Case StudiesCustom HVAC Configurations for Custom Spaces

When local builder Joe Thomas found an older, 1000-square-foot home just a few miles from Downtown Atlanta, he knew it had potential. The potential to take energy-efficiency and whole-home building design to the next level. That said, he wanted the homeowners to reap the benefits of lower utility bills while not compromising aesthetics. The answer: Mitsubishi Electric’s Zoned Comfort Solutions® and in particular, the latest residential unit, the EZ FIT® Recessed Ceiling Cassette.

After UBER decided to build their Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) autonomous vehicle research facility in downtown Pittsburgh, they knew building automation was needed. Vehicle testing garages sit side-by-side with state-of-the-art conference rooms and office space. This drove the need for zone control and specialized ventilation. Mitsubishi Electric was able to deliver a single-source for all their HVAC, ventilation and controls needs with CITY MULTI® Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF), PremiSys® Fusion Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS), and Diamond Controls™ Solutions. The result has been seamless building control and occupant comfort.

Built in the late 1800s, the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion is a historic, four-story home in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. The building has been home base for the Engineering Society of Baltimore, Inc. (Engineers Club) since 1961 and members open up the venue for various associations and community events. A few years ago, the Engineers Club realized patrons required more accessibility to the upper floors of the mansion as well as a streamlined HVAC system. Their plan: build an adjacent 5,600-square-foot tower that connects to the building, providing access to the mansion and space for housing new HVAC equipment.

A commercial HVAC sales representative for Seattle-base distributor Thermal Supply, Inc., Shaun Vig and his wife purchased house plans in December 2005. After a few months of searching for land, the family found an ideal 4.5-acre parcel in Gig Harbor, a small harbor town 10 minutes west of Tacoma. The house plan was 2,300-square-feet with three bedrooms and a bonus room above the garage. Vig wanted to build it himself and design his own HVAC system. Having worked for years with Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) zoning systems from Mitsubishi Electric, Vig knew the system and trusted the technology.

Aljoya is one of eight senior communities owned and operated by Era Living, LLC., a private Seattle-based company founded in 1987 by Eli and Rebecca Almo. A respected and recognized leader in senior living throughout the Puget Sound region, Era Living is dedicated to providing innovative housing, engaging programs and a variety of service choices for seniors. After studying the field of available HVAC systems, the Era Living design team concluded that the Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) technology from Mitsubishi Electric would be the most energy-efficient and cost-effective system for Aljoya’s needs. Wagner liked the Mitsubishi Electric VRF system’s unique ability to transfer heat within a building controlled by variable capacity heat pumps. He knew this would lead to considerable savings in energy costs.

Opened in January 2004, Brentwood is a 35,100-square-foot, 29-unit Residential Care Apartment Complex (RCAC) located in Rice Lake, Wisconsin (pop. 8,500). Founded in 1864 on the site of a Menomonie Indian village and a wild rice bed, Rice Lake is the largest primarily retail community between Eau Claire (60 miles south), Superior/Duluth (100 miles north), and Minneapolis/St. Paul (100 miles west). Created and owned by David and Diana Barta (Brentwood Senior Communities, LLC), Brentwood may be the only assisted living facility in the state with a concrete storm shelter (8-inch-thick walls for the occasional tornado) which also serves as the facility chapel. Equipment from Mitsubishi Electric was installed to provide reliable comfort.

Since 1984, The Bicycle Casino has been a gaming destination in Los Angeles. With the addition of a new, 118,000-square-foot hotel, The Bicycle Hotel & Casino (Bicycle) is now a high-end, boutique resort destination not just for patrons of the casino, but for anyone looking for a comfortable place to gather professionally or recreationally. The project team wanted a quiet and reliable HVAC system with a contemporary look to contribute to that overall feel. The selected system would also have to meet the varying needs of the hotel’s many guest rooms and amenities. The solution was Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) from Mitsubishi Electric.

After several years of failing compressors, humidity issues and frigid winters, Minnesota Power’s Cloquet, Minnesota office was ready for an HVAC upgrade. As staff pride themselves on promoting energy-efficient technologies and money-saving programs for their customers, they turned to CITY MULTI® from Mitsubishi Electric with Hyper-Heating INVERTER® (H2i®) technology. The result has been a comfortable and efficient office place, not matter the weather. The utility company has even been able to use their equipment as a showpiece for the benefits of Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) systems.

Primrose Schools provide early childhood education at over 300 franchised locations across the country. One Florida location the Primrose School of South Tampa, serving students from six weeks old to first grade—stands out as a feat of engineering and construction. Its Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system from Mitsubishi Electric is a big part of that showcase, and has helped the school earn LEED® Silver certification alongside impressive energy savings.

When Mark and Gretchen Biedron co-founded the The Willow School (Willow), Gladstone, New Jersey, their vision was to create a school that provides students with a space that celebrates learning and collaboration, and that fosters ethical relationships between people and the natural systems that support them. Sustainability drives both the curriculum and building design for Willow, so when the school was designing its fourth building – the Health, Wellness and Nutrition Center – the project team selected a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) zoning system from Mitsubishi Electric.