A renowned cultural space, declared as Historical Heritage of the Nation in Mexico recently renovated its air conditioning system, with the incorporation of VRF technology.
by Mitsubishi Electric
The Angela Peralta Theater first opened its doors in 1881, offering the city of Mazatlan, Mexico, a 21,000-square-foot, 1,366-seat theater for presentations and cultural events.
The theater offered its spaces to operas, plays, civic events and circus presentations. Its popularity grew over the years and this venue began to receive large events, such as the Sinaloa Cultural Festival.
In 1990, the theater was declared a Historical Heritage of the Nation and crowds went to admire its beautiful façade and the classic lobby. However, behind the scenes, the theater had problems of high running costs and mediocre comfort for customers. The theater's music school also faced a problem: Due to its location next to the noisy HVAC system of cooled water, students had trouble hearing each other while singing or playing their instruments. The theater wondered if a new HVAC system could solve those three problems and found the solution because of the installation of Mitsubishi Electric US, Inc. Cooling & Heating Division (Mitsubishi Electric) Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) zoning technology.
Raúl Rico directs the Institute of Culture of Mazatlan, to which the theater belongs. Rico spoke about the group's concerns about customer comfort, both in the sense of thermal comfort and overall experience: "The comfort level was not optimal. There were cold, hot places and the outdated HVAC system was noisy. In the music school area, the old-fashioned cooled water system was so noisy that it disrupted music classes."
To find a solution, the theater sought information. In selecting any service or mechanical system, Rico said, "We rely on testimony from other facilities in the area. We were told that Mitsubishi Electric VRF represented easy and fast installation, advanced technology and had a seven-year warranty on all parts."
Rico spoke with Marco Torrontegui, director of Caurus Eco Ingeniería (Caurus), Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. Torrontegui recommended Mitsubishi Electric VRF for its "energy savings, low noise, reduced installation time, and fast shipping from the United States to Mexico."
Torrontegui also said his crew could obtain the equipment and complete the work in 30 days and assured the theater that its historic structure would not be damaged.
"Caurus kept his promise," Rico said. The installation took them 30 days, "very fast and there was no damage to the structure of the building. They were very careful not to damage the old walls and ceilings." Torrontegui explained that the facilities were not damaged by the few pipes that the Mitsubishi Electric system has. "We made only three small holes in the roof to pass the pipe."
Rico said, "Beyond the quality of the installation, the system has proven to be very efficient. We estimate a monetary recovery period of five years and now the theatre has a great history and the most advanced technology."
That technology helps the theater meet its original needs for comfort and savings. Rico said, "We don't have any noise problems now and the comfort is the same in all areas of the theater, the temperature is the same in all corners. We also reduced our electricity consumption by 30% in just six months and expect to save up to 60% compared to last year."
Torrontegui also said that "another positive aspect is the ability to control the air conditioning system from anywhere." As Rico explained: "Before we had to be on site to monitor and maneuver the air conditioning system; now we have remote monitoring and control. Gone are the days of forgetting to turn off the air conditioner at night and wasting energy and money."
Box 1
The project
Completion date: September 2014
Team
Owner: Instituto de Cultura de Mazatlán, Mazatlán, Mexico
Distributor, Contractor, Engineer: Caurus Eco Ingeniería, Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
Challenge
Select a silent, efficient and reliable Heating, Ventilation and Air system
Solution
Mitsubishi Electric VRF M and Y Series
Result
Quiet operation, regular temperatures and a 30 percent reduction in electricity consumption.
Box 2
Installed equipment
3 PHY-P100TSHM-A-BS Series External Units, 2 P300THM-A-BS Series And PUHY External Units, 2 MUY-GE18NA M Series External Units, 3 VERY GE24NA M Series External Units, 3 VERY-D36NA M Series External Units, 14 PEFY-P96NMHSU-E Roof Mounted Internal Units, 1 PKFY-P30NKMU-E Wall Mounted Internal Units, 4 PKFY-P32VHM-E Wall Mounted Internal Units, 3 PKFY 06NBMU-E Wall Mounted Internal Units, 3 Wall Mounted Internal Units, 2 MSY-GE18NA Wall Mounted Internal Units, 3 MSY-GE24NA Wall Mounted Internal Units, 3 MSY-D36NA Wall Mounted Internal Units, 19 PAC-YT53CRAU-J Remote Control, 1 PAR-U01MEDU-J Remote Control, 1 EB-50GU A Centralized Control.
