Eco-friendly. Around 100 solar panels installed on the roof will provide energy for the home

Eco-friendly. Around 100 solar panels installed on the roof will provide energy for the home

C.M.W.Maó13/12/10 0:00
TW
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Finally, after six years in construction, the old people's home in Sant Lluís was inaugurated on Saturday in the presence of the town's Mayor, Llorenç Carretero, the President of the Island Council, Marc Pons, and several Councillors. The delay in the home's construction was due to modifications being made to the original 1.2 million euro project, to increase comfort and add the latest technology, which brought the final cost to around 4 million euros; one of the dearest amendments to the project being adapting it to allow use of renewable energy, which added approximately one million euros to the original estimate.

Designed to accommodate 26 residents and 20 day centre patients, the home will gradually come in to use, the first residents probably arriving this week and the day centre due to open on 12th January. The home's capacity can easily be increased in the future, if needed, as the second floor has been left unfinished for this purpose.

Full-time residents will have to pay 1,975 euros per month to live in the home, whereas people using the day centre will pay 40 euros per day for full board and 25 euros for half-board.

A Catalan company, Centre Secretari Coloma, will receive 769,000 euros per year for ten years to run the home which will create some 20 jobs directly and between 7 and 10 indirectly.

The new centre has been designed to be spacious, functional and light, making it a pleasant place both to live and work in.Described by the Mayor of Sant Lluís as "one of the most advanced in the Balearic Islands" the home will benefit from the installation of 92 solar panels which will generate the majority of the energy needed for air-conditioning, heating and hot water. Energy-efficient appliances, such as cookers, washing machines and refrigerators, have been selected for the home and further savings will result from the installation of a lighting system which adjusts automatically to provide the required amount of light.

The U-shaped building, consisting of a basement and three floors, has been designed for the comfort of its future residents, visitors and personnel.