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Case Studies

PLAZA LAMA

  • Retail
  • Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
  • Vertical : Retail
  • Location : Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
　
｜Location｜
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

｜Issue｜
The energy consumption of the units was getting really expensive because of the age that the current units have.

｜Solution｜
LG proposed Multi V III units with AHUs from TECAM, LG partnership, both working together to increase the efficient of each system in the complete shop.

｜Developer｜
Plaza Lama

｜Construction company｜
Jaime Prieto (Company: Prietonouel)

｜Installer｜
Jaime Prieto

｜Enterprise｜
Prieto Nouel
PLAZA-LAMA_01_613x341.jpg
  • PLAZA-LAMA_02_620x344.jpg
    　
    Established in 1929, Plaza Lama is one of the most well-known shopping chain companies in Dominican Republic. Plaza Lama distribution corporation runs 16 shopping centers with about 3,500 employees in total throughout the country, while also managing home appliances shops, department stores and several largescale warehouse stores. Even though the Plaza Lama Shopping Center is so large that it requires a system capable of generating 1,000 tons (3520 kW) of cooling capacity, the existing air conditioning system that had been used to cool the facility only had a cooling capacity of 600 tons (2110 kW). For its new system, the Plaza Lama Shopping Center sought out a reliable, energy-efficient machine that could provide the required cooling output.

    In 2013, Plaza Lama set out to upgrade from its existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system to a state-ofart energy solution. LG has been intimately involved with Plaza Lama throughout the installation process, designing and providing air conditioning systems for the shopping center’s supermarket section (basement), electronics section (1st floor) and toy shop (2nd floor). LG’s main objectives were to comfort customer in this
    supermarket, lower energy consumption and enhance the operational efficiency of the building’s HVAC systems. It was also a priority for the company to help stabilize the air conditioning system so that it could continue to perform even when there were failures in the local power grid.
  • PLAZA-LAMA_03_620x344.jpg
    　
    “Installing a system that guaranteed the reduced energy consumption while also increasing cooling capacity was the key challenge that we faced during this project,” said Mr. Jaime Prieto, a consultant of Plaza Lama. Although electricity supply in the Dominican Republic is among the least reliable in Central and South America, electricity use is still more expensive than for other countries in the region. The grid is so unstable that even blackouts are common. In the tropical climate of the Dominican Republic, the oppressive heat makes running a powerful air conditioning system prohibitively expensive. This has led HVAC customers to searching for an option that provides the power they need but keeps energy costs low at the same time.

    The Plaza Lama Shopping Center is located in Dominican Republic’s capital city, Santa Domingo. The shopping center is three floors tall with high ceilings and a roofless center hall, encompassing approximately 11,750m². Owing to the unique layout of this building, it was determined that the shopping center needed a high-capacity climate control system. Management at Plaza Lama wanted an energy solution that was able to spread cool air evenly to every nook and cranny of the huge shopping center. Plaza Lama was also looking for a system that could run for extended periods of time without encountering any difficulties.
    When Plaza Lama first began the renovation procedure, the company believed that it would require many expensive and powerhungry chiller units to provide the desired indoor climate. However, after a thorough energy efficiency analysis conducted with an Energy Simulation program, the board at Plaza Lama decided to adopt LG’s flagship variable refrigerant flow (VRF) solution, the Multi V III and the Air Handler indoor units as its air conditioning system.
  • 　
    Seeking a cost-effective and ecofriendly system, Plaza Lama’s managers and consultants compared energy efficiency of SAC solutions and chiller products from more than 10 manufacturers with LG’s Multi V III VFR system. They also simulated the energy costs required to operate the Multi V III and competing units for nine months and found that LG’s VRF solution offered the greatest energy efficiency, reducing operational cost by up to 40 percent.

    “Among the units we tested, LG’s Multi V III VRF system showed the best performance in terms of energy efficiency,” said Mr. Prieto. “The Multi V III also outperformed the previously used Carrier Chillers in reducing operational and maintenance costs. The simulation results led us to the conclusion that LG’s system was the best choice for our shopping center.” He believed that LG made sure that the solution was stable and could operate for long periods independently without malfunctioning.
    For this project, it was necessary to ensure sufficient cool air output volume and overall climate control by at least six air handling units (AHU). “When I got a call confirming the purchase details from TECAM, an HVAC partner company in Colombia, I said ‘It is a miracle!’” exclaimed Prieto. “I was pleased to be able to purchase the required number of AHUs from our partner company in time, because Plaza Lama had previously discussed the price and delivery date with them.”
    The Plaza Lama was equipped with two 50 ton (1050 kW) capacity AHUs at storage locations on each floor and had climate control boxes at four spots in the building. A printed circuit board that automatically adjusts voltage to an optimum level was also set up, in order to enable the newly installed air conditioning systems to cope with sudden voltage fluctuations or fires, but also to help keep the system operating in case of an abrupt blackout. Meanwhile, thirteen Multi V III VRF solutions were installed on the rooftop.
  • 　
    LG’s Multi V III solution paired with its excellent AHUs guarantees the lowest electricity consumption and the highest energy efficiency, as demonstrated by its superior performance track records. “LG’s solutions were a perfect fit for our shopping center,” said Mr. José Barsona Plaza Lama’s General Manager. “Now we run two air conditioning solutions at the Plaza Lama Shopping Center – the Multi V III and the Carrier Chiller system – both of which have a 300 ton (360 kW) cooling capacity. I am certain that LG’s solution has provided an energy efficiency boost and allows for better cooling capabilities (especially for the food section) satisfying the visitors to our shopping center.”

    Additionally, LG’s VRF solution maintains a pleasant environment no matter what challenges arise. Even when running on an unstable power supply, the system still runs smoothly and safely. The air conditioning system was able to guarantee consistent cooling throughout the entire interior of the building. The efficiency of LG’s VRF solutions impressed the board at Plaza Lama, and all expressed willingness to work with LG again for the corporation’s 15 other shops spread throughout the Dominican Republic.
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