Home / Reduction in Energy Costs with 78% Implementing Smart Retrofitting Project in Residential Community in Spain
CASE STUDY:

Smart Retrofitting Cuts Energy Costs by 78% in a Spanish Residential Community

🇪🇸 Madrid, Spain

Our client

Building type: Residential Buildings

Client Name: Remica for 'Los Castillos' Community

Location: AlcorcĂłn, Madrid

Building parameters: 5 buildings, 36 entrances, 1 266 Apartments

“By installing Vicki TRVs and HT sensors, we centralized home monitoring with minimal customer disruption and low installation costs. With the data provided from the MClimate devices our BMS optimizes energy use by adjusting thermal power based on real-time metrics, improving comfort while reducing waste and achieving significant savings.”

Javier Barrio Miguel, Remica R+D+i technician

About Remica

Remica Group was created in 1984 as a company for the installation and maintenance of heating, air conditioning and ACS systems. In 1998, and as a pioneer in Spain, it began to develop its activity as an Energy Services Company, betting on energy efficiency and offering its clients comprehensive management of their facilities.

Remica Servicios Energético provides its clients with real and guaranteed economic and energy savings, reducing energy consumption through the modernization and optimization of facilities.

Challenges

Remica undertook a large-scale project to retrofit the Los Castillos Community, addressing the urgent need for a complete rehabilitation of its heating and hot water production system in all of their buildings that initially had a diesel boilers that provided hot water and heating, the latter with a 12-hour service. A key priority was implementing precise temperature monitoring and control in selected apartments to enhance energy efficiency. Additionally, the project aimed to reduce the cost per useful thermal MWh, optimize resident comfort, and contribute to decarbonization by minimizing the community’s environmental impact.

 

Solution

As part of this project, Remica introduced the Hybrid Zero Cost Plan, the first initiative in Spain to generate Energy Saving Certificates (CAE) and secure the largest Next Generation Funds subsidy—€14 million. The comprehensive retrofit included the installation of 102 heat pumps and 1,146 photovoltaic solar panels (630 Wp each) while retaining existing boilers for support. To further enhance energy efficiency, improvements have been made to the building envelope with thermal insulation of the façade.

Additionally, 243 Vicki LoRaWAN® Smart Radiator Thermostats and 243 MClimate HT Sensor LoRaWAN® were deployed, enabling precise monitoring and control of temperature and humidity across numerous homes. The open-protocol devices seamlessly integrated with Remica’s BMS, providing real-time indoor climate data to optimize energy distribution. Vicki TRVs introduced automated scheduling and open-window detection, further reducing energy waste, while HT Sensors supplied real-time and historical temperature and humidity data for precise system adjustments. As a result, occupant comfort has significantly improved, and by supplying only the necessary energy, waste has been minimized—leading to substantial cost savings. Through the implementation of the Hybrid Zero Cost Plan including the MClimate devices an energy savings of 78% have been achieved, improving the energy rating of the building from E to B which leads to an increase in the value of the property.  

With an ROI of just 18 months, Vicki Radiator Thermostats offered the Hybrid Zero Cost Plan a cost-effective and impactful solution for residential retrofits. Together with HT Sensors, featuring the longest battery life on the market, they ensured long-term energy efficiency and COâ‚‚ reduction in buildings.

Results

78% energy cost

reduction

18 Months ROI  

(return on investment)

FUOTA

Firmware Update Over-the-Air

Open protocol

no vendor lock-in

Products in this case study

Vicki LoRaWAN® Smart Radiator Thermostat

Vicki LoRaWAN® is a radiator thermostatic valve fully compliant with the LoRaWAN standard. It is the perfect choice for large-scale projects as it offers amazing battery life, RF performance, and no maintenance for years as well as functionalities such as child lock, detection of opened windows, and much more.

MClimate HT Sensor LoRaWAN®

The MClimate HT sensor is a LoRaWAN® Class A End-device with a battery life of up to 10 years, the longest available on the market. Equipped with built-in temperature and humidity sensors, it enables real-time tracking of the indoor environment and collects historical data for seamless sustainability reporting. Measuring 80 x 80 x 19mm and weighing just 60 grams, the HT sensor is small, discreet, and easy to mount. Installation is straightforward, with a few simple steps, a status button, and an LED light indicator for easy setup and connection.

Recommended products

MClimate 16A Switch & Power Meter LoRaWAN®

The MClimate 16A Switch & Power Meter LoRaWAN® is a compact 16A relay and electricity meter. The device is small enough to fit behind most wall switches and power equipment, enabling you to automate, track, and control your electrical appliances. This is possible as the device has 4 terminals L, N, N, Lout, and it works in a way that connects and disconnects Lout from L. With an overheating protection mechanism, FUOTA (Firmware Upgrades Over The Air), and operation in LoRaWAN Class C, the MClimate 16ASPM is ideal for rapid building retrofitting.

MClimate Vicki Anti-vandal protective case

Protect your Vicki from tampering, vandalism and theft with our robust anti-vandal cover.

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