Hotel Project Announcements and Completions

State-of the-Art HVAC Re-commissioning Completed at the Houston Marriott Medical Center

Green Service Brings 1983 Guest Room A/C’s to New Condition

Located at the heart of the famed Texas Medical Center, the Houston Marriott Medical Center is an oasis for patients and visitors alike. The modern, yet healing surroundings add to the luxurious ambiance so important to patients coming from all over the world. Guest satisfaction is priority for all guests; however, providing top notch guest comfort is crucial for those guests in need of hospitalization and treatments. A comfortable guest room climate becomes a critical element in providing the appropriate atmosphere.

When the Houston Marriott Medical Center underwent its extensive renovation, the property engaged AirRevive to assess its 1983 Lanco guest room fan coil units. The units were not heating and cooling as designed. The property needed to asses if it could take the sustainable route and refurbish the units.

AirRevive performed a site assessment and determined how to resolve the following issues. The coils were impacted restricting airflow; some were beyond repair. The solution was to deep clean the coils and fins from the back side to the front side and replace the damaged coils with custom designed coils. The drain lines were clogged with corrosion and debris. AirRevive’s refurbishment scope of work included de-rusting the condensate pan and re-coating with impermeable epoxy; replacing fiber insulation with foam anti-microbial insulation; removing all debris from the blower assembly, motor, and wheel; cleaning and disinfecting the blower assembly, motor, and wheel and; clearing out, cleaning and disinfecting the drain line.

During the site assessment, it was discovered that some control valves were by-passing. This prevented proper heat transfer and inhibited cooling and heating. Control valves were replaced on an as needed basis. On cooling the supply temperature was warmer than designed and based on coil temperature something was inhibiting correct cooling at the supply. An observed gap between the cabinet and guest room drywall was thought to be the primary problem with cooling. This gap was causing return air to not draw across the coil completely and mix with the supply air without being conditioned. The result was evident in the supply temperatures, which were in the 60’s even though the coil was performing as designed. AirRevive implemented a custom solution to close the gap so that return air is drawn across the coil and not mixed with supply air. The results of the coil rejuvenation and fixing the gap between the unit and the guest room wall was an average 10 degree drop in supply temperature.

The red line in the graph below is sorted from high to low supply temperature before service.

The blue line demonstrates consistent supply temperature after service. 

AirRevive also found installed motors were not consistent from room to room so airflow was not aligned with design specifications; airflow was found to be over-blowing on a majority of the units. As a solution, AirRevive retrofit each fan’s motor with an EC motor, programming airflow to the manufacturer’s design specification.

The red line in the graph below is sorted from high to low airflow before service.

The blue line demonstrates consistent airflow after service. 

The EC motor retrofit and new insulation dropped sound decibels from 62.76db o 51.51db, or 17.74 decrease. The EC motor retrofit reduced energy consumption by over 70%.

In conclusion, AirRevive brought the aged units to as-new operation and better than new condition. The comprehensive refurbishment, structural repair and EC motor retrofit created units that will provide the guest’s intended climate. The renovation provided a comfortable, elegant atmosphere for the guests.

From Conventional to Sustainable HVAC at the Houston Marriott Medical Center

The modern Houston hotel hires re-commissioning expert to bring 34 year old guest room A/C units to new condition

AirRevive, the leader in sustainable HVAC refurbishment and re-commissioning services, recently announced its been awarded a guest room air conditioning project at the Houston Marriott Medical Center during the hotel’s renovation.

Utilizing its sister company’s expertise as a specialty engineering solutions manufacturer, AirRevive developed an affordable method to re-commission fan coil units comparable to off the shelf units. Improvements to existing units that increase guest comfort include quiet operation, faster cooling and heating, accurate temperature sets and reduced humidity.

Before AirRevive created its niche in the hospitality industry, the 34 year old units could have been deemed at the end of its life, scrapped and replaced. With a focus on energy efficiency and sustainability, the modern full service Marriott engaged AirRevive to re-commission its 430 guest room fan coil units. AirRevive’s site survey concluded the units could be brought back to new operation and better than new performance for a fraction of the cost of replacements.

Left: Gap between unit and wall. Right: Install flange, remove gap.

“AirRevive is honored to be included in the Houston Marriott Medical Center’s renovation project”, said Justin Del Sesto, AirRevive President. “In addition to extending the life of the assets and lowering energy bills, AirRevive’s ‘in-room’ process never removes the unit from the wall. This eliminates tear out time and costs associated with replacement units”, Del Sesto added.

