A historic Art Deco icon meets cutting-edge luxury at The Sinclair, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel. Built during the early 20th Century oil boom of Texas, the Sinclair Building has stood as one of the most recognizable landmarks of downtown Fort Worth, since 1929.
The Sinclair, a historic hotel
Designed to reflect the Gilded Age Art Deco style of the roaring 1920s, the Sinclair Building served the surrounding business community and employed thousands of Texans over the decades before undergoing a dramatic transformation.
Addressing the need for an innovative, intelligent luxury and lifestyle hotel in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square district, the Sinclair Building was restored to its original splendor beginning in 2017, completing its restaging in 2019 when the hotel opened its doors to guests.
Blending advanced technology with effortless style
The Sinclair’s mission is to create an unforgettable and luxurious experience for its guests
Re-defining smart sophistication, each of the 164 boutique rooms and suites at The Sinclair, seamlessly blends advanced technology with effortless style, to create a high-end experience for guests. The hotel property includes a variety of spaces, ranging from a large lower-level restaurant and rooftop bar with impressive views of the city’s downtown to tech-savvy meeting rooms.
The Sinclair’s mission is to create an unforgettable and luxurious experience for its guests, in a classic building environment. The hotel’s owner and design team sought state-of-the-art technology, to power, sustain and manage the entire property, while carefully maintaining the historic building’s unique design and architectural details.
Retaining the integrity of original hotel design
Retaining the integrity of its original design and intricate artistic architectural accents was paramount, with the desire to pay homage to the historic building’s storied past, while keeping an eye to the future, with some of the most cutting-edge technology concepts available.
In this drive to create a beautifully designed and technologically advanced space, the building’s owner and managers were required to play within the confines of the existing structure, as much as possible.
HVAC system upgrade
With guest comfort of the utmost importance, the team looked for an HVAC system that could address the complex needs of the space itself. First, there was a need to replace the inefficient air conditioning system (an older model chiller system) that had taken up precious real estate on the property’s lower level, upper level, and rooftop, areas that could be repurposed for other uses.
Additionally, the property’s slab-to-slab heights were much lower than is now common and the team sought to keep as much ceiling height as possible. This posed a particular challenge in the individual guest rooms themselves. Another challenge that was related to the guest rooms, as well as the restaurant, was noise and the need to minimize operational sound, as much as possible. Lastly, space was also at a premium in the exterior portions of the building, with very limited room outside to put condensing units, thereby emphasizing the sizing and placement criteria of the desired HVAC solutions.
“I work with some of the most innovative and forward-thinking partners around the globe, when developing my properties and creating an unforgettable experience for my guests is of the utmost importance,” said Farukh Aslam, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sinclair Holdings.
Power-Over-Ethernet technology for energy efficiency
The hotel aimed to be low-voltage and the management team explored Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE) technology
To that end, it was paramount that The Sinclair renovation includes the right mix of advanced technologies, to deliver on this exceptional guest experience. The hotel aimed to be low-voltage and the management team explored Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE) technology, in order to help achieve many of The Sinclair’s energy-efficiency and forward-thinking technology goals.
The adoption of PoE aims to increase the integration of technologies that can be seamlessly run by one source of power, lending itself toward the overall goal of creating a future-ready building for the present time.
Heating and cooling for the lobby bar and reception area
The hotel required individual control of its HVAC system, throughout 164 guest rooms (featuring 50 different room types), and sufficient heating and cooling for the lobby bar, reception area, and large basement restaurant. The hotel management wanted to work with a partner that was not only able to fulfill a myriad of HVAC needs but also create a complete building ecosystem with its range of innovative technologies across an expansive portfolio.
To achieve the gold standard of technology and energy efficiency desired, the hotel sought out a supplier that would allow them to integrate a range of solutions that were compatible with this cutting-edge technology.
LG’s Multi V IV Heat Recovery Unit
For the HVAC system, LG's award-winning Multi V IV Heat Recovery Unit was selected for its ability to provide individual room comfort for each space within the larger property. Offering a compact footprint without sacrificing power, the Multi V IV contributes to building energy efficiency, high performance, and flexibility in design and installation options.
