Original scientific paper
IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON HEATING AND COOLING NEEDS IN CRIKVENICA AS A HEALTH TOURISM DESTINATION
LIDIJA CVITAN
; Meteorological and Hydrological Service
Abstract
Crikvenica has had a long tradition of tourism in Croatia. In order to maintain
tourism as the town’s most lucrative activity, continuous investment in tourism and the auxil-
iary infrastructure is important - particularly medical tourism since it includes tourists with a
need for special indoor and outdoor comfort. Climate changes are some of the most important
reasons for infrastructure investment, since the great benefits of tourism in Crikvenica have al-
ways depended on its natural resources, mainly the pleasant climate. The influence of climate
changes on internal thermal comfort during the period 1902-2016, analysed on the basis of sev-
en derived temperature parameters, can be seen in the statistically significant trends in later
start dates and earlier end dates for household heating, a decline in the energy needed for
heating and an increase in the energy needed for cooling. On the basis of three temperature
thresholds for four temperature parameters, heating/cooling energy consumption in poorly
and highly insulated buildings is discussed, and the possibility of saving energy with the use of
proper insulation is explained. In order to show the intensity of recent climate changes, seven
temperature parameters’ probability distributions for the period 1981-2010 are compared with
the relevant distributions in the referent period 1961-1990. This comparison is made to im-
prove the awareness of climate change risk and to help in strategic planning within the tourism
industry in Crikvenica, with the intention of remaining competitive on the tourism market.
Keywords
heating season start and end dates; heating and cooling degree-days; trends; proba- bilities; Crikvenica (Croatia)
Hrčak ID:
201611
URI
Publication date:
1.6.2018.
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