Improving hot water heating efficiency at hotel resort

Tankless water heaters were used at the Pan Pacific Hotel in British Columbia to improve overall hot water heating efficiency and reduce maintenance needs.

By Gas Technology April 16, 2022
Courtesy: Pan Pacific

The Pan Pacific Hotel in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, is a luxury ski resort designed to provide a comfortable environment for its guests in the snowy mountains. With everything from hot tubs, pools, fully equipped kitchens and more, keeping the hot water flowing is critical to maintaining the image of comfort for its guests.

When Pan Pacific’s hot water efficiency systems started failing due to age, the management consulted with Rinnai on solving their current issue. They were looking for a product to enhance their customer offering. Rinnai specializes in tankless water heaters and recommended them for the project. Based on that recommendation, Pan Pacific installed two TRW03CUiN Rinnai three-rack tankless rack systems for the hotel.

Rob Peters, business development for Rinnai Canada, said the project was time-sensitive because the destination prides itself on luxury and comfort.

“Pan Pacific are an international brand who require first class service whistler is a premier destination where people expect lots of hot water combine those two things and the margin for error is minimal,” Peters said.

Project results

Because of the nature of the hotel business, Rinnai had to install the tankless heaters while being as unobtrusive as possible. While repairs are normal, it could not come at the impact of the guests or cause any issues during their stay.

During the installation, new pumps were sourced to provide a better flow curve than the old system produced, cutting down on potential downtime. The facility was not designed for easy equipment replacement in the mechanical room and the rack system was able to be disassembled and reassembled allowing it to be moved through tight spaces on its way to the mechanical room. Tankless water heaters have a smaller footprint compared to their traditional counterparts, which provided additional flexibility during the installation process.

Photos of the before (left) and after (right) of the installation process performed by Rinnai at the Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside Resort in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Courtesy: Pan Pacific

Photos of the before (left) and after (right) of the installation process performed by Rinnai at the Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside Resort in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Courtesy: Pan Pacific

The installation was completed on time and has a 96% efficiency rating. The tankless water heaters have worked excellently without major issues or repairs. And if tankless unit were to go offline, there is ample redundancy with other units to keep hot water flowing.

Due to the installation’s success, Pan Pacific has undertaken additional installations of a three-rack system at a neighboring hotel and Demand Duos tankless systems from Rinnai in two other lodges. Pan Pacific is happy with a system that has worked well for them to date in an environment that always demands efficiency to keep the image of comfort and safety that is a guiding principle for any hotel or resort.

Rinnai Corporation

www.rinnai.com

Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside Resort

https://www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-and-resorts/pp-whistler-mountainside.html

– This article appeared in the Gas Technology supplement.