altitude training camp without having to travel to the mountains. In a building, however, it is not possible to drastically reduce the air pressure, as this would lead to excessively high loads on the walls due to the pressure differential. To simulate altitude, the oxygen content in the room is therefore reduced. Due to the lowered oxygen content, less oxygen is absorbed through the lungs, causing the body to react in the same way as it would at lower pressure, namely by producing extra red blood cells.
Nitrogen Generation
To reduce the oxygen content in the rooms, membrane nitrogen generation is used. Through an oil-free compressor and a special membrane, the oxygen is filtered from the air until fairly pure nitrogen remains. The installation at Monte Marcella comprises three nitrogen generators of 37kW. These are located in a large technical room in the basement. Transport of room air to the generator and nitrogen-enriched air to the rooms is done via an extensive network of pipes and ducts. Each room at Monte Marcella has its own supply and return line, allowing a separate oxygen level or thus altitude to be set per room.
Heat Production
At Monte Marcella, the heating of the common areas and wellness is primarily done via underfloor heating connected to an air/water heat pump. This heat pump is also responsible for the production of domestic hot water. The rooms are equipped with an air/air heat pump (VRF) for cooling or heating. The VRF system also provides cooling for the common areas. The swimming pool is heated by a separate air/water heat pump.
The residual heat from the nitrogen generators is recovered for producing domestic hot water and heating the outdoor swimming pool. Since both consumers require heat year-round, the recovery is maximized. The mains water is actively disinfected. This ensures a safe sanitary installation with a low risk of Legionella growth. Due to the active treatment, it is also possible to produce domestic hot water at a temperature lower than 60°C. This results in a higher efficiency of the heat pump and lower heat losses from the hot water loop.
