HVAC Tech Tip: HVAC Upgrades Offer Warm Welcome to Guests

The colder winter months are here, and so are the urgent calls for fixing broken or old HVAC heating equipment. A heating emergency can’t come at a worse time for hotel and motel property owners than in the winter, where guest satisfaction is paramount, and emergency repairs can disrupt a busy travel season. If you work with a hotel or motel business or want to engage potential clients, consider these opportunities to help your customers keep their guests warm and comfortable:

• Equipment change-outs: Replace inefficient and often outdated guest room packaged terminal air conditioning (PTAC) units with more efficient options such as a packaged terminal heat pump (PTHP). Equipment that relies on heat pump technology can be up to four times more energy efficient than the electric resistance heating used by PTACs. PTHPs look the same, are easily swappable with existing PTACs, and produce an even, comfortable heat at a fraction of the cost to your customer.
• Thermostat settings: Seasonal changes, equipment upgrades, and staffing shifts can wreak havoc on thermostat settings. Look at the setpoints—and setbacks—for the lobby, common areas, and guest room HVAC controls and make sure they match the space’s seasonal needs and occupancy patterns.
• Guest room controls: Upgrade the guest room occupancy controls to a system that integrates with the room thermostat. Already commonplace in new construction, keycard activated systems provide better HVAC control, enhanced room security, and less maintenance than traditional stand-alone controls.
• Central system upgrades: Search for opportunities to upgrade properties to a central energy management system. Such systems make equipment adjustments across the facility a breeze and can be done each season as setpoints change.
• Common area occupancy strategies: Consider incorporating heat recovery or demand control ventilation for HVAC systems serving common areas. Both approaches can result in meaningful energy cost savings due to the large ventilation needs and variable occupancy of those spaces.

Quick wins such as these are suitable investments to make in the winter to keep bills low for your customers and help them keep guests happy. Contact your regional field specialist for more ideas and information about utility incentives.