Don’t leave guests in the cold
Making sure guests have access to non-stop, piping hot water is an absolute must
The shower experience should be seamless for guests with the water reaching optimal temperature easily.
AccomNews investigates the different types of water heating systems now available, the latest technology to hand, as well as ways to meet peak hot water demands.
Making sure guests have access to non-stop, piping hot water is an absolute must for any accommodation provider. There is nothing worse for guests who find themselves deluged in freezing cold water when only halfway through a shower.
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But it’s not just all about keeping the guests happy in the bathroom, a hotel’s hot water supply needs to be on tap for a multitude of reasons, in the laundry, the pool, the spa or sauna and even in some heating systems.
AccomNews spoke with Automatic Heating Global Pty Ltd’s Director of Automatic Heating, Terry Plaisted to gauge an insight into the latest developments and how technology is shaping commercial hot water systems.
What’s the latest in commercial hot water systems?
We are experiencing an increased uptake of CO2 heat pumps with storage tanks to deliver carbon neutral hot water systems.
Hydrogen ready hot water heaters are also entering the commercial market in response to environmental concerns.
How can the accommodation industry satisfy peak hot water demand?
The size of the hot water system needs to be engineered to ensure there is sufficient capacity to meet the peak times for each facility.
Built-in redundancy is also a must, so that if one unit fails, the system still provides hot water for the end user. When assessing the performance of a hot water system, we take into account the peak times, number of rooms and the type of accommodation.
Bear in mind, the peak demand times of a resort will be different to that of a hotel in the CBD.
Electric or gas?
We consider all options and capitalise on the efficiencies of both electric and gas hot water systems when working with an accommodation facility.
Dependent on the accommodation and building constraints, we assess the space available in the plant room and its access, the size and number of rooms in the accommodation facility, and the peak hot water demands.
We then engineer a hot water system to meet the specific accommodation needs.
An electric heat pump system that captures solar contributions can deliver lower emissions and increased efficiencies and lower running costs.
Surprisingly, these technologies can often be incorporated in existing capital works budgets and deliver long term savings and environmental benefits, as well as improved customer experience with steady hot water supply.
As an industry expert what do you think are the best methods to ensure hot water for all guests?
It is imperative that accommodation providers install a commercial hot water system designed to meet their maximum capacity needs, opposed to multiple instantaneous heaters designed for residential systems that aren’t efficient in the long term.
A commercial CO2 heat pump or high efficiency condensing heater with storage tanks will lower the maximum energy demand and have a steady hot water profile.
A regular maintenance schedule will ensure the hot water system is always running optimally and catch any issues before they arise.
Mike Parker-Brown is a UK-trained and qualified journalist and an award-winning travel communicator with more than 30 years experience.
Since 2002, Mike has worked as a freelance writer and PR consultant providing his services to major organisations in Australia and internationally in the tourism, aviation, hospitality, recruitment and export marketing sectors.