The Houston Marriott Medical Center project includes soups-to-nuts refurbishment, as needed valve and coil replacement, coil rejuvenation, structural repair and high efficiency EC motor retrofits. The refurbishment process improves indoor air quality by removing dirt, debris and chemicals collected in the unit from the renovation.

Left: Damaged coil with rust Right: Replacement coil with epoxy finish.

“During its initial mock up, AirRevive identified simple solutions to reduce energy waste such as eliminating simultaneous heating and cooling from by-passing control valves”, said Del Sesto. “The property knew that 15%-20% of its coils and valves would need to be replaced. If the EC motor is programmed to a restricted or severely damaged coil, the motor will sense the resistance and increase power consumption. This is a tremendous waste of energy”, Del Sesto added.

After AirRevive’s service is complete the coil is unrestricted. The coil temperature and the supply temperature drop by a few degrees. The result is a guest room that cools and heats faster and maintains temperature set point. AirRevive’s coil rejuvenation is the best practice to retrofit EC motors. During the EC motor retrofit, airflow is programmed to the unit’s design specification. This process results in a uniform roll out of re-commissioned units working at maximum efficiency. Sample before and after energy readings at the Houston Marriott Medical Center demonstrate a 68% reduction in wattage per unit. When the fan coil unit is working correctly it optimizes and tunes-up the entire water loop, which positively impacts chiller and boiler efficiency.

Sheraton Suites Plantation Renovation Complete with Sustainable Guest Room HVAC Technology 

Innovative HVAC service restores Sheraton’s guest room fan coil units to operate as-new

AirRevive, the leader in sustainable HVAC refurbishment and re-commissioning services, is pleased to announce the completion of its guest room fan coil unit refurbishment project for the Sheraton Suites Plantation.

The South Florida landmark selected AirRevive to restore its two-hundred and sixty-four 1989 IEC guest room fan coil units as part of its guest room renovation. The sustainable service avoided discarding 264 pieces of scrap metal and will extend the life of the units by a decade.

In addition to refurbishing the units to operate as-new the guest room renovation included new furnishings and the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper™ Bed along with new carpet, paint, curtains and artwork. Guest bathrooms feature new wallpaper, wall sconces and a wall mounted vanity mirror with built-in light.

Integrating fan coil unit refurbishment with guest room renovation is integral to the renovation’s goal to improve guest satisfaction and guest comfort. During a renovation chemicals from wallpaper and paint and dust and debris are all carried into and reside in the fan coil unit. After the renovation indoor air quality is compromised. If left uncleaned allergens are continually recycled through the guest room. AirRevive’s refurbishment service and specifically its coil rejuvenation, blower assembly reconditioning and insulation replacement removes all of this from the fan coil unit, leaving the guest room fresh, clean and free of allergens.

“It was an honor to be part of the Sheraton Suites Plantation’s renovation team. Sheraton’s choice to include refurbishing its fan coil units and the added expense of an often overlooked and unseen guestroom amenity with its guest room renovation is a testament to its commitment to its guest’s comfort and satisfaction”, said AirRevive President, Justin Del Sesto. The fan coil unit refurbishment project included checking the control valves for bypassing and replacing as-needed. “AirRevive’s service is unique because our technicians work on each unit to bring it back to like new operation. When we find a bypassing control valve that is causing simultaneous heating and cooling we can change it on the spot. This is an incredibly cost efficient way to tune up the entire water loop. By eliminating the problem the property saves a ton of energy, which drops directly to the bottom line in reduced operating expenses. And the units cool and heat as designed, eliminating the thought of needing new units to improve performance and guest comfort. The results demonstrate that these units that may have been deemed at the end of its life are now back to as-new operation and performance”, said Del Sesto.

Before and after sound, coil and supply temperature and airflow data taken from the 264 units verified the units are working like new.

All measurements used to determine the unit’s operating performance improved:

• Fan motor noise after the project recorded 56.65 decibels, which is barely audible.
• Coil discharge temperature dropped by an average 17.5% from over 60 degrees to 49 degrees.
• Supply temperature dropped by an average 8% from 62 to 57 degrees.
• Average airflow increased by an average 27% from 670 feet per minute (FPM) to 910 FPM.

While coil and supply temperature dropped significantly, airflow increased by an average 27%. More efficient heat transfer coupled with increased airflow results in faster cooling and heating. Guest satisfaction is improved because the temperature set point is reached quickly and maintained accurately. The facility saves energy both in the guest room at the fan motor and at the chiller. “The combination of energy savings in the guest room and at the chiller is very powerful and provides a very attractive ROI to finance the project”, Del Sesto said.

