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Project
MONWANA LODGE ’ S CENTRALISED , INTEGRATED
HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEMS
Written by Luan Steyn BEng ( Mech ), Essensia Heating & Cooling Systems , edited by Eamonn Ryan
Monwana is located within the prestigious Thornybush Nature Reserve , which is home to the famed Big 5 and offers world-class game viewing .
In 2021 , the lodge – which was initially constructed in 1993 – 95 – was all but demolished , and construction began on what was to become a world-class safari lodge . The project was then started and completed from January 2021 to August 2022 .
Located within the greater Kruger National Park , a pristine natural environment , and garnering their revenue from wildlife tourism and conservation , a high level of emphasis was placed on energy efficiency and sustainable utilisation , without compromising on the level of service and comfort to their guests .
With regard to the heating / cooling system , the client needed a solution to meet the many luxuries required in a high-end lodge , while keeping the power draw as low as possible . The lodge is divided into two different sections : front-of-house and back-of-house . The front-of-house is host to seven free-standing guest units that sleep a total of 16 guests as well as a spa , gym , kitchen and main dining area . The back-of-house includes the plant rooms , workshops , laundry , offices and accommodation for 48 staff members .
The guest units all required the following : climate control for bedrooms and living areas ( heating / cooling through fan coils ), hydronic underfloor heating for bathrooms , heated towel rails as well as private heated swimming pools . This , as well as supplying the domestic water ( both hot and cold ), meant there were many reasons to design a centralised heating and cooling system .
The grid is only capable of supplying 50kVA . The rest of the power on site is produced with a large solar PV
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RACA Journal I July 2024 www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za