The First Mitsubishi Electric VRF zoning Installation in U.S.

For the past quarter century, Hospice Savannah has provided end-of-life care to patients and their families. It is the only inpatient facility in the region where terminally ill patients can be cared for in a home-like environment. In 2002, the Hospice Board launched a $4.3 million renovation program for the existing facility. This meant entirely refurbishing the original building, adding two additional wings and doubling the square footage from 13,000 to 26,000 square feet. The Hospice serves approximately 1,400 patients a year.

Project History
Overseeing installation and design of the new cooling and heating system for the reconstruction was Charles VandenBulck, Smith & VandenBulck, Savannah, Ga. His original design for the new facility was a residential gas system with a traditional chiller fan coil. However, prior to presenting this to his client, VandenBulck attended an HVAC conference in Naples, Italy where he was introduced to Variable Refrigerant zoning (VRF) systems from Mitsubishi Electric Cooling and Heating Solutions, Suwanee, Ga. “I had to learn more about this innovative, new technology because it seemed like a perfect fit for the Hospice project,” he said. “When I returned home, I immediately contacted, David Archer, Mitsubishi Electric HVAC area manager.”

Ideal Solution Discovered for Hospice Design
Although Mitsubishi Electric had been manufacturing VRF zoning systems for commercial, high-end residential and public buildings around the world for over 20 years, it had not yet been launched in the U.S. “I knew as much about VRF zoning as Charlie at that time,” Archer said. In 2002, Mitsubishi Electric HVAC invited VandenBulck, along with 20 other design engineers, to come to Japan for a tour of the Mitsubishi Electric plant and receive a technical briefing. It was then that VandenBulck knew that he had found the ideal solution for the hospice—zone control with simultaneous cooling and heating. “It was just what I was looking for and didn’t know existed,” he said.

A VRF zoning “Classroom” for America
Upon returning, VandenBulck set out to design America’s first Mitsubishi Electric VRF zoning system. For the heart of the system, the team selected 10 PURY-100TMU outdoor units (100 tons of overall capacity) and placed them out of sight behind one of the new wings, by the gazebo overlooking the pond. Because of the nature of terminal patient care, the handling of outside air became a critical design factor. The client wanted the indoor units to be non-obtrusive and out of sight. For this, the team selected 50 PLFY-NAM 4-way airflow ceiling cassette units which they neatly hid in the soffit. Code required the infusion of outside air, so the team next introduced energy recovery ventilators (ERV) to help exhaust air from every bathroom in the building and eliminate the characteristic odors. This whole system was then connected to a central branch controller, which orchestrated all the air handling and the simultaneous cooling and heating.

Ingenious, Amazing Engineering, Least Expensive Option
“The VRF system by Mitsubishi is simply amazing,” said VandenBulck, the veteran engineer. “After the installation, I did a study to see how VRF zoning compares to other choices I could have made. What I discovered was that instead of eight patients deciding on a single temperature for eight rooms, each had the pleasure of controlling their own comfort zone. Each had better indoor air quality. All bathrooms and hallways had odors removed instantly. And overall, there is a great sound of silence.” VandenBulck said. “The real kicker, however, was that, when compared to the competition, the Mitsubishi Electric system was the least expensive option!”

15 Years in the Sculpture Gallery and Going Strong
VandenBulck will tell you that although new to VRF zoning, he is no stranger to the robust genius of Mitsubishi Electric HVAC engineering. To demonstrate excellence in engineering, he invites customers and friends down to Savannah’s Telfair Museum of Art. There in the sculpture gallery sits a 3-ton split-ductless unit that hasn’t missed a single day of work in over 15 years.