Wyndham Garden Calgary Airport Hotel
Wyndham Garden Calgary Airport Hotel
Renovation and construction projects ideally result in more beautiful, livable spaces that are designed to meet the needs and wants of the end-users. But often a facelift or new build can come with its own set of unique challenges that must be effectively dealt with to create the best possible outcome for you and your client.
This case study is an example of one such scenario, and shows the value of doing research and talking with other experts to find the best product and solution that fulfills everyone’s requirements.
The Challenge
Featuring breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains and the Calgary city landscape, the Wyndham Garden Calgary Airport is a new full-service addition to the city’s tourism and hospitality industry.
The property is ideally located only three kilometers from the Calgary International Airport, which is very convenient for travellers arriving by plane. But this terrific location in the airport flight path also brought an unexpected design and engineering challenge during construction—airplane noise reduction.
Nick Karas, the owner of this hotel and other properties in southern Alberta, wanted to minimize noise disruptions for his guests looking for a peaceful stay and a good night’s rest. He wanted to ensure the convenient location didn’t create noise issues that resulted in guest complaints and negative online reviews.
One of the main concerns was the air conditioning and heating units for the rooms. Traditional Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners (PTACs) are window units that are placed in the wall and have a direct vent outside. This style could bring in outdoor noise from planes passing by.
“This hotel was a challenge because it was located under a flight path for the Calgary International airport. The challenges included the height of the building, sound and energy efficiency.” Johnny Ho, Technical Sales Representative at Klass Mechanical
“The indoor-type unit doesn’t have anything that goes through outside, so it makes the room really quiet, which is best for the hotel’s situation.” Terry Tsan, Certified Engineering Technologist
The Solution
Fortunately, the Certified Engineering Technologist working on the project had a unit in mind. Terry Tsan recommended the Mitsubishi Electric Wall-Mount indoor units that don’t have any vents or other components that extend outdoors. Instead of a vent facing outside, piping connects the units to exterior rooftop units to provide cooling. As a bonus, the units are very quiet when running and offer longer-term operational cost-savings.
“This solution provided the most energy-efficient technology compared to other traditional hotel concepts, like PTACs. Traditional PTAC’s are noisier, but they also require an opening in each suite that could transfer additional airplane noise.” Johnny Ho, Technical Sales Representative at Klass Mechanical
The Results
Since installing the Wall-Mount indoor units from Mitsubishi Electric three years ago, Karas is pleased to report that there have been no noise complaints from the guests.
He views this engineering, design and construction decision as an investment made in the overall guest experience and ultimate satisfaction with their stay.
Summary
Company: Wyndham Garden Calgary Airport Hotel
Industry: Hospitality
Size: 40,000 sq. ft.
Challenges: Minimize guest room noise from passing planes, due to hotel’s location in flight path of Calgary International Airport.
Selection Criteria:
- In-room heating and air conditioning units cannot have exterior vents, as this would allow outside noise to enter the room.
- The units must also have a low decibel rating for a low noise level when operating.
Design/Engineering Solution:
Mitsubishi Electric models:
- 156 X PKFY-P12NHMU-E2 (Indoor Unit)
- 16 X PURY-P96TKMUA (Outdoor Unit)
Results:
- Products could be implemented without any external openings in suites that would cause noise issues
- After three years, hotel reports no noise complaints from guests
- Operational cost-savings
- Overall client satisfaction and improved guest experience
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was an HVAC system without exterior room vents important for this airport hotel?
The hotel is located in the flight path of Calgary International Airport, so exterior openings in guest rooms could allow additional airplane noise inside. The selected Mitsubishi Electric wall-mounted indoor units connect by piping to rooftop outdoor units without requiring exterior vents through each suite.
What Mitsubishi Electric equipment was installed at the Wyndham Garden Calgary Airport Hotel?
The case study lists 156 PKFY-P12NHMU-E2 indoor units and 16 PURY-P96TKMUA outdoor units as the design and engineering solution.
What results did the hotel report after the HVAC system was installed?
The case study reports that after three years there had been no guest noise complaints. It also lists operational cost savings, overall client satisfaction and an improved guest experience among the project results.