Comfort Enhances Spiritual Growth
Occupying 86 acres in the scenic Heart of Bull Valley, the Resurrection Center is located 30 miles northwest of Chicago and serves as a Catholic training center. Owned by the Catholic Church and established in 1976, the Resurrection Center occupies a building erected in 1960 and offers spiritual retreats, personal development programs, conference space and a variety of recreational amenities.Uncomfortable Summers
As part of the Rockford, Ill., Archdiocese, the Resurrection Center offers room and board that can accommodate up to 200 people for extended training programs. For much of the year, weekends are completely booked. However, most of the guest rooms and smaller meeting rooms lacked air conditioning, which made for uncomfortable summers.
For years, Executive Director Jim Ivers had pondered installing air conditioning. He evaluated every option imaginable, from forced-air systems to cutting holes in the wall for ductwork. At the same time, the facility was undergoing an expansion and the original building needed to be upgraded. Ivers had a second concern: he needed to find a system that could relieve the old boiler by assisting with the heating load.
“The Most Appropriate Choice”
A call for bids went out. The most compelling came from Skirmont Mechanical Contractors, Elgin, Ill., which proposed a retrofit application using Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) zoning systems from Mitsubishi Electric Cooling and Heating Solutions, Suwanee, Ga., the first simultaneous cooling and heating multi-split zoning, modular system in the U.S. The system did not require reconfiguring the current structure of the building, which had poured concrete floors and a steel infrastructure.
VRF zoning, a great improvement to window units, wouldn’t obstruct the guests’ views—an important factor at a scenic retreat. “We liked the concept and wanted to become more familiar with it,” said Ivers. “Mitsubishi Electric seemed to be the most appropriate choice.”
A Seamless Retrofit
In fall 2003, Ivers decided to install the Mitsubishi Electric R2-Series in one wing of the center: five PURY100 outdoor units, two PLFY ceiling-recessed indoor units and 76 PKFY wall-mounted indoor units were installed. Three of the outdoor units were placed on the roof. The wall-mounted units were placed in the guest rooms and suites, bathrooms and conference rooms, while the ceiling-cassette units were installed in the entranceway.
“The VRF zoning system installed well into the guest rooms,” said Ivers. “Unobtrusive by design, our existing furnishings amply concealed all wiring and condensate challenges inherent to air conditioning. What we could not hide was easily concealed with soffits.”
Tom Gottfried, Mitsubishi Electric Cooling and Heating Solutions regional manager, played an instrumental role in designing the system. Installation began in January 2004 and was completed by March. “In addition to being a perfect retrofit solution, the VRF zoning system also cost the Resurrection Center less in installation time and operating money than other traditional cooling and heating systems,” said Gottfried. “As the system only moves refrigerant to regulate the climate, no ductwork was required.”
The Mitsubishi Electric R2-Series
The R2-Series is made up of a condensing unit, Branch Circuit (BC) Controller, indoor air handlers and remote or central controllers. To simultaneously cool and heat, the BC Controller acts as the heart of the system, managing refrigerant gas and liquid and directing it to the air handlers requiring cooling or heating. Essentially, heat energy is recovered from one space and sent to another. This innovative process results in virtually no energy wasted by being expelled outdoors when 50 percent of indoor units are heating while 50 percent are cooling. This special function results in optimum energy usage.
Mitsubishi Electric’s VRF zoning R2-Series outdoor unit uses an INVERTER-driven compressor to provide highly-responsive cooling and heating performance. By responding to indoor and outdoor temperature fluctuations, the system varies power consumption by adjusting the compressor speed to optimize energy usage. The variable-capacity indoor units are controlled by electronic expansion valves, which allow only the amount of refrigerant needed to condition the indoor space.
The system offers a variety of ducted or ductless air handlers such as ceiling-recessed, ceiling-concealed, floor-standing exposed, floor-standing concealed and wall-mounted models. For ultimate design flexibility, one can mix and match the air handlers to meet any design criteria.
VRF Zoning: A Short- and Long-term Value
Ivers and his staff are still discovering benefits to the VRF zoning system. “We like that guests can control the climate within their own rooms, as it plays well with our mission of comfort and relaxation,” he said. “We also like how the system as a whole is centrally controlled.”
Additionally, Ivers is excited about the heating performance of the system. “Though we initially chose a VRF system for its cooling performance, its heating capabilities surpassed our expectations,” he said. “We no longer need to use water to heat the facility, as the system has proven itself to be more energy efficient than the old boiler system.” Ivers also will reduce the boiler temperature this winter to take advantage of Mitsubishi Electric’s advanced and flexible heating capabilities. “The system’s versatility has helped us realize a potential for energy conservation,” said Ivers. “We are hoping that through our example, more people will realize the long-term value and benefits of a Mitsubishi Electric VRF zoning system.”
Mitsubishi Electric is also perfect for retrofit applications, said Ivers. Since the system was installed in the original wing of the Resurrection center, he has added more indoor and outdoor units to cool and heat the administrative offices. Additionally, Ivers also has recommended Mitsubishi Electric for other Catholic training facilities and seminaries.
