Energy
Reducing energy requirements and using renewable energies
Building services control system
We are one of the first cable car and lift companies in Switzerland to have installed a sophisticated building services control system in our mountain restaurants, stations and operation buildings. This ensures optimal operations in terms of energy use. We introduced the system in 2009, and it has been constantly expanded and optimised since.
How does the system work?
All restaurants, stations and operation buildings are linked to the system and can be controlled, managed and monitored centrally. Among other things, this optimises the heating, ventilation, lighting and kitchen infrastructure. A complete system was developed to analyse weather data, monitor oil tanks and cableway operations, support restaurant services and optimally steer and regulate the use of energy.
The data from the linked buildings are recorded, assessed and analysed continuously, and measures for more sustainable energy consumption are planned. The analysis of the recorded data allows us to efficiently implement energy management by constantly optimising the settings. Here are a few examples.
A functioning and individual control system offers the potential to reduce the energy consumption of the buildings integrated into the system by 10 to 20 percent. This is only possible if the results are regularly analysed and the settings optimised. The success of the system, i.e. the energy savings potential lies in actively adapting it to the prevailing and individual circumstances. This is the objective we are working towards. Every day.
Nomination for the Milestone Award
As one of only two tourism projects in Switzerland, we were nominated in the sustainability category for the prestigious Swiss Tourism Milestone Award in 2014. Although not the winner, the nomination was a great honour and sign of recognition of our sustainability efforts.
Regulating ventilation, heating and lighting, which play a central role in the control system, offers a great deal of potential for energy savings. Exciting projects to optimise energy consumption have already been carried out.
- Our system takes action the evening before: if there is an 80% chance of good weather the next day, the heating output in the Scharmoin mountain restaurant is automatically reduced.
- Heating and ventilation interact perfectly at the Scharmoin restaurant: individual room temperatures are regulated according to the position of the sun (weather), the quality of the air and the temperature of the room. The objective is to avoid producing more heat than really necessary.
Heating for the Mottahütte, Piz Scalottas, Rothorngipfel and Lavos mountain restaurants, which are difficult to access, is controlled from the valley. All electrical heaters and gutter de-icers are regulated according to the outside temperature. This means that the heating is reduced during the night and the non-operating shoulder seasons. Only minimal heating is used on cold days to prevent frost. When the temperature is above zero, the heating automatically switches off.
A sophisticated system to regulate the lighting was installed at the Scharmoin mountain restaurant. This system works with the factors «presence», «light intensity» and «time». The intensity of the light in the rooms is determined by the position of the sun. Basic values for brightness are defined for the control system. When the lights are switched on, the system regulates their brightness according to the defined values. The lights automatically switch off at specific hours – but only after the staff have left.
The pellet heating system in the Scharmoin mountain restaurant has been equipped with a modern control system setting new standards for energy measurement, heat distribution and individual room control.
An energy valve manufactured by Belimo was installed for the first time in Switzerland at the Scharmoin restaurant to measure the energy needed for the heating bar. This measurement is passed on to the pellet heating system, which produces only as much energy as required at any particular time. This has a positive effect on the switch-on duration of the pellet heating. We achieve longer firing times while avoiding inefficient firing up and uncontrolled burning processes. During the first winter, only a third of the expected pellets were needed to heat the new restaurant. The valve also constantly measures consumption, which makes it easy to prepare precise figures about energy consumption at the end of the heating period.
The entire heating bar at the Scharmoin restaurant is controlled and regulated by the building services control system. All relevant factors such as the outside temperature, weather forecast, room temperature, etc. are considered by the system. Usually, the difference between the target and current temperatures is one- to two-tenths of a degree. This is mandatory for achieving a comfortable temperature.
It is also possible to separately and individually regulate each room at the Scharmoin mountain restaurant. Energy is therefore efficiently generated and used in an exceedingly sustainable manner. Factors such as current and target temperatures, position of the sun, sunshine, weather, weather forecast and expected heat production (e.g. people, computers) are taken into account for the individual room control.
All cooling systems used by LBB AG are equipped with temperature sensors. Changes in temperature can be recorded for all cooling cells. This makes it possible to monitor the quality of cooling as well as the defrosting times.
GPS-controlled snow depth management
Lenzerheide was the first ski area in Switzerland to introduce a GPS-controlled system to measure snow depth several years ago. Since the 2017/18 winter season, all snow groomers of Arosa Bergbahnen AG have also been equipped with a GPS device. This allows us to achieve maximum energy efficiency in preparing the slopes and to reduce the water used for snow-making.
To build the snow depth measurement system, all slopes were surveyed exactly with a 3D laser scanner in summer. The snow groomers equipped with GPS compare their current position to the summer reference measurement in order to calculate the exact depth of the snow. This system enables the snow groomer drivers to distribute the snow much more efficiently and precisely across the slopes. This saves diesel when preparing the slopes.
At the same time, the snow-making crew always knows how much snow is lying where, and where additional snow is needed. This optimised snow-making method has considerably reduced our use of water, diesel and electricity. And our guests are also happy: the new system means that slope quality has improved further.