AirRevive Refurbishes Little Rock Marriott’s 1980 Guest Room A/C Units to Operate As-New

The famed event sanctuary chooses the sustainable alternative

AirRevive, the leader in sustainable HVAC refurbishment and re-commissioning services for the hospitality industry, announced its completion of a guest room fan coil unit refurbishment project for the Little Rock Marriott. From American Idol to grand weddings, the Little Rock Marriott hosts guests from all over the world with one focus: guest comfort.

Marriott engaged AirRevive to refurbish the guest room’s Whalen fan coil units after the $16 million dollar renovation in 2014. The renovation included upgrading the guest rooms to Marriott’s new design. The only former asset remaining was the 35-year old Whalen fan coil units. The goal was to improve in-room climate in order to raise guest satisfaction.

AirRevive’s site inspection determined the Whalen units could be refurbished to operate and perform as-new adding 10 years to the asset’s life.

“As a leader in Hospitality we align ourselves with vendors that know the industry, brand standards and expectations. AirRevive quickly demonstrated its in-depth insight of hospitality-specific needs and fan coil unit expertise. AirRevive’s technicians were professional and respectful of hotel staff and policies. The room HVAC is performing great. The 35 year old Whalen fan coil units are cooling and heating like new and as designed. Guest comfort is improved. We’ve had no complaints since AirRevive’s service. AirRevive provides a genuinely knowledgeable, professional and transparent service”, said Warren Roberts, the Director of Engineering for the Little Rock Marriott. “I’m looking forward to having them come back to refurbish our air handlers,” Roberts added.

“Working at Little Rock Marriott after its important renovation was an honor for AirRevive,” said AirRevive President Justin Del Sesto. “AirRevive loves to refurbish Whalen fan coil units. Even when the coils appear unrestricted they are not. Whalen units are difficult to clean thoroughly. AirRevive’s specialized tools, chemicals, and refined processes are demonstrably better than what the average facility manager can deploy. AirRevive’s service results in increased air flow and enhanced heat transfer. When Whalen fan coils are operating correctly they are very efficient. Even when it appears the units are nearing the end of life AirRevive’s service results in as-new operation and performance,” said Del Sesto.

Integrating fan coil unit refurbishment with guest room renovation is integral to the renovation’s goal to improve guest satisfaction and guest comfort. During a renovation chemicals from wallpaper and paint and dust and debris are all carried into and reside in the fan coil unit. After the renovation indoor air quality is compromised. If left uncleaned allergens are continually recycled through the guest room. AirRevive’s refurbishment service and specifically its coil rejuvenation, blower assembly reconditioning and insulation replacement removes all of this from the fan coil unit, leaving the guest room fresh, clean and free of allergens.

AirRevive’s refurbishment of the 35-year old Whalen fan coil units removed contaminants that built up over the years and from the renovation. The soup to nuts refurbishment included reconditioning the blower assembly; restoring the condensate pan; clearing the drain lines; installing fiber-free foam anti-microbial thermal insulation; checking all parts and components and fixing malfunctions as needed; and rejuvenating the coils and fins. The blower assembly was reconditioned using a proprietary EPA registered engineering chemical solution to disinfect the wheel and its housing. Motors were refurbished and checked for proper functionality. Reconditioning the blower assembly removed dust and debris and reduced energy consumption. The condensate pan was refurbished utilizing an epoxy coating to protect and seal the drain pan from leaks and enhance water flow drainage. Disinfecting the drain lines eliminated bacteria.

The management team checked the unit’s blowers, motors, damper doors, actuators, thermostats and control valves for proper functionality. The team is trained to identify obvious and not so obvious malfunctions and fix the issues as needed.

AirRevive’s proprietary coil rejuvenation restored the units to as-new operation and performance. AirRevive utilizes an alkaline base liquid that penetrates the coils to its core and seemingly inaccessible areas. The solution then extracts deposits, dust, textiles, organic residues and many other inorganic deposits from the coils. The coil rejuvenation enhanced heat transfer. It increased airflow by an average 22%. The result of more efficient heat transfer combined with increased airflow is faster cooling and heating. When the rooms cool and heat quickly, the thermostat is satisfied faster which reduces motor run time ultimately saving energy. The property also saves energy at the chiller and boiler by: reducing the work required at the guest room level to maintain temperature set point which runs the chiller and boiler less; and reducing water supply and return temperature delta which reduces work to maintain the loop.

In addition to saving energy and maintenance costs, refurbishment offered several cost saving benefits for the asset owners and management. Refurbishment is a fraction of the cost of replacements. AirRevive’s refurbishment is an “in room” service. This eliminates tear out and construction costs usually associated with replacement units. Guest rooms at the Little Rock Marriott were completed and turned back within 24 hours. The property maintained its revenue because the rooms didn’t need to be out of service for long periods of time.

