Challenge
The original Trane self-contained HVAC unit servicing Hemenway’s Restaurant was more than twenty years old, in disrepair, and hard to keep running. With the large unit located in the center of the building, replacing it would be difficult without dismantling the unit and demolishing part of the restaurant to remove it.
“The equipment had outlived its lifetime and we were noticing things that could fail. We were planning to remodel in the near future, but we didn’t want to wait for the remodel; something could go wrong,” said Ken Dussinger, Corporate Facilities Director, Newport Harbor Corporation. “Demolishing and rebuilding the restaurant to replace the unit would take some time. We weren’t concerned so much about the loss of revenue, but more so about disappointing guests who might want to eat lunch or dinner with us.”
Solution
The restaurant owners became aware of the Trane service group, when unable to fix the aging unit, their existing service supplier called Trane, the original equipment manufacturer, for help. Familiar with Trane equipment, the service technician was able to quickly fix the unit. “Once we realized Trane offered preventive maintenance and repair service, it made sense to work directly with them,” said Dussinger.
Proposing a creative solution
Trane and Newport Harbor discussed the limited options available to resolve the issue of potential equipment failure. Rather than replacing the equipment with a new unit, Trane proposed its Commercial Self-Contained R’newal™ Service Program as a creative solution to answer the restaurant's comfort needs. The R’newal Service Program is a Trane-exclusive, warranted solution to replace worn materials, restore unit performance, and provide the same reliability for replaced materials as seen on new units. Using the R’newal Service Program eliminated the need to dismantle the unit or demolish the building to remove and replace the equipment.
Preparing for a faster execution
Needing to work within a short timeframe to minimize guest inconvenience, Trane moved ahead with detailed front-end planning, helping to ensure there would be no surprises during the short window allotted for project execution. From crating and packaging to shipping and delivery, the team worked as a well-oiled machine. The service group relied on their local internal resources to answer questions and verify needed materials. With no room for error, the team assembled the required components ahead of time, inspecting each item as it was delivered. Pre-work also included removal of the old compressor and heat exchanger prior to restaurant shutdown.
Restoring performance and reliability
With the restaurant closed for three days, the service team began their day early in the morning, moving the crane and other equipment in before traffic became an issue. The crew overcame the challenges of working in a confined space, under a tight timeline, and solicited the expertise of Trane Nashville for detailed instructions on difficult coil replacement. When removing a 10 ft x 10 ft window to bring in replacement parts proved challenging, the crew worked longer hours to make up for lost time. The R’newal Service package addressed common wear items, replacing compressors, power contactors, airflow control switches, and coils. The team was able to restore the water-cooled unit’s clogged, ineffective economizer, and went beyond the normal scope of R’newal Service, replacing bearings, motor, frequency drive, fans, condenser head and modulating valves, and changing the unit’s refrigerant.
Results
With the Trane R’newal™ Service Program, Hemenway's overcame the difficulty and expense of demolishing its building to upgrade aging HVAC equipment, avoiding the risk of equipment failure, and keeping guests comfortable. Relying on its extensive resources in a variety of functions, both locally and across the country, Trane performed a complete in-field rebuilding of the restaurant’s 20-year-old self-contained HVAC unit. The project was completed within a short timeframe with minimal disruption to business, enabling the restaurant to accommodate a previously scheduled party for 150 people, and reduce lost revenue and guest disappointment.
“With a lot of pre-work, Trane was well ahead of things before we even shut down," said Dussinger. “A new unit might have cost less, but we would have had to demolish the building. R’newal is a brilliant solution, particularly in a high rise building like ours where there aren't many good options."
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