- Special need for warmth – older people get cold more quickly due to a slower metabolism, thinner skin and less movement.
- Year-round heating requirements – heating runs continuously as residents are sensitive to the cold and air conditioning systems are often unsuitable.
- Well-being vs. saving energy – better.energy harmonises comfortable temperatures and energy efficiency.
- Right to individual temperature – residents must be able to determine their own room temperature.
- Sustainability & cost reduction – Energy savings of up to 31 % protect the environment and your budget.
- better.energy optimises temperatures – Intelligent & automatic control that allows manual adjustment at any time.
Well-being vs. energy saving
In nursing homes and retirement homes, a pleasant room temperature is not only a question of comfort, but also of health and well-being. Senior citizens and people in need of care in particular have an increased need for warmth.
Cold rooms can not only impair well-being, but can also have serious health consequences. At the same time, nursing homes and homes for the elderly face the challenge of using energy efficiently and reducing costs. This is where better.energy comes into play: an intelligent energy management solution that ensures that the heating is optimally regulated – without residents having to freeze.
Why the need for heat in care homes and retirement homes is so special
People in old age often have a different perception of temperature than younger people. There are various reasons for this:
- Reduced endogenous heat production: The metabolism slows down in old age, which means less heat is produced.
- Thinner skin and poorer circulation: The skin becomes thinner and more sensitive to temperature fluctuations with increasing age.
- Less movement: Many nursing home and retirement home residents move less, which further decreases the body’s own heat production.
- Chronic diseases: Diseases such as diabetes or circulatory disorders can affect the sensation of heat and cause increased heat requirements.
Temperatures in nursing homes and retirement homes
Studies recommend temperatures of between 22 and 24 degrees Celsius for rooms in nursing homes and retirement homes where senior citizens spend a lot of time. Bedrooms should be at least 20 degrees Celsius to prevent colds and health complaints (source: German Geriatrics Society, 2023).
Nursing homes and retirement homes: When the heating is on all year round
Unlike in offices or residential buildings, where the heating period is usually only relevant in the cold months, heating is often required all year round in care homes and retirement homes. One of the reasons for this is that
- Residents are sensitive to the cold and do not want rooms that are too cool, even in summer.
- Fluctuating weather conditions can cause sudden drops in temperature.
- Air conditioning is often undesirable or counterproductive, as cold air can cause health problems.
- Fixed heating times are not practical, as residents also need to feel warm and comfortable at night.
The average heating energy consumption in care homes is around 9,000 kWh per bed per year. In comparison, the average heating energy consumption in flats is around 131 kWh per square metre per year. With a room size of 35 square metres, the heating energy consumption is therefore 4,585 kWh per year, which is 50 percent lower. These differences illustrate that heating energy consumption in care homes is significantly higher per bed than in private homes per square metre. This is due to the continuous heating requirement and the specific requirements in care homes.
The right to individualised temperature control
Residents of care homes and retirement homes have the right to adjust the room temperature according to their individual needs. Rigid temperature control “from above” is not only impractical, but can also lead to dissatisfaction and health problems. A survey by the German Association for Geriatric Care (2022) found that 78 per cent of residents consider individual temperature control to be essential for their well-being.
better.energy: energy management and well-being in harmony
However, nursing homes and retirement homes do not have to simply accept the enormously high heating energy consumption and associated horrendous energy costs. Despite year-round heating, there are ways to reduce consumption without jeopardising the residents’ right to self-determination or compromising their comfort and well-being. The intelligent energy management platform better.energy helps to harmonise the two and protect the environment at the same time. Because less energy consumption also means lower CO2 emissions and therefore greater sustainability without any loss of comfort.
better.energy uses smart technologies to make radiator control in care homes and retirement homes more efficient. The radiators are controlled automatically based on occupancy schedules. Upper and lower temperature limits can be set, which must not be exceeded or undercut. This prevents rooms from cooling down or overheating. In addition, predefined temperature values can also be set, but residents have the option of adjusting their comfort temperature within the minimum and maximum temperatures at any time.
The most important functions of better.energy for care homes and retirement homes at a glance:
| Function & feature | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Room-by-room control | Each room can be regulated individually. Individual control sets can be created for each room or specific room groups, such as corridors, bathrooms, patient rooms or lounges as well as offices. Of course, it is also possible to group several rooms together. |
| Recognising open windows | If a window is opened, the software recognises this and reduces the heating output. This means that energy is no longer wasted unnecessarily because the heating does not heat when the windows are open. |
| Preheating | Bathrooms or dining rooms can be preheated. This means that people in need of care have a warm bath in the morning or a warm lounge for lunch. When bathrooms and rooms are no longer in use, the temperature is lowered again to an energy-efficient level |
| Occupancy plans | Individual occupancy plans can be created for all rooms. This means that unoccupied rooms, empty offices or unused common rooms do not have to be heated all the time. |
| Day and night setback | It is possible to lower the temperature by a certain number of degrees during the day or at night, e.g. 2 °C for a certain period of time. Each degree Celsius saves around 6 per cent energy. |
| Temperature limits | Upper and lower temperature limits can be set on the system side. This prevents rooms from cooling down unnecessarily or overheating completely. Within these limits, e.g. 18 °C – 25 °C, residents can set their individual comfort temperatures. |
| Manual control | Despite automatic control, residents can always set the temperatures on the thermostats manually. The selected temperature is always displayed on the thermostat. |
| Remote control | The care manager or in-house technician can monitor and control all radiators and rooms centrally via the intuitive better.energy platform. |
| Building & location management | With better.energy, it is easy to manage different buildings across multiple locations. This is particularly beneficial for locations with several buildings or retirement and care homes that have several locations. |
| Consumption analysis | The additional better.energy – Monitor module allows heat quantities to be digitally recorded and analysed. All you need to do is install LoRaWAN heat meters. |
The perfect hardware: robust and easy to use
better.energy is a hardware-independent platform. At Betterspace, we work with various hardware providers for LoRaWAN thermostats and sensors. As older people and people in need of care prefer simple and intuitive handling, we recommend thermostats that are easy to operate. In addition, the thermostats for nursing homes and retirement homes should of course be stable and function reliably
All of this was taken into consideration and the perfect hardware was found with the provider dnt Business Solutions. In addition to easy-to-regulate radiator thermostats, you will also find tamper-proof thermostats that cannot be adjusted. We also have the right offer if you need wall thermostats. The “plus button” and “minus button” ensure easy setting and the desired temperature is shown directly on the display.
Conclusion: Sustainable heat supply without loss of comfort
With better.energy, care homes and retirement homes can save energy without residents having to freeze. The intelligent system ensures demand-led heating, increases energy efficiency and at the same time helps to fulfil individual heating requirements. A study by the Fraunhofer Institut für Bauphysik (2023) shows that intelligent heating control in care facilities can save up to 30 % energy without compromising comfort. This not only protects the environment, but also relieves the facility’s budget – a win-win situation for everyone!
Would you like to learn more?
Sources and further information:
- German Society for Geriatrics (2023): Guidelines
- Federal Association for Geriatric Care (2022): Importance of individual temperature control
- Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (2023): Energy saving potential in care facilities
- Bettspace hardware catalogue: Thermostats for better.energy
- Medi Karriere (2022): Care homes – High energy costs are a burden on facilities