Installation versatility was a key factor, as the historic building was restricted in regard to lower ceilings, as well as space for outdoor equipment. Recognizing the importance of the quieter operation, especially in The Sinclair’s guest rooms, HVAC and Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) technology experts, Texas AirSystems, advised on the installation of a variety of indoor air-handling solutions.
LG’s AC Smart controller
Texas Air Systems also specified LG’s AC Smart controller, which allowed for virtually seamless control of the HVAC system
Their recommendations included versatile wall-mounted units and LG ceiling cassettes that did not require bulky ductwork to accommodate the tight ceiling area constraints while supporting the tranquil environment required of guest rooms. The technology works behind the scenes, translating to the overall comfort and experience of a guest's stay.
Texas Air Systems also specified LG’s AC Smart controller, which allowed for virtually seamless control of the HVAC system, for the building management team. This innovative control solution is compatible with a variety of applications and offers a single LG platform that drives both VRF technology and energy efficiency. Property managers can now easily manage, set, and monitor the building’s heating and cooling performance.
LG’s VRF technology
Prior to installing LG’s VRF technology, the building relied on an old chiller system to condition the entire building, which also required a great deal of space in the building's lower and upper levels. After switching to VRF, the hotel was able to gain a significant amount of usable floor space for the large lower-level restaurant and executive top floor suites.
On the exterior of The Sinclair hotel, LG outdoor units with slim, minimal features were installed, to further increase saved space. LG’s industry-renowned VRF technology helps minimize efficiency losses, energy consumption, and life cycle costs.
LG OLED hotel TVs installed in guest rooms
With an eye towards implementing cutting-edge technology, the developer also incorporated a stunning array of LG OLED hotel TVs into every guest room, the first hotel to have OLED TVs in every guest room. Premium OLED displays deliver a picture with perfect blacks and incredible color, even from wide viewing angles.
It uses self-lighting pixels that can be individually turned on and off for exact control of image brightness and quality, delivering an infinite contrast ratio optimized for high-dynamic range content. In addition to the guest room displays, a number of other LG commercial displays are featured throughout the property's public spaces, including the lobby, restaurants, and bars.
“Thanks to our strong relationship with Sinclair's owner and building managers, there are multiple products across an array of LG business units installed throughout the property,” said Doug Bougher, the Director of Sales for LG Air Conditioning Technologies USA.
Advanced suite of LG solutions
The advanced suite of LG solutions across the entire property helped satisfy a multitude of needs
Doug Bougher adds, “Aligning with a partner like The Sinclair, on our shared goals to power the building of the future, allowed an ecosystem that connects our industry-renowned air conditioning technologies and other LG innovations to create a comfortable, elevated experience for guests across the entire property.”
The advanced suite of LG solutions across the entire property helped satisfy a multitude of needs, required by the management staff, creating this innovative and groundbreaking establishment, and delivering a comfortable, elevated experience for guests. The team employed what is believed to be one of the first applications of PoE to a large array of end points, in order to achieve many of the energy-efficiency and forward-thinking goals that the Sinclair desired.
Reliable, energy-efficient HVAC solution
From an HVAC perspective, LG’s Multi V IV Heat Recovery unit system served as a more advanced and energy-efficient solution for the property’s need to heat and cool its numerous spaces across individual guest rooms and shared spaces. For nearly the same cost as a traditional system, The Sinclair now has a highly reliable, energy-efficient HVAC solution that is designed to deliver effortless occupant comfort and convenience.
Farukh Aslam said, “I am very sold on LG’s technologies and the results are quite impressive, thanks to its amazing energy efficiency and quietness, contributing to the tranquil atmosphere, throughout the property.”
High-class, high-technology hotel
The Sinclair Hotel is a ground-breaking example of the hotels of the future. Farukh Aslam adds, “There's no hotel as forward-thinking as ours – from the power generation of the entire building to the most advanced tech toys, like the OLED TVs, found in each room, The Sinclair is a study in high-class high-tech.”
LG’s wide offerings, from HVAC to OLED TVs and commercial displays, solar energy offerings, appliances, and everything in between, can help customers like The Sinclair create a truly comprehensive building ecosystem, with one trusted brand.
