H2Otel: Water-Powered Hotel Planned for Amsterdam

Netherlands-based architecture firms <a href="http://rau.eu/" target="_blank">RAU</a> and <a href="http://www.powerhouse-company.com/" target="_blank">Powerhouse Company</a> have proposed a super-efficient luxury hotel for <a href="../tag/amsterdam" target="_blank">Amsterdam</a> that is <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2010/06/29/paris-to-install-hydroturbines-on-the-river-seine/" target="_blank">powered by water</a>. The H2Otel is a prototype for a new hotel typology that uses water as its main source of energy for heating, cooling, cooking, and the generation of electricity. While water is the lifeblood of the hotel, many other energy efficient strategies are included in the design to minimize energy use such as passive design, smart fixtures and appliances, and advanced climate control systems.

Water is used in oxy-hydrogen generators for efficient heating, cooling, cooking and the generation of electricity.

Solar passive design plays a strong role in the hotel's design with an arrangement of wooden lamella around the facade. The southern facade has a more dense arrangement to protect the interior from solar exposure, while a less dense arrangement to the north lets in more light.

The hotel also has rounded corners for compactness and shielding from wind and sound. The facade is adjusted for light exposure, and the tower slowly rotates to provide optimum views.

The South and East facade are covered in wooden lamella made of thermally-treated softwood. The facade protects the building from overheating at mid-day and during the warm season.

The north facade opens up with views of Amsterdam below and a less-dense arrangement of the lamella for more light. The edges of the wooden facade panels are clad with anodized aluminum, which reflects light into the rooms and creating the ‘golden glow’ known from the paintings of the Dutch masters.

Each room is independently monitored and controlled to optimize energy efficiency. When the room is empty, the conditioning is shut off completely. This real-time systems has the potential to save 40% on cooling costs overall.