Iconic Tauranga Waterfront Motel Adopts Centralised Wi-Fi Control for Smart and Efficient Heating and Cooling

Established in the 1970s, this 27-room Motel consistently achieves near-full occupancy each year, hosting over 17,000 visitors during that time.

Tauranga, often referred to as the ‘Gold Coast’ of New Zealand, is celebrated for its warm climate. Summer days can soar to 30°C, which are often accompanied by humid nights. Even in the peak of winter, July temperatures typically average around 14°C and can drop as low as 5°C in the evenings.

The Goal

In 2020, the Motel underwent renovations, which included the installation of 27 heat pumps. “We never had heat pumps, and as climate change created warmer nights, we decided it was time to get them” stated the Motel’s manager.

The Tauranga on the Waterfront Motel prides itself on offering luxurious comfort, from quality furnishings and amenities right down to temperature comfort in every guest room all year round.

A key goal in the refurbishment project was to equip all 27 rooms with the latest, most energy-efficient heat pumps, with the aim of managing power consumption in occupied rooms and consequently, reducing overall operational costs.

Furthermore, a centralised control system for room heating and cooling was necessary, to offer better operational control particularly in unoccupied rooms.

The Challenge

One of the ongoing challenges in accommodation management is ensuring that guests turn off the heat pump when they leave their room, as well as reminding staff responsible for preparing rooms for new guests to do the same. It is estimated that by ensuring every guest turns off their heat pump on check out, the 27-room Motel could potentially save over 20,000 hours of running time annually.

Management also go out of their way to pre-warm or pre-cool rooms for guests checking in late at night. Consequently, there was significant need for an automated solution to guarantee the comfort of their guests, regardless of their check-in time.

The Mitsubishi Electric Solution

After a thorough consultation with a local heat pump supplier, Guy Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, the team at The Tauranga on the Waterfront Motel eagerly approved the installation of 27 Mitsubishi Electric GL Series Heat Pumps, complete with an optional Wi-Fi Control upgrade.

Utilising high-efficiency compressor technology to minimise power usage and operating from a whisper quiet 19dBA, the GL Series units were chosen to reduce power consumption, while providing guests with a comfortable room temperature for a restful night’s sleep.

Wi-Fi Control for Peace of Mind Building Comfort Management

The Tauranga on the Waterfront Motel found Mitsubishi Electric’s innovative Wi-Fi Control highly appealing. Having the ability to remotely control 27 heat pumps, adjusting room temperatures, pre-cooling or pre-warming rooms from a single centralised App is a game changing advantage! Reception staff can effortlessly manage the settings for all heat pumps using a tablet, smartphone, or desktop.

On and Off Control

The Motel can use the Mitsubishi Electric Wi-Fi Control App to easily turn on or off individual units based on their occupancy status, providing total control with just a simple click.

The Motel also has the capability to set a rule aligned with check-in times, enabling them to turn on units an hour prior to check-in and turn them off at check-out. This ensures that energy is not consumed when the room is vacant.

This screenshot shows in desktop view all 27 units. In this example, Units 10, 14, 15 and 20 are set to cooling and the remaining are powered off.

Temperature Control

A standard operating rule has been set up to turn on the heat pump units at a comfortable 21 degrees in both summer and winter in all 27 Motel rooms. Guests have the ability to adjust the temperature using the handheld remote in their room, overriding the centralised Wi-Fi Control settings if needed.

Advanced Temperature Management

Because Wi-Fi Control reflects real-time room temperature any time, the unique rule setting functionality allows the Motel owner to customise a minimum and maximum temperature range for the rooms in the Motel, through every season.

The Result – An Energy Efficient Heating and Cooling Building Solution

Wi-Fi Control has transformed the way The Tauranga on the Waterfront Motel is able to eliminate wasteful energy across multiple rooms, allowing the Motel to start saving on up to 20,000 hours of run time (and operational costs) by ensuring every guest’s heat pump is turned off on check out. Paired with the energy efficient Mitsubishi Electric GL Series, the Motel has successfully achieved its objective of installing energy efficient heat pumps to ensure guests enjoy a comfortable space, whilst simultaneously keeping operational costs to a minimum through centralised control.

The staff can effortlessly monitor and schedule the settings for each heat pump, ensuring they are turned on or off at the optimal times each day. When asked to review the Mitsubishi Electric Wi-Fi Control App, the Motel manager replied “The App is a great tool to have in any business that needs to maintain control of their heat pumps. It is user friendly and efficient”.

The Mitsubishi Electric Wi-Fi Control App has enabled this Motel to maintain complete control over their heat pumps, providing an extra layer of peace of mind for the owners.