Maintaining a comfortable temperature inside a hotel is a fundamental aspect for the comfort of guests and employees. In this sense, the issue of the rational energy consumption of the equipment is a priority for the good economic health of the hospitality business.By: Héctor Gómez Pérez
The world of hospitality is the world of details and in which nothing should be left to chance, something similar to that in a game of chess in which everything must be calculated. The universe of hospitality includes a good structure, an excellent restaurant and beverage service and other details not so obvious, but that clearly impact on user satisfaction: the textiles of the rooms, customer service, the design of the different spaces and the amenities, just to mention a few.
In this article we will talk about another detail that is directly related to the comfort of guests and employees of a hotel: the air conditioning system. Can you imagine a paradisiacal beach destination, the most incredible structural design and a heat of hell in the lobby and an unbearable embarrassment in the rooms? For all the above, air conditioning in the hotel industry acquires a leading role in which equipment of the best quality must be acquired and that guarantees investment in the long term.
Two experts in the field accepted the invitation of HOTEL AND RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT to give some guidelines in this regard; they were Miguel Ángel Hernández, director of distribution, of Johnson Controls, who shared the details of the split and mini split systems, and Alfredo Sotolongo, president of Protec Inc, who spoke about the central ventilation systems.
The reason for its importance
It is relevant to highlight in the first instance the difference between the split and mini split systems with the central systems. The former are the equipment that is usually installed to keep small spaces such as rooms cool and that are normally recessed into the wall, while the latter require elaborate design work in the infrastructure of the hotel, ductwork and larger equipment and, in the case of an industry company that does not have fireplaces, they are used for larger areas such as the kitchens, the lobby or the restaurant.
On the importance of ventilation systems, Alfredo Sotolongo said that "air conditioning is important in hotels, since for most companies of this type the comfort of their guests is paramount, especially in the localities between the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn where the outside air is hot and humid because it is not in the vicinity of the mountains".
While the type of air conditioning solution for a hotel is determined by the size of the hotel and the number of rooms, there is one aspect that many hotel chains consider, regardless of their size, and that is to offer the best comfort to customers and employees with the lowest energy consumption, which ultimately means money and high costs in the operation of a hotel.
Likewise, to determine which type of system is the most recommended for the business, it is necessary to analyze variables such as the location of the installation, the size of the rooms, the distribution and type of common areas, the spaces available for the location of the air conditioning systems, the electricity rates of the area, etc.
Which one to stay with?
Miguel Ángel Hernández highlights the advantages of split and mini split systems as equipment that:
- They have ease and flexibility in installation by not requiring duct systems. They are flexible applications for both new and existing hotels, as they require minimal space for assembly and commissioning.
- Installation costs are low because they are of high consumption in the global scope for residences, hotels, among others.
- They are energy efficient equipment that provides ample zoned comfort.
For his part, Alfredo Sotolongo spoke of central air conditioning systems, particularly cooling towers. He explained that depending on the size of the hotel, central ice water systems are recommended where a chiller cools the water that is distributed throughout the building to the "fan coil" units that are in the rooms and the handling units that are in the rest of the hotel.
"The biggest advantage of ice water systems is that they allow you to diversify the load. This means that not all rooms will be at maximum thermal load at the same time, therefore, the total capacity of this type of air conditioning system is lower than that of other types of systems that are not ice water, "said Sotolongo.
Likewise, this expert added that "hotel chains always require central air conditioning systems, first to offer comfort to their guests and also to ensure that carpets, wallpapers, furniture and others do not deteriorate with the high humidity of certain places."
Other considerations
If we talk about central air conditioning systems for hotels, the cost of the initial investment is lower if it is installed during the construction process, in addition to the fact that the hotel will not incur temporary closures and discomfort for guests.
Returning to the split and mini split equipment, Miguel Ángel Hernández, the guest of the company Johnson Controls, said that the trends and functionalities that the consumer of these equipment is looking for are the following:
Energy efficiency: "by far the biggest concern of the global consumer given the growth in the cost of energy," he explained.
- Zoned control: is the ability to provide conditioning on demand through systems that serve multiple areas.
- Integration: "the hotelier and other consumers seek to have a network that allows the manipulation of the different systems of the building: security, air conditioning, ambient music, among others.
Likewise, this professional added that the commercialization of this equipment in the hotel industry has been harmed because according to him "the hotel sector, like many others in the world economy, has been significantly affected by the global economic recession, however this has always been a very dynamic sector so we trust in a soon return to growth", Pointed out.
When asking Hernández about the specific needs of the hotel sector in terms of air conditioning, he said that in this industry multi-zone products are required, with the highest energy efficiency, low maintenance costs, reliability in operation, functionality and simplicity in handling.
Something that cannot be overlooked, and on which Sotolongo emphasized specially, is that the ventilation of bathrooms and kitchens must be seriously considered since the air that is extracted must be replaced with outside air that is normally humid and hot, which represents a considerable increase in the thermal load.
The years to come
As things have been moving in the industry, hotel projects will continue to grow in the region, as evidenced by countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Chile (18 this year) and Panama (22). These figures go against the employment rates that have fallen during 2009, but in the environment there is a lot of optimism to the extent that some economies have been emerging from the bad times of the crisis.
If projects increase, the consumption of ventilation products will obviously increase to maintain comfortable environments within hotels. The most important thing, for you as a hotelier, is that you have professional advice to determine the best air conditioning solution for your business and look for quality products that have qualified installation, advice, technical support and after-sales service.
As we discussed earlier: this is the world in which there is no chance. The air that refreshes your guest when they arrive at the lobby of their hotel, after a day at the beach, has... and a lot.
