Carribean Hospitality Project

Site and Targets

A consulting company was brought in on a hospitality project late in the feasibility study process. Although the project had already built-up considerable momentum, the timeline was tight, and funding needed to be secured in a short window. To meet this challenge, the consultancy adopted Encast, leveraging its SaaS capabilities to quickly establish requirements, produce models, and iterate rapidly.

The site's energy infrastructure needed to operate completely off-grid while meeting the hotel group's strict ESG targets. Beyond sustainability, operational energy resilience was a critical priority.

Project Challenges

The project faced several interconnected obstacles. First, as an off-grid hotel with no mains connection, traditional energy solutions like solar or wind power purchase agreements were ruled out. The facility needed to supply 55kWh per room per day across 300 rooms, with significant seasonal variation dependent on occupancy. Adding to the complexity was the luxury Caribbean setting, which came with exacting client expectations and reliability concerns.

The development itself was large and intricate, involving numerous contractors, external funders, and stakeholders. This complexity led to heavy iteration and rework cycles. The compressed feasibility study timeline was further strained by a long overall project development period, compounded by defective Excel-based version control from previous modelling efforts. Demand estimates shifted rapidly as the hotel's facilities continued to evolve.

The deliverables demanded were equally demanding: comprehensive ESG reporting, proven reliability and uptime with redundancy considerations requiring intra-day modelling, and detailed financial modelling necessary to secure project financing.

Solutions

Encast addressed these challenges through a multi-faceted approach. On the energy side, the solution integrated heat and power generation via solar and biofuel CHP systems, backed by battery storage for resilience.

The platform itself became a game-changer. Real-time iteration capabilities enabled over 20 consultants, editors, and stakeholders to access a common modelling platform, supported by granular permissions management. The granular modelling approach allowed for five-minute timesteps, facilitating detailed fault-finding and analysis. The user-friendly interface combined with scenario copying functionality enabled rapid prototyping of diverse solutions.

For financing purposes, the ability to zoom in and analyse any portion of the model's runtime significantly increased financial confidence in the project. Detailed profit and loss tools allowed the energy system's economic performance to be analysed and validated with precision. The flexibility to iterate through multiple approaches and strategies provided both flexibility and security in the project's energy supply chain, critical factors for an off-grid installation.

Summary

This case demonstrates how Encast's collaborative platform and advanced modelling capabilities transformed a high-stakes, time-pressured feasibility study. By enabling real-time iteration across a large team and providing granular, detailed energy analysis, the platform allowed the consultancy to rapidly develop and validate a complex off-grid energy solution. The combination of technical sophistication, supporting both operational resilience modelling and financial analysis, with user-friendly accessibility ensured that all stakeholders could engage meaningfully with the evolving design. Ultimately, Encast proved instrumental in bridging the gap between ambitious sustainability goals and financial viability, delivering the confidence needed to secure funding for this challenging Caribbean hospitality project.