Case Study: Solving Critical Equipment Failures

Power Outage at the Hilton Garden Inn Tyson's Corner

Who do you call in the middle of the night when electrical problems knock out main electrical power and backup systems?

Situation

An accident involving power lines blacks out several city blocks. For ninety minutes, office buildings, restaurants, a mall and a hotel are all affected. At the hotel, the emergency generator and the automatic transfer switches transfer over to emergency power. But once main power is restored, the building goes dark. A large transformer in the main electrical switchgear room is smoking.

Solution

Complete Building Services' on-site Chief Engineer quickly activated the emergency response plan, notifying appropriate CBS and hotel personnel. The electrical systems installer diagnosed the problem – the transformer was shorted. Wiring to the transformer was disconnected in preparation for a temporary hook up of an emergency generator to power the building until a replacement transformer could be located and installed.

The electrical installation contractor could not locate an emergency generator, so CBS contacted local generator supply companies to find and deliver the proper generator in the middle of the night. CBS’s good relationship with suppliers, together with the hard work and quick thinking of the CBS chief engineer, was able to minimize guest inconvenience, keep the guest reservation system operating, and diminish hotel revenue loss.

The temporary emergency generator prevented cancellations a $20,000 loss in room revenue.
- John Lancaster, General Manager, Hilton Garden Inn Tysons Corner

View other Case Studies.