When the summer months hit in countries outside of the Caribbean, on goes the air conditioning! In many cities world wide, air conditioning is on in cars, in stores, in houses and offices. Windows are closed, no fresh air can be found, and people live in closed environments.
Have a hotel and villa on the beach in Tulum means that air conditioning is not required. Ever! As a sustainable building on the beach in Tulum it would not make sense to use solar energy to fuel air conditioning but it is not even a topic for us. Mother Nature has supplied some of the best fresh air, some the best ocean breezes that keep all accommodations at Casa de las Olas cool, fresh and refreshing.
Reverse geothermal construction makes the building sustainable
When the developer envisioned the building of Casa de las Olas many, many years ago, the architect was truly a visionary making use of all the natural elements to ensure the building sustained the beach elements and harsh conditions of the Caribbean.
The most innovative system is the reverse geothermal cooling system that was built into Casa de las Olas and has made this building one of the coolest concrete buildings on the coast.
Geothermal normally refers heat taken from the core of the earth to create heat in homes, energy etc. Casa de las Olas takes not heat but cool ocean wind to cool the building not heat up the building. WE have named this reverse geothermal cooling.
Large tubes were inserted into the concrete frame of Casa de las Olas. These tubes all start on the ocean side of the property and run through the building to the roof. The ocean wind pushes through the tubes forcing a cooling of the concrete and pushing the warm air up to the exits on the roof. It was ingenious construction 30 years ago and continues to provide a cool environment on some of the hottest Caribbean days.
So we have ensured that air conditioning is not required in Casa de Las Olas and continue to maintain this gift that we have. The ocean breeze does a great job of keeping all of us cool in Tulum but the addition of reverse geothermal cooling is a blessing and makes us one of the most sustainable buildings in the area. Read more Sustainable building articles at Casa de las Olas?
