Keeping air cool and clean is a breeze

from AccomNews - Winter 2022

by Multimedia AU/NZ

COVID-19 sees guests searching for alternative check-in options

Keeping air cool

and clean is a breeze

By Grantlee Kieza,

Industry Reporter

On July 17, 1902, Carrier’s machine was designed to control heat and humidity. While the principles of air-conditioning have remained largely unchanged since then there have been enormous developments to the process in recent years, in response to global warming and the COVID pandemic.

One major advancement now blowing into Australia is “bipolar ion” technology, which continuously disinfects outside air as it fl ows into rooms. Bipolar ions att ach themselves to airborne viruses, odours and pollutants, rendering them inactive. As household income grows in developing countries, demand for air conditioners is expected to triple by 2050. The surge will multiply what is already a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, with air conditioning now responsible for almost 20 percent of electricity use in buildings around the world. All 197 United Nations member countries are phasing out the production and import of ozone depleting substances, including the once common R22.

In 1996 Australia started its phaseout of hydrochlorofl uorocarbons (HCFCs), through import controls, R22 equipment is gradually reaching the end of its useful life and is being replaced with new equipment using diff erent refrigerants. Air conditioning has never been more important to Australian accommodation properties, especially in tropical climates. Queensland management rights and accommodation management veteran Barry Turner, says any local accommodation provider without a good air-conditioning system will quickly be frozen out of business. “When people go on holidays, they usually want a level of comfort equal to or bett er than at home,” Mr Turner said.

“A good air-conditioning system is crucial to the success of any property.” Lynda Kypriadakis, the Managing Director of building advisory company Diverse FMX, says people being able to turn on their air conditioning from their mobile phone, half an hour before they come home has been the major trend in air conditioning systems in recent years and it has been readily adopted in the accommodation sector.

Rising maintenance costs and unplanned downtime are both warning signs that equipment is reaching the end of its useful life. Ms Kypriadakis said that if airconditioning performance was waning, it was oft en because the property had overlooked basic upkeep, such as cleaning coils, washing the reusable fi lters, checking the electrical connections, and inspecting the refrigerant lines. Winter is an opportune time to upgrade air-conditioning systems in Australia and 10 years is a good benchmark for hotels to evaluate if it’s time to upgrade. For machines using variable refrigerant fl ow (requiring less maintenance than fi xed-capacity traditional systems) the lifespan can stretch to 15 to 20 years. Ms Kypriadakis said the fi rst thing she would recommend as a project manager is that property owners have a mechanical engineering consultant involved early in any major air-conditioning upgrades. “Unfortunately, managers oft en listen to the contractor (the guy who is selling them the system) whether it's a split system or wall mounted inside the room or fully ducted, and the guy trying to sell you something will have a confl icted opinion,” Ms Kypriadakis said. Having a mechanical engineering consultant in place before any upgrades commenced would also ensure that cost-eff ective equipment was purchased. The latest smart air-conditioning controllers use infrared technology to connect with existing smart home technologies and mobile phones through apps. Just as smart phone technology changes rapidly with each new release from the manufacturers, smart room technology changes at the speed of light. Smart energy-management systems now use sophisticated algorithms to continuously analyse historical local weather patt erns and peak demand loads to optimize energy consumption for air-conditioners all year round. Sensor equipment is becoming much more aff ordable along with advances in remote-control equipment that immediately detects when air-conditioning is not operating properly, allowing management to know of issues before guests.

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems typically account for as much as 30 per cent of a building’s energy use, so gett ing the best out of them is paramount.

Capital and maintenance costs of HVAC systems also comprise a signifi cant proportion of building costs, but these can be minimised through good system design. While signifi cant energy and capital savings can be made through investing in new, higheffi ciency HVAC systems, existing systems can also be optimised simply by fi ne-tuning controls and good maintenance practices.

Minor adjustments to thermostat set points can oft en be made, resulting in energy savings without reducing comfort for guests.

One major problem with air conditioning systems is mould caused by humidity. Unchecked, mould will go into circulation with the potential to cause illness and allergies.

The best step to reducing mould in air conditioning systems is keeping them clean. Experts advise to clear the dust and cobwebs away from the exterior of an air conditioning unit constantly, so they are less likely to be sucked through the system. Oft en, mould particles are att ached to dust and debris, so it is essential to keep air conditioning fi lters as clean as possible.

Blocked fi lters also cause air conditioning systems to operate at higher temperatures and use more power. And power these days is certainly not cheap.

Preferred Supplier Programme

assisting the industry

For over twenty fi ve years in Australia the preferred supplier programme and directory has been an extremely valuable and e ective tool for accommodation managers.

It allows managers to access industry specialists who are committ ed to the highest levels of service and dedicated to the accommodation and hospitality industries. This is extremely helpful for all accommodation providers but especially new managers as it allows them to benefi t from the positive experiences other managers have had with their suppliers. Listed below are the stages of the process that ensure only the best industry suppliers can participate in the Preferred Supplier Programme: 1. All suppliers must receive a nomination from a property currently using their services that is completely satisfi ed with their levels of service and are prepared to recommend them to another complex in the industry (ie. if asked by another manager they could comfortably recommend the required supplier). 2. All nominations received are then qualifi ed through a secondary questionnaire process to ensure nominated suppliers are able to provide the highest levels of service required and expected by managers. 3. Suppliers that still qualify are then asked to commit to the required levels of service for the next 12 months guaranteeing their commitment to the industry. 4. Subject to the satisfaction of these processes and commitments suppliers then go on to the Preferred Supplier Database. Only Preferred Suppliers in this database have the opportunity to utilise the Preferred Supplier logo and make their contact details available to managers via the Preferred Supplier Directory, located in every issue of the AccomNews magazine and online at accomnews.com.au.

5. Preferred suppliers have their status reviewed every 12 months to ensure they still qualify and that their commitment to the industry is being met. With these criteria in place it means that you as a manager have access to a complete range of specialist suppliers who are actively seeking to improve their services to the accommodation industry. For your own peace of mind when dealing with any supplier ask if they are a Preferred Supplier. This can be verifi ed by viewing a Preferred Supplier logo – made available for use in any of their stationery or marketing material or more simply by locating them in the Preferred Supplier Directory. So when looking for products or services give yourself the peace of mind that you are dealing with a recognised industry specialist and support these suppliers who are committ ed to servicing your needs.

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