Refurbishment resulted in improved guest satisfaction. It also proved to be the cost efficient and sustainable choice extending the life of 450 Whalen units by a decade or more.

The Las Vegas Hilton Grand Vacations Suites chooses sustainable alternative to purchasing new guest room air conditioners

AirRevive completes guest room air conditioner refurbishment and re-commissioning project

Las Vegas, NV (September 2, 2015) – AirRevive announced today its completion of refurbishing and re-commissioning the Hilton Grand Vacations Suites Las Vegas guest room and hallway fan coil units.

From the moment you walk into one of the luxurious suites at the Las Vegas Grand Hilton Suites you feel something different in the air. It is cool and crisp; it is so fresh you no longer feel like you are indoors.

You set the thermometer to your chosen set point and the room quickly reaches the correct temperature. Strangely you don’t hear any A/C related sounds. You are convinced the air conditioner has shut off. You think to yourself, this is too good to be true; it will probably get warm in here soon.

Baffled, you call the hotel engineering department. You want to ensure this cool, fresh air continues. The engineer assures you the air conditioning is working and this mountain fresh feeling will continue for your entire hotel stay. There is nothing wrong with your hearing. AirRevive’s data collection recorded sound decibels at an average of 51 decibels, which is equivalent to a quiet office.  Air conditioning units typically record at about 60 decibels.
Would you believe the air conditioner that produces no noise, perfect temperature, dry air and no odor is 20 years old?

The HVAC refurbishment service provider, AirRevive, offers a proprietary technology to refurbish fan coil units. The refurbishment includes rejuvenating the coil, installing fiber free foam anti-microbial thermal insulation, disinfecting and deodorizing the cabinet, and replacing valves and other components on an as needed basis. AirRevive then re-commissions the units by upgrading the PSC motors with Electronic Commutation (EC) motors.

AirRevive’s refurbishment process, mainly the coil rejuvenation and valve replacement is the proven best practice to retrofit the EC motors. The coil rejuvenation resulted in a coil temperature drop of 11%, averaging 50◦ Fahrenheit. It is key the coils work uniformly and airflow is uninhibited to achieve maximum efficiency from the EC motor.

AirRevive specializes in transforming older, noisy air conditioners into modern day energy savers.

The guest is not the only one who is pleased. Hotel ownership and management immediately notice the decline in HVAC related service calls.

“We’re excited to offer the guestroom fan coil project because while they are saving energy, which in Las Vegas is a necessity as we move forward together, we’re improving guest comfort and satisfaction.  The new motors are quiet, cool rooms faster, and reduce guest room air conditioning and heating expense by about 80%,” said AirRevive President, Justin Del Sesto.

The Las Vegas Hilton Grand Suites embraced the sustainable option avoiding discarding over 700 pieces of scrap metal.

Hilton and AirRevive used the “green” fan coil unit replacement alternative as a means to preserve our environment, optimize efficiency, realize cost savings, improve employee morale, enhance guest satisfaction, and manage owner expectations with forward-thinking improvements.

Washington Dulles Airport Marriott embraces green technology to upgrade existing guest room air conditioners

Thirty-year old units are brought to new condition in 21 days

AirRevive announced its completion re-commissioning the Washington Dulles Airport Marriott’s thirty-year old guestroom fan coil units.

When it came to upgrading guestroom air conditioners the popular contemporary airport hotel identified AirRevive’s emerging technology as a sustainable alternative to purchasing 167 new units.

AirRevive conducted a comprehensive site inspection. It was determined re-commissioning existing guest room fan coil units would be an affordable alternative bringing the units to operate as new and perform better than new.

The property runs at 98% occupancy year round with business, leisure and contracted airplane crew to accommodate. Respecting the hotel’s high occupancy, AirRevive technicians worked with hotel management to accommodate the guest’s occupancy needs.  Re-commissioning is “in room”. This not only eliminates tear outs and replacements costs, but significantly reduces downtime. AirRevive completed Washington Dulles Airport Marriott’s fan coil units within 21 days.

Re-commissioning involves restoring the cabinet, rejuvenating the coils and retrofitting the motor with a high efficiency electronic commutation (EC) motor. In addition to saving energy, EC motors are known for low sound and expedient cooling and heating. However, EC motors may not attain their highest efficiencies when retrofitted into a degraded, dirty fan coil unit.

Coil rejuvenation is key in attaining optimal performance from the EC motor. It is the best practice to have all the buildings fan coil units clean, working uniformly and optimized before programming an EC motor. If not, the roll out across the building will not be consistent. There will be dirty coils and clean coils in the building that will produce different torque on the EC motor program.

