At THB hotels, we have taken a decisive step forward in our sustainable and digital transformation strategy with the launch of “The Water Cycle”. This ambitious project, which we have been developing over the past two years, aims to minimise our water footprint by optimising both the physical infrastructure and the technological management of the entire water cycle across our hotels.
A paradigm shift in swimming pool management
The project emerged from the need to create a tangible impact in response to the climate crisis, initially focusing on swimming pools – one of the areas with the highest levels of water consumption. To achieve this, we have implemented a series of pioneering technological solutions:
Smart leak detection: We have installed digital meters and sensors at strategic points across the water network (cisterns, osmosis equipment, gardens, etc.), enabling any anomaly to be detected in real time and preventing losses that were previously only identified once the water bill had been received.
Continuous monitoring with Guardian: These devices continuously monitor critical parameters such as chlorine, pH, turbidity and temperature, ensuring regulatory compliance, superior water quality for our guests and optimal dosing in water treatment.
Innovative chemical-free disinfection: We have adopted pioneering technology that combines ozone with saline electrolysis. This has enabled us to drastically reduce the use of chemical products, minimising environmental impact and the risks associated with their handling.
Operational efficiency and real savings
Automation has been key to this process. Thanks to the installation of valves and pressure sensors, the swimming pools at THB hotels now manage and regulate themselves automatically. This has made it possible to optimise filter backwashing, significantly reducing both its frequency and duration.
The results obtained at our pilot hotel, THB María Isabel, confirm the success of this technological initiative, delivering highly significant improvements:
Substantial savings in chemical products: Thanks to the new disinfection technology, we have achieved a drastic reduction in the consumption of chemical products, minimising dependence on substances such as hypochlorite.
Significant reduction in the frequency of filter backwashing: The system now allows filter backwashing cycles to be spaced out, carrying them out only when sensors detect that it is strictly necessary, thereby preventing unnecessary water waste.
Exceptional optimisation of operational time: We have significantly reduced the time required for each backwashing process, moving from lengthy procedures to interventions lasting just a few minutes, resulting in greater efficiency across the entire installation.
In addition, this operational efficiency has generated notable energy savings by enabling pumps to operate at full capacity in a more optimised manner.
Comprehensive control
The water management project covers the entire infrastructure of our hotels. It is not only about managing recreational water, but about monitoring every strategic point where water plays a key role:
Protection at the source (cisterns): The installation of Guardian devices and digital sensors in the cisterns and storage tanks allows us to ensure water quality from the moment it enters the hotel and to monitor levels automatically, preventing both overflows and supply shortages.
Monitoring across the entire building: The telemetry and sensor system extends throughout all areas of the buildings. We monitor everything from the main water intake and the water softening and osmosis systems to hot water production in the boilers and the irrigation of green areas.
Management of discharge and wastewater: To obtain a complete 360° view, we also monitor reject water from treatment processes and the total flow discharged into the sewer system, ensuring that not a single litre is lost through invisible leaks within the buildings’ internal network.
Data intelligence for a sustainable future
To manage the large volume of data generated, we have developed an advanced water resources module. This tool allows us to visualise the complete water map of each hotel in real time, from the main intake to the final discharge point.
The system stands out for offering a dual perspective: quantitative and qualitative. On the one hand, it analyses overall consumption, breaking it down by stay and by room in order to identify deviations from previous periods. On the other hand, it monitors water quality in real time (chlorine, pH and temperature levels) and integrates the results of laboratory analyses. All of this is complemented by an automatic alert system that requires the immediate management of any detected incident.
This project would not be possible without the collaboration of our technological partners: Jabonés Puch, Geodesic, Sinergias, Rinoceros and the Chemical Industry Cluster.
At THB hotels, we continue to transform. With “The Water Cycle”, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing towards comprehensive and intelligent water cycle management across all our hotels, convinced that what is not measured cannot be improved.