Case Study by LG HVAC
A historic art deco icon meets cutting-edge luxury at The Sinclair, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel. Built during the early 20th Century oil boom in Texas, the Sinclair Building has stood as one of the most recognizable landmarks of downtown Fort Worth since 1929.
Designed to reflect the Gilded Age art deco style of the Roaring ‘20s, the Sinclair Building served the surrounding business community and employed thousands of Texans over the decades before undergoing a dramatic transformation. Addressing the need for an innovative, intelligent luxury and lifestyle hotel in Fort Worth's Sundance Square district, the Sinclair Building was restored to its original splendor beginning in 2017, completing its restaging in 2019 when the hotel opened its doors to guests.
Redefining smart sophistication, each of the 164 boutique rooms and suites at The Sinclair seamlessly blends advanced technology with effortless style to create a high-end experience for guests.The hotel property includes a variety of spaces, ranging from a large lower-level restaurant and rooftop bar with impressive views of the city’s downtown, to tech-savvy meeting rooms.
HISTORIC CHALLENGE
The hotel's owner and design team had sought state-of-the-art technology to power, sustain and manage the entire property, while carefully maintaining the historic building's unique design and architectural details. Retaining the integrity of its original design and intricate artistic accents was paramount. It reflected the owner's desire to pay homage to the building’s storied past while keeping an eye to the future with some of the most cutting-edge technology concepts available.
Toward that end, the building’s owner and managers were required to play within the confines of the existing structure as much as possible. Emphasizing guest comfort, the team looked for an HVAC system that could address the complex needs of the space itself.
First, there was a need to replace the inefficient air conditioning system (an older model chiller system) that had taken up precious real estate on the property’s lower level, upper level, and rooftop –areas that could be repurposed for other uses. Additionally, the property’s slab-to-slab heights were much lower than is now common, and the team sought to keep as much ceiling height as possible; this posed a particular challenge in the individual guest rooms themselves. Another challenge that was related to the guest rooms, as well as the restaurant, was noise and the need to minimize operational sound as much as possible. Lastly, space was also at a premium in the exterior portions of the building, with very limited room outside to put condensing units, thereby emphasizing the sizing and placement criteria of the desired HVAC solutions.
GUIDING CRITERIA
"I work with some of the most innovative and forward-thinking partners around the globe when developing my properties and creating an unforgettable experience for my guests is of the utmost importance," said Farukh Aslam, chief executive officer, Sinclair Holdings.
To that end, it was paramount that the Sinclair renovation include the right mix of advanced technologies to deliver on this exceptional guest experience. The hotel aimed to be low-voltage and the management team explored Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE) technology in order to help achieve many of The Sinclair’s energy-efficiency and forward-thinking technology goals. The adoption of PoE aims to increase the integration of technologies that can be seamlessly run by one source of power, lending itself toward the overall goal of creating a future-ready building for the present time.
The hotel also required individual control of its HVAC system throughout 164 guest rooms (featuring 50 different room types) and sufficient heating and cooling for the lobby bar, reception area and large basement restaurant. The hotel management wanted to work with a partner that was not only able to fulfill a myriad of HVAC needs, but also create a complete building ecosystem with its range of innovative technologies across an expansive portfolio.
To achieve the gold standard of technological and energy efficiency desired, the hotel sought out a supplier that would allow them to integrate a range of solutions that were compatible with this cutting-edge technology.
COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS
For the HVAC system, LG's Multi™ V IV Heat Recovery unit was selected for its ability to provide individual room comfort for each space within the larger property. Offering a compact footprint without sacrificing power, the Multi V IV contributes to building energy efficiency, high performance and flexibility in design and installation options. Installation versatility was a key factor as the historic building was restricted in regard to lower ceilings, as well as space for outdoor equipment.
Recognizing the importance of quieter operation especially in The Sinclair’s guest rooms, HVAC and Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) technology experts, Texas AirSystems, advised on the installation of a variety of indoor air-handling solutions. Their recommendations included versatile wall-mounted units and LG ceiling cassettes that did not require bulky ductwork to accommodate the tight ceiling area constraints, while supporting the tranquil environment required of guest rooms. The technology works behind-the-scenes, translating to the overall comfort and experience of a guest's stay.
Texas AirSystems also specified LG's AC Smart controller, which allowed for virtually seamless control of the HVAC system for the building management team. This innovative control solution compatible with a variety of applications offers a single LG platform that drives both VRF technology and energy efficiency. Property managers could now easily manage, set and monitor the building's heating and cooling performance.
Prior to installing LG's VRF technology, the building relied on an old chiller system to condition the entire building, which also required a great deal of space in the building's lower and upper level. After switching to VRF, the hotel was able to gain a significant amount of usable floor space for the large lower-level restaurant, and executive top floor suites. On the exterior of the Sinclair, LG outdoor units with slim, minimal features were installed to further increase saved space. LG’s industry-leading VRF technology helps minimize efficiency losses, energy consumption and life cycle costs.
"The LG system for this type of project allowed us to be so versatile as to give the owner as much of the floor plan as they could get," said Gibran Michel, P.E., senior mechanical engineer, Baird Hampton & Brown. "In the past, this building had boilers, chillers, etc., all in the basement, so that would have been unusable space before. But with the VRF system, that allowed us to move all the heat rejection equipment outside into the alleyway."
“Aligning with a partner like The Sinclair on our shared goals to power the building of the future, allowed an ecosystem that connects our air conditioning technologies and other LG innovations to create a comfortable, elevated experience for guests across the entire property," said Doug Bougher, director and light commercial HVAC lead for LG Air Conditioning Technologies USA.
RELIABLE RESULTS
From an HVAC perspective, LG’s Multi V IV Heat Recovery unit system served as a more advanced and energy-efficient solution for the property’s need to heat and cool its numerous spaces across individual guest rooms and shared spaces. For nearly the same cost as a traditional system, the Sinclair now has a highly reliable, energy-efficient HVAC solution designed to deliver effortless occupant comfort and convenience.
Aslam continued, “The results are quite impressive, thanks to its amazing energy efficiency and quietness, contributing to the tranquil atmosphere throughout the property.”
The Sinclair Hotel is a groundbreaking example of the hotel of the future. “There's no hotel as forward-thinking as ours – from the power generation of the entire building to the most advanced tech toys like the OLED TVs found in each room, the Sinclair is a study in high-class high-tech,” added Aslam.
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