Comfort Targets: PMV Scale

We target PMV (Predicted Mean Vote) -0.5 to +0.5, which is Category II comfort—stricter than most hospitality.

28.5°

Summer No Fan

Passive cooling. Zero air movement needed.

33°

Summer With Fan

1.6m/s air speed. 50W fan vs 1,500W AC.

20°

Winter Heated

CLT thermal mass moderates swings.

Annual Energy: ECHO vs. Conventional Hotel Room

Conventional Hotel Room 8,000 kWh/year

ECHO (Passive System) 4,800 kWh/year

Energy Saved 3,200 kWh/year

40% reduction in annual operational energy = Lower carbon footprint + Lower operating costs

Carbon Equivalent: Annual Emissions

Conventional Hotel

1,920

kg CO₂/year

Standard air-conditioned room (~240 kWh/month cooling)

ECHO Passive

1,152

kg CO₂/year

Passive systems + minimal HVAC backup

768 kg CO₂ saved

per room annually = ~3 round-trip flights per person

How ECHO is Built: Cross-Section

Wall Assembly

Exterior

Gypsum

Insulation

30mm

Structure

15mm CLT

Interior

Finish

R-value 1.94 m²K/W — Lightweight. CLT provides both structure and thermal mass.

Roof Assembly (Highest Heat Load)

Shade Canopy

HDPE 80%

Air Gap

50mm

Insulation

50mm

Structure

150mm CLT

Interior

Finish

R-value 2.44 m²K/W — External shade is critical (80% solar blockage). Air gap buffers temperature.

Material Specification & Cost

Roof

€69.68

Cost per m² — highest thermal load component

Walls

€15.60

Cost per m² — lightweight structure

Floor

€15.60

Cost per m² — provides thermal mass

Glazing

€350

Per window — low-E double pane (U 1.0)

Canopy Shade

€80

Per m² — replaceable, critical for solar control

Total Module

€3,500

Cost per m² usable (45–65m² unit)

Real-World Performance Targets

Comfort Achievement

70–75%

Occupied hours hit target without AC

Peak Extreme Days

5–10

Days per year HVAC needed

Service Life

25+

Years in tropical climate

Material Mass

280

kg/m² (vs 450 for conventional)

Production to Occupancy Timeline

0–10w

Manufacturing

Precision prefab in controlled environment

10–13w

Transport

4–6 containers to site

13–14w

Assembly

Structure erected & systems

14–16w

Finishing

Local materials & interiors

Total: 10–12 weeks from manufacturing to occupancy

Annual Comfort Patterns by Climate

Tropical (Honduras) — Year-Round

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Passive comfort

Fan + passive

AC backup

Desert (Egypt) — Oct–Apr Season

Oct

Nov

Dec

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Pure passive

Fan recommended

AC essential

Design Efficiency: Cost Per Comfort

Cost per m²

€3,500

ECHO vs €2,800–4,200 hotel room (comparable)

Material Weight

-38%

280 kg/m² vs 450 kg/m² conventional

Annual Energy Cost

€96

Per m² (vs €160 for hotel)

Relocatable

Yes

Can redeploy; hotel rooms are sunk assets

Manufacturing & Assembly Phases

                Phase 1: Precision Prefab — 8–10 weeks (controlled environment)
            
                Phase 2: Transport — 3 weeks (4–6 containers)
            
                Phase 3: On-Site Assembly — 3–5 days (local crew)
            
                Phase 4: Finishing — 2–3 weeks (local materials)

What Thermal Modeling Revealed

Sunscreen is critical. Removing exterior shade caused 12°C operative temperature spike. Shading > insulation in hot climates.
Thermal mass works. CLT structure absorbs heat during day, releases slowly at night. Prevents 8–10°C day/night swings.
Passive ceiling fans replace AC. 50W fan at 1.6m/s air speed = comfort at 33°C. HVAC uses 1,500W (30x difference).
Modest insulation is optimal. Increasing 30→50mm helps; beyond that, diminishing returns. We don't over-insulate.
Low-E glazing wins. Double-pane with low-emissivity (U 1.0) beats triple for cost/performance in most climates.
Relocatability is structural. Lightweight materials + modular design enable redeployment. Conventional buildings are permanent waste after 25 years.

Venice Biennale 2027: Proof of Concept

ECHO's first public deployment demonstrates the complete system—prefab engineering + local assembly + cultural integration—at architectural scale.

Exhibition

Palazzo Mora, Palazzo Bembo, Marinaressa Gardens. Multiple pavilions showing modular deployment.

Timeline

8–10w manufacturing + 3w transport + 4–5d assembly + 2–3w finishing = occupant-ready by opening.

Partnership

Venetian artisans assembly, Northern Italy materials finishing. Proves prefab can be deeply local.

Engineering Partners

Arup

Structural engineering and material optimization. CLT core design, thermal mass calculation, load paths, tropical durability validation.

Climetric

Thermal comfort modeling. Dynamic energy simulation, PMV validation, ASHRAE 55-2020 compliance, climate-specific optimization.

Standards & Tools

CBE Thermal Comfort Tool (UC Berkeley), ASHRAE 55-2020, EnergyPlus simulation, real weather files from 6 climates.

Echo

How ECHO Stays Comfortable