Aquaticum Debrecen Spa – Green solutions to use thermal asset

Aquaticum Debrecen Spa, opened in 2020 - owned by Municipality of Debrecen - is in a special position as the first complex in a protected area (in the Great Forest). In line with the energy objectives of the municipality to generate revenue in a more sustainable way, the spa complex was designed and built to meet half of its energy needs from renewable energy. Many modern engineering, building services and other solutions have been used to make the spa as green as possible. While the city's district heating system is capable of providing the required output, the spa's heating demand is significant, so all available 'renewable energy' heating solutions have been used to ensure economical operation. Currently, energy from thermal water and built in gas engine accounts for 56% of total energy use. Cooling of the 36°C effluent water is achieved by four 250 kW heat pumps. Electricity generation from gas engines accounts for 3%. The thermal recuperative heat pump is used in the water park and the hotel connected to the complex. The facility is fully automated, with state-of-the-art building management system.
The waste heat from the gas engine, which can be run on combustible gases dissolved in the thermal water on the site, is also used for heating. A heat pump system has also been installed to recover the waste heat from the water run-off from the pools. This means that around half of the facility's energy demand is generated from green energy.