Beach Dunes Hotel

Heat Pump Water Heaters solve heat and Humidity Problem

The Pensacola Beach Dunes Hotel had struggled for five years with a heat a humidity problem so severe it was thought unsolvable. Clothes washers, dryers, and dishwashers raised the temperatures in the surrounding areas to more than 100 degrees. The costs were extreme:

• Employee turnover escalated.
• Work quality suffered along with product quality.
• Equipment failed. Expensive phone and computer equipment required constant maintenance.

The Dunes Hotel tried several solutions:

• Plan A. Used fans and opened the doors to air-conditioned offices — still unbearable.
• Plan B. Built and installed special dryer ventilation hoods — the dryer elements burned out.
• Plan C. Go back to Plan A — still unbearable.

After contacting three air conditioner companies who wouldn’t guarantee results or warranty their equipment, the Dunes thought it was hopeless. Then, they attended an energy seminar hosted by Gulf Power and discovered heat pump water heaters.

Innovations

Heat pump water heaters reroute the heat generated by equipment such as washers, dryers, and air conditioners and use it to heat water. The result is cooler surroundings and a cheaper, more efficient way to water heater. Essentially, it was going to take the Hotel’s worst problem and turn it into a benefit. Skeptical at first, the Dunes Hotel finally integrated two, 750 gallon, 4-ton heat pump water heaters with their 8-ton air conditioning units.

The results of their first implementation have been so spectacular they plan to install two more heat pump water heaters for the pool.

Findings

The immediate result was a 25 degree drop in the temperature of the laundry and dishwashing areas — from 100 degrees to 75 degrees. It also reduced humidity. The cooler temperatures along with the inherent energy efficiency of the equipment resulted in:

Reduced employee turnover Employees actually asked to work in laundry and dishwashing Higher productivity, performance, and quality No expensive maintenance on computer and telephone equipment No ventilation problems Major cost savings

The new equipment reduced monthly kilowatt hours by 1,984 contributing to a total annual savings of:

Having a heat and humidity problem in your company? Can a heat pump water heater save you time, money, employees, and frustration? Call your Southern Company representative to find out.