A New Million Dollar HVAC System
In summer 2004, Mitsubishi Electric HVAC Eastern Regional Sales Manager, Bob Skorupsky received a call from Stanley Berger,
In summer 2004, Mitsubishi Electric
HVAC Eastern Regional Sales Manager, Bob Skorupsky received a call
from Stanley Berger, president, Arista Air Conditioning Corp., Long
Island City, N.Y. Berger wanted Skorupsky to review the $1 million
HVAC plans and blueprints of a 15,000-square-foot private residence
overlooking Jamaica Bay, Long Island.
Because of the grand ocean views, architects for this luxury home
had designed generous amounts of glass and skylights, a complete
radiant floor heating system, a radiant snowmelt system for the
4,000-square-foot driveway, and 11 split systems for cooling and
heating zones. Arista had been hired to install the mechanical
equipment.
Not Aware of Latest Developments in HVAC Technology
Skorupsky confirmed what Berger had already determined: that the
design engineers were unaware of the latest developments in HVAC
technology. The HVAC engineering plan calling for 11 split systems
would be costly and physically wouldn't work. The steel beam
structure made it nearly impossible for ductwork installation;
there was not sufficient space for the 11 outdoor units; and the
ceiling height available was insufficient for the indoor air
handlers.
With engineering guidance from Skorupsky, Berger recommended sig-
nificant changes to his clients based on his knowledge of the CITY
MULTI® R2- Series, a multi-split Variable Refrigerant
Flow Zoning (VRFZ) system from Mitsubishi Electric HVAC, which
offers simultaneous cooling and heating. The original zone layout
was revised to 27 zones, which are zoned by unit and not by the
usual damper arrangement.
VRFZ System Provides for Shifting Cooling/ Heating Loads
With this CITY MULTI system, the cooling and heating requirements
for the 4-story residence needed only five outdoor units instead of
the 11 originally specified. Berger explained that the CITY MULTI
R2-Series was an intelligent, technically advanced system with
superior motors, sophisticated controls, INVERTER-driven
compressors, linear electronic expansion valves and
microprocessors. To the homeowners this meant that because of the
smart INVERTER technology, controls would automatically and
efficiently adjust for a zone requiring five tons of cooling in the
morning and only two tons in the evening. Berger said that the
presence of glass surrounding the building posed some serious
design challenges. "We were faced with shifting heat loads because
of the many skylights and glass walls. In the summer, there is a
15-ton heat load during the day and a 3-ton heat load at night. The
CITY MULTI VRFZ system is ideal for this installation because it is
capable of handling each of these varying loads."
Berger also wanted the R2-Series for this private residence
because it was easy to install, required less ductwork and was able
to simultaneously cool and heat specific zones. He likes CITY
MULTI's individualized climate control and dehumidifier
capabilities, its efficiency and quietness of operation, and the
special seacoast protection for outdoor units offered for
saltwater, corrosive environments.
Because of the CITY MULTI technology, Berger's proposal came in
$100,000 under the original design. Arista designed, sold and
installed five PURY-100TMU-A-BS R2-Series outdoor units-each
delivering 95,500 Btu/h of total cooling and 107,500 Btu/h of total
heating-driving 27 indoor air-handling units. These included 20
PDFY ceiling-concealed ductless units (from PDFY-16NMU- A to
PDFY-48NMU-A models), two PKFY-20NFMU-A wall-mounted units, two
PMFY-08NBMU-A and two PMFY-10NBMU-A ceiling- recessed 1-way airflow
units and one PFFY-12NEMU-A concealed floor- standing unit. "With
the R2-Series, we can actually connect up to 15 air handlers to one
outdoor condensing unit," Berger said. "In this installation,
however we have an average ratio of five to one."
Chosen for the function of the room in which they were installed,
the PDFY ceiling-concealed units were installed in the hallway,
office, dining room, family room, kitchen, meditation room, dining
room, elevator, master bath and four bedrooms. The two PKFY
wall-mounted units were hung in the garage. The four PMFY ceiling-
recessed units were installed in the cellar kitchen, laundry room
and A/V closet. The single PFFY concealed floor-standing unit was
designated for the housekeeper's apartment. The piping and
electrical work was all concealed in the walls and ceilings.
The five BC Controller units and the G-50A centralized controller
were installed in the basement to allow for easy access and
service. The five PURY outdoor units were installed out of sight on
a concrete pad located on the ocean side of the house. Berger said
the system is now operational, is "working great," and will be
ready for the owners' scheduled April move-in date. "They are going
to love the fact that each zone can be individually controlled for
utmost efficiency and temperature control. This will keep heating
costs down in the winter and cooling costs down in the summer.
That's why I believe that this CITY MULTI system is ideal for
high-end residential applications."
Berger said he drew on his experience from a recent Greenwich
Village design-build project which included seven CITY MULTI PURY
outdoor units. "We are doing more and more high-end residential
systems in New York City now, and we are very conscious of our
customers' demands. They want it quiet, they want it cool, they
want it heated, they don't want to see any equipment and they want
to be able to control it from their laptops from any where in the
world. Twenty to 25 percent of our market is now in this new
residential arena."
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