Long-term stay: Dual compressor package and reliable cooling check in at Chicago hotel
The Essex Inn, built in 1961, is a 14-story, 254-room hotel, which also includes five banquet rooms, a restaurant, and an enclosed pool and fitness center. A short walk from Chicago's world-famous museums and other downtown attractions, the inn draws guests year-round to shops, museums, concerts, sports, and other events. It had been well served by two McQuay/Westinghouse dual compressor centrifugal chillers since 1972, but today's electrical costs required they be replaced to improve efficiency and reduce the hotel's operating costs.
Even though the chillers were still going strong, hotel officials were reluctant to gamble on reliability for much longer. "For the hotel business, HVAC system reliability is vitally important," said Steve Tischler, the hotel's chief engineer. "Otherwise, you won't have any guests. If they walk in and the air conditioning isn't working, they'll walk right back out."