K Club, Co. Kildare

PANASONIC GETS A HOLE-IN-ONE WITH K CLUB INSTALLATION

Panasonic has installed a comprehensive heating and cooling system in the new 70-bedroom extension to the prestigious and internationally-renowned golf resort, the K Club in Ireland. Working with installer Crystal Air and O'Connor Sutton Cronin Consultant Engineers, Panasonic supplied an energy efficient VRF system that both blended into the interior design of the hotel and provided a quiet and subtle heating and cooling solution.

Host to the 2006 Ryder Cup and 13 European Opens, the K Club attracts golf aficionados from across the world, with 2 courses designed by golfing legend Arnold Palmer. Guests staying in the hotel and spa expect the very best, to which the heating and cooling solution could be no exception. The system needed to be quiet, so it wouldn’t disturb guests sleeping in the bedrooms, and discreet, so as not to negatively impact on the luxurious look and feel of the elegant, exclusive hotel. It also needed to be flexible and easy to control, to cater for the varying requirements of golf fans from across the world.

“We are very proud of the work we did at the K Club,” commented Vincent Mahony, National Account Manager at Panasonic Ireland. “To be involved in such a prestigious project and provide a solution that exceeded the hotel’s expectations was fantastic. We focus on creating heating and cooling systems that are not only energy efficient and effective, but offer real comfort and control to the end user, and the project at the K Club is a great example of this.”

Panasonic’s VRF ECOi system provided the perfect solution for the K Club’s exacting requirements. The extremely quiet MM Ducted Indoor Units, designed specifically for the hotel market, ensured minimal noise disturbance, and the ultra-slim space-saving design offered an unobtrusive way to deliver hot and cold air into the bedrooms without interfering with the aesthetic of the interior. Panasonic also provided an easy–to-use control panel in each room, so that guests had complete control over the operation of their air conditioning, allowing them to create the conditions that were comfortable for them.

Panasonic’s unique off-coil temperature control facility of its VRF system was crucial to the success of the project. Not only does it allow each unit to be controlled individually to enable personalised cooling for each room, but it ensures that the temperature of the air leaving the unit can be raised, and can be set at any temperature between 7 and 22°C. With warmer air leaving the unit, it eliminates cold air dumping and drafts, and ensures that overnight rooms don’t become too cold.

The K Club was keen to boost its sustainability credentials, and a key part of the project specification was that the cooling system must be very energy efficient. The Panasonic VRF 3-Pipe ECOi MF2 system, installed in the K Club, is optimised to provide maximum output with low consumption, with a market-leading COP rating of 4.76 and can offer simultaneous heating and cooling for up to 52 indoor units. The MF2 also takes up very little installation space, making it much easier for Crystal Air to complete the project.

Installation at the K Club was a significant challenge due to tight time constraints, and the Club’s desire for the building works not to intrude on the luxurious ambience. Walsh Mechanical, the contractors who carried out the project, were given 5 months to complete the installation in 70 rooms that formed the new extension to the hotel, a very short timeframe which they nevertheless achieved.

In order to avoid disturbing guests and maintain the peaceful atmosphere of the hotel, spa and golf course, Crystal Air and Walsh Mechanical were limited to certain areas at specific times and had to keep noise pollution to a minimum. To ensure that guests still enjoyed the 5-star experience while the construction was going on, contractors were kept out of eyeshot of the hotel guests. With all these restrictions on installation, it was essential that the heating and cooling system was simple and easy to install. Panasonic’s VRF ECOi system provided the perfect solution to meet the K Club’s exacting requirements for the hotel’s heating and cooling needs: energy efficient, quiet and discreet, and offering comfortable conditions for guests. Crucially, the Panasonic system is easy to control, with a very user-friendly control panel, so that guests are able to select their preferred climate easily.