There’s an old saying, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” This phrase certainly rang true when developer Brooks Patterson purchased a rundown former ice and coal warehouse in Macon, Georgia. Ripe with opportunity, Patterson envisioned Lofts at Empire Yard, a modern, multifamily property housing 28 loft-style apartments.

As Patterson set out to renovate the 65,000-square-foot space, he sought to incorporate as much of the historical design into the renovation as he could, including large windows, high ceilings and solid structural beams. One thing that had to go, however, was the existing mechanical ductwork. He wanted to install ductless HVAC units instead.

A Zoned Comfort Solution

Although he didn’t have much experience with Mitsubishi Electric ductless systems, they came highly recommended to Patterson from local contractor Clay Etheridge, owner of Etheridge Heating and Air.

The team went with Zoned Comfort Solutions® from Mitsubishi Electric and selected a mix of ductless units, including wall-mounted indoor units, EZ FIT™ Recessed Ceiling Cassettes and SLZ-Kf Four-Way Ceiling Cassettes, that matched Patterson’s aesthetic vision.

The Zoned Comfort Solutions system provides a host of other benefits. The energy-efficient units heat and cool the apartments using only the precise amount of energy needed, keeping utility bills low for tenants.

“Sometimes their monthly bills are as low as $45 in the winter,” said Patterson.

Patterson also wanted an HVAC system that would be low impact for his tenants regarding aesthetics, maintenance and operating sound levels. Zoned Comfort Solutions met his needs. The units operate at whisper quiet sound levels and can be accessed from below for simplified maintenance. They are also easily managed via kumo cloud® wireless control software,

“We wanted the best systems for this project, so we went back and revised our budget to put Mitsubishi Electric units in the Lofts,” said Patterson. “My tenants have such low energy bills that the units are already paying for themselves.”

To read the full Lofts at Empire Yards Case Study, click here.