en.Wedoany.com Reported - Facing the high energy consumption challenge of maintaining year-round comfort and compliance in indoor pools, air source heat pumps have become the reference solution in this field. ATuAire, a brand under Iberdrola, is dedicated to providing turnkey solutions for such facilities, combining efficient heat pumps with partial financing from Energy Savings Certificates (CAE) to reduce project payback periods and lower CO2 emissions.
As continuously high-energy-consuming facilities, the energy challenges of indoor pools primarily stem from their year-round operational demands. Unlike other sports facilities, indoor pools have no significant "seasonal shutdown period," and water temperature and ventilation systems must operate continuously. Costs are particularly significant when relying on diesel or gas boilers, which are subject to price fluctuations and affected by European decarbonization targets. From both economic and regulatory perspectives, replacing these fuels with air source heat pumps has become a strategic decision.
Spanish regulations specify clear requirements for water quality conditions in indoor pools. Royal Decree 742/2013 and the NIDE standards require water temperatures to be maintained between 24°C and 30°C, with competition and recreational pools typically in the 26-28°C range. Indoor air temperature should be 1-2°C higher than the water temperature, with relative humidity maintained between 55% and 65% to ensure comfort and prevent condensation. The Building Thermal Installations Regulation (RITE) adds requirements for energy efficiency, heat recovery, and insulation conditions, all of which air source heat pumps can meet.
Chloramines, compounds formed by the reaction of chlorine with organic matter brought in by swimmers, accumulate in indoor air and are highly corrosive to metal structures, air conditioning equipment, and ventilation ducts. This phenomenon requires the selection of anti-corrosion-treated equipment, sealed hydraulic circuits, and robust control systems during the project design phase to reduce maintenance costs over the facility's entire lifecycle.
Energy Savings Certificates (CAE) are electronic documents that certify the saving of 1 kWh of final energy after implementing energy efficiency measures. This system, established by Royal Decree 36/2023 and developed by Spain's Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), allows measure promoters to sell the saved energy to obligated entities (primarily large energy companies) to count toward their statutory energy reduction targets. As continuously high-energy-consuming facilities, indoor pools switching to air source heat pumps generate significant energy savings. These projects can produce tens or even hundreds of thousands of CAEs over the reference period, with their direct economic value reducing initial investment.
ATuAire by Iberdrola has been developing air source heat pump projects for sports facilities and indoor pools for years. Its turnkey solution includes initial energy audits, system design, installation, commissioning, and comprehensive CAE management. The company is responsible for quantifying savings, processing certificates, and integrating them into project financing. The recent Royal Decree 7/2026 introduced specific correction factors in the CAE system for replacing combustion boilers with electric heat pumps and exempted property transfer taxes in energy savings transactions, further enhancing the economic attractiveness of these projects.
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