Dr.-Ing. Reinhard Hefele founded his company EQUIDEAS S.L. In the year 2000, he built the most modern technology for himself in his old finca: heating tube mats with capillary tubes, through which water at low temperatures runs. Not the usual lazy underfloor heating, but an environmentally friendly innovation from Berlin, which is to be mounted in the floor, under the ceiling or on the wall and is just below the tiles and the plaster.
This patented system has been installed in Germany and neighboring countries for over fifteen years, for example in the German Reichstag, in large banks, hotels and administrative buildings. The former BMW development engineer (from the famous Z1 team) was impressed by this modern heating technology, because "I still do not understand why people in Spain are inflicting this terribly flattening air condition and then have a cold forever."

Healthy and energy-saving solution
Hefele has tailored the system from Germany in several steps fully to the Mediterranean climate with the problem of their sometimes high humidity especially near the coast, until today he has found a nearly ideal solution for heating and cooling. Yes, also cooling, because Hefele usually connects the mats with an air-water heat pump, which cools over the same mats in the summer. Various heat pumps were tested until the two most suitable energy sources were found in France and Spain. Incidentally, all of the energy-saving circulating pumps and the easy-to-install fixing plugs are all from Baden-Württemberg. A German manufacturer, whose local production Hefele also took a close look at, chose him as his Spanish importer. And their development departments today implement the proposals and requirements of the engineer especially for the Mediterranean coastal areas.

"It's about creating a feel-good climate"
The first customers were friends and acquaintances who came to the finca and expressed themselves impressed by the air conditioning applied there. "The phrase that we hear in summer and winter always with us, when guests come in the door: 'Here it is pleasant with you!' And not as usual: 'Here it is hot or cold!', So his wife. And she adds with a wink: "In any case, we are always women who freeze here on the Costa del Sol!" And then they convince the partner that not only a new Mercedes or Jaguar is needed, but a bit of feel-good luxury , even if you do not see it in the system Equideas after installation at all, but only as a quality of life feels.
The first major customer, promotor of a luxury urbanization, then came from Calahonda. The leading civil engineer awarded the heating contract to Equideas for the penthouses, because at the time he belonged to the team of architects of the Reichstag building in Berlin and from the outset was an enthusiastic supporter of capillary tube technology.
The first major customer, promotor of a luxury urbanization, then came from Calahonda. The leading civil engineer awarded the heating contract to Equideas for the penthouses, and that's because he, a German-speaking South American, was a member of the architectural team at the Reichstag in Berlin and an enthusiastic supporter of capillary tube technology from the outset.

Meanwhile, Equideas has installed their system in large villas, in old townhouses, in historic mills etc. between Cadiz and Alicante. Industrial companies in northern Spain have also been among the satisfied customers for many years: Hefeles system was developed together with him for hot plates for sensitive young animals and was sold to Chile.

A company that is growing even during the crisis
"We receive our orders mainly by Recommun¬gen satisfied customers - the best thing you can imagine!", So the owners. On the one hand, Hefele attributes this high level of customer satisfaction to the application of its high quality ideals from the high-tech industry of automotive and aircraft construction to its current craftsmanship, and to the fact that it can also be assembled on site , Many of the customers who know Hefele more closely are surprised that the former manager of a car supplier with 1,000 employees 'goes down' to normal heating and cooling - and in the truest sense of the word sometimes to his knees. Hefele laughs and explains that it is actually easy for him with the theoretical foundation of fluid mechanics and thermodynamics. "This mixture is great fun: not only on the computer to create the heat demand calculation, develop the control and installation plans, but see on the ground, how it works and then still one or the other for the practice and optimize tailored to the individual customer. "
By the way, EQUIDEAS is astonishingly shaking their heads during the crisis: in this business, there are some new hires, to be precise: three young committed Spaniards have just received their contracts for major projects in Sotogrande.

Interview with Dr.-Ing Reinhard Hefele, Manilva
Where is the future technology going?
Everyone is talking about climate change - does heating technology keep up today?
But yes. At the moment I am again testing a storage tank at my own house, for which I am using an old well that has been shut down, that is to say: I installed my capillary tubes at close range, using energy for free from the ground.
So the modernized geothermal energy, which is the latest craze especially in Germany?
Not quite, these are not these deep holes in the ground to heat up, this is not necessary in our southern Spanish climate, you have to tell the customers clearly. Here in the Mediterranean zone, it is enough to use the relatively warm air from the area with an air-water heat pump, which is much cheaper.
But heat pumps still need to be connected to the mains. Why not use more solar energy here in the south?
Honestly: I recommend my customers to use solar energy mainly in the custom / hot water area, connected with large 3000-liter storage, because especially when it is cloudy and raining, so the sun does not shine in winter times, then the heating does not work ! It is already possible to use solar energy to support the heat pump - e.g. work closely with a German solar company - and thus further reduce consumption, if the customer is prepared to pay the appropriate surcharge for this investment. Because unfortunately you have to expect a payback period of about 20 years and that still scares off the older clientele.