The Project NeZEH was launched in 2013 by a consortium of organizations and European institutions concerned about the future of next generations, in the absence of measures applied shortly. Thus, the Kolping Hotel along with two other hotels in Romania opened the list of accommodation units which took the commitment to become a Hotel with almost Zero Energy consumption ( Nearly Zero Energy Hotels ) and to align to the 16 units from Croatia, Greece, France, Spain, Italy and Sweden.

Two hotels from the municipality of Brașov and a hotel from Balvanyos became pioneers regarding the implementation of the concept of Nearly Zero Energy Hotels in Romania by a programme with European funds.

In the pilot hotels we made energy audits, each audit proposed measures of energy efficiency and introduction of renewable energy. Later, we made feasibility studies which included the rate of return for alternative scenarios, by offering support to the hotel managers to progress towards the achievement of neZEH targets.

Each major renovation plan includes both measures of energy efficiency and integration of renewable energy as well as actions to determine changes of attitude both for the management and employees of these hotels and for the guests accommodated in hotels.

For the realization of an energy efficiency we took measures such as mounting of solar panels to produce hot household water, building envelope, mounting of taps with two power steps to avoid the excessive consumption of water, but also systems for the electric decoupling when the room is not occupied, replacement of classical lighting sources with those with LED, mounting of central heating systems in condensation, etc.

We reduced the CO2 emissions by 60.4%, the electricity consumption by 40% and the consumption of thermal energy by 35%. In the next two years we will invest about 40,000 Euro for the increase of energy efficiency.

In March in Brussels this programme was highlighted by an event organized in the building of European Parliament, under the patronage of Mrs. Maria Grapini, European MP from Romania, in which participated representatives of European institutions, the team NeZeH and representatives of hotels. Mrs. Irina Vasiu-Eris, event organizer, participated from the Kolping Hotel.

We want to extend this programme to the small and medium-sized hotels.