The project resulted in the fan coil units operating “as-new”.  The re-commissioning enhanced the unit’s to perform better than new by: consuming up to 60% less energy; maintaining guestroom temperature; and cooling and heating the guest rooms within minutes. This translates into improved guest room climate and guest satisfaction while saving energy.  Further guest comfort benefits include reduced humidity and low sound.

In addition to energy savings, re-commissioning fan coil units further contributes to the company’s sustainability initiatives by extending the life of existing assets.

JW MARRIOTT HOUSTON, A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

AIRREVIVE COMPLETES FAN COIL REFURBISHMENT AFTER GUEST ROOM RENOVATION

AirRevive LLC, a leader in fan coil refurbishment and re-commissioning service for commerciall clients, announced the completion of JW Marriott Houston’s 541 guest room air conditioning units immediately following the property’s   renovation.

Steps away from the famed Houston Galleria, the luxurious 23-story hotel boasts AAA 4-Diamond luxury accommodations.

If construction is a sign of a growing city, Houston is booming. Keeping up with the city’s face lift, the JW Marriott Houston recently completed a massive renovation, including remodeling the guest rooms.

JW Marriott engaged AirRevive to refurbish the 541 fan coil units.

The horizontal fan coil units are located in the ceiling which makes it difficult to reach. AirRevive technicians are trained to cut dry wall when needed in order to reach all parts and components of the unit.

SUSTAINABLE HVAC REFURBISHMENT PROJECT COMPLETED AT NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MARRIOTT

AirRevive announces the completion of the hotel guest room fan coil unit refurbishment project at the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott, a fixture at Newark Airport since 1983.

Marriott demonstrated their continued commitment to the environment and guest comfort by choosing AirRevive to refurbish the property’s 595 guest room air conditioners. The decision to refurbish over replacement not only saves money, but also avoids discarding close to 600 air conditioners.

AirRevive refurbishment of the Unilux guest room vertical fan coil units included cleaning and disinfecting the coils, reconditioning the blower assembly, refurbishing the condensate pan with epoxy coating, clearing the drain lines and replacing the fiber insulation with fiber-free foam anti-microbial thermal insulation. AirRevive sourced and installed the Unilux metal panel covers.

EC motors were also installed. AirRevive’s extensive refurbishment plan prepared the units for the EC motor retrofits. It is the best practice to have all the building’s fan coil units clean, working uniformly and optimized before programming an EC motor. By optimizing the building’s fan coil units ahead of time, the EC motor program roll out is efficient and uniform.

The hotel was fully operational during this project.

Modern Luxury Meets Sustainable Practice

AirRevive Refurbishes Chicago Marriott Suites Downers Grove Guest room Air Conditioning Units

Davie, FL– AirRevive, the leader in sustainable HVAC refurbishment and re-commissioning services for commercial clients, announced its completion of a guest room fan coil unit refurbishment project for the Chicago Marriott Suites Downers Grove.

A top choice among Downers Grove, Illinois hotels, the Chicago Marriott Suites Downers Grove recently underwent extensive renovations.

The elegant all-suite hotel engaged AirRevive to refurbish 258 guest room horizontal air conditioners. The refurbishment occurred during the renovation.

Renovation dust takes years off the life of the fan coil units. It adds allergens to the air.

AirRevive installs fiber-free foam anti-microbial thermal insulation during refurbishment.
It improves indoor air quality and reduces noise.

Cleaning the fan coils compliments a room’s renovation.

AirRevive’s proprietary chemical solutions and processes to clean, disinfect and deodorize the coils and blower assembly cleared dust and debris from renovation and improved indoor air quality. AirRevive installed fiber-free foam anti-microbial thermal insulation. The insulation does not collect dust and debris and is best practice for reducing A/C related noise. AirRevive also refurbished the drain pans to extend their life.

Preparing to refurbish horizontal fan coil unit in ceiling.

AirRevive successfully coordinated scheduling and room assignments with housekeeping, engineering, project managers, contractors and several subcontractors. Many companies with different scopes of work coordinated their efforts so the fan coil refurbishment project was completed successfully.

Data collection showed airflow increased by 58%, and supply temperature decreased by 10%.

The guest room horizontal fan coil units are located in the ceiling. AirRevive technicians are trained in techniques to properly clean, disinfect and replace parts and components in these difficult to reach units.

The units varied with single, double and triple shaft motors, which were removed for a specialized deep clean. Customized services also included replacing PSC motors as needed.

The results were guest room fan coil units that are disinfected, run efficiently and save energy, improving guest comfort.