Tripling Down on Reliable High-Rise Building Water Pressure at the Double Tree

Over the years, Metropolitan Industries has worked on designing products and systems for applications large and small. From residential sump pumps to major pressure booster systems for large municipalities, we know how to scale our expertise.

We’ve also become familiar with the inner workings of large hotels, from the historic to the more contemporary, and when the DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago on E. Ohio approached us about their need for a new booster system for their high rise building, we knew we could help. That’s not to say, however, that we thought the project would be simple or straightforward.

If there’s one thing we know about this industry, it’s that every project should be approached with a fresh set of eyes because two projects are never exactly the same; however, this time around we were met with a pleasant surprise that helped us minimize downtime, keeping hotel guest happy and with plenty of water.

The Challenge of Delivering Reliable Water Pressure in High-Rise Buildings

Offering 500 guest rooms, 16,000 sq.ft. of accommodations ideal for banquets, special events and meetings, and a rooftop pool and bar, DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago is an impressive property spread across 29 floors. At any given time of day, the hotel needs to ensure that every guest, from those attending weddings and meetings to those planning some weekend shopping on nearby Michigan Avenue, has access to the water they need when they need it and, when thinking specifically about showers, at an adequate pressure.

Of course, the hotel wants to accomplish this as effectively – and cost efficiently – as possible and we knew that the only way to make that happen was with 1) good planning, 2) minimal downtime, and 3) reliable equipment.

Before photo of the system at Double Tree, Chicago.

Booster Pump Systems for High Rise Buildings

For booster pump systems of this size, we offer nearly limitless customization of the overall system, with unique options for both the control system and the pumps. With retrofitting, as was the case with this DoubleTree location, everything is custom because it must be tailored to specific building requirements. Our assessment of the property, the existing equipment – a continuous-speed, three-pump system that had reached end of life – and the hotel’s needs, led us to recommend a variable-speed, three-pump system that would be more efficient and responsive.

Each of the pumps, coupled with a 25 horsepower variable speed motor, is capable of 200 gallons per minute (GPM) and is contained within the larger Metro-Varipac Multi-Stage Vertical Pump System 2100. As the old controller was no longer functioning, the new system is now operating with a Metro-Tech III controller capable of both pressure and variable frequency drive (VFD) trending.

In addition to incorporating some of the most reliable pumps and components on the market, the System 2100 comes with a variety of additional benefits:

1. Minimal routine maintenance required

2. Offers potentially significant energy cost savings due to the variable speed control

3. Provides the perfect solution in medium to high pressure applications

A variable speed system like this is perfect for hotels because the system is capable of sitting idle during low-demand periods. This idle state, which easily ramps up when demand increases, saves time, ultimately extends the life of the system and, most importantly, improves the guest experience. In fact, according to Larry Pyzik, Assistant Chief Engineer at the DoubleTree, “After the equipment was installed, we were getting positive comments about how great the showers were, about the water pressure. It made a huge difference.”

As an added design bonus that proved especially beneficial for this project, we designed the System 2100 to exist in a relatively small footprint when compared to its power. This allows the equipment to fit into just about any space and, thanks in part to extra space in the pump room, the unit’s smaller size allowed us to set everything up before taking the existing pumps offline. Translation: Minimum downtime and, as a result, almost no disruption to guests staying in the hotel at the time. We even added a valve to the building on the discharge side to reduce downtime if major service is ever required.

Custom Pump Solutions for Unique Job Requirements

We strive to make every customer interaction as easy and enjoyable as possible. For this exact reason, we offer off-the-shelf solutions for customers with more standard needs and extensive custom design and engineering support for projects, such as the DoubleTree, that have special requirements.

As a company, Metropolitan has 60 years of experience designing and manufacturing pump systems of every shape and size. Our experienced staff works with every customer to help guarantee that we understand their unique needs and are offering the best possible solution. The end result is a positive customer experience from start to finish. “We really liked the quality of the equipment,” said Pyzik. “What they said they would do, they did. The timeline was right on.”

Each job site has unique specifications that require their own set of requirements. Metropolitan’s specialization in engineering custom systems is what allows us to provide our customers with solutions that best accomplish their job site’s challenges. We would love to show you the Metropolitan way for your next project.