Hampton Inn & Suites I Buffalo Niagara Airport, New York

REHAU System 4500 windows cancel airport noise and control room temperature at Buffalo Airport Hampton Inn

Many travelers appreciate the convenience of staying at a hotel that is located near the airport they use. That convenience doesn’t come without its challenges for the hotel’s developers.

A good night’s sleep would be next to impossible at the newly built Hampton Inn near the Buffalo Niagara International Airport if not for the acoustical capabilities of the REHAU System 4500 windows, that serve double duty by reducing airport noise and helping maintain the desired room temperature in each of the hotel’s 133 guest rooms and suites.

Hotel construction was completed in June 2013. The front of the building faces the airport and sits less than 1,000 feet away from a runway. The fan jets used on newer airplane engines provide some noise abatement compared to older jet engines, but the sound levels still average 100 to 120 decibels at takeoff. (The front row at a rock concert is estimated to be 110 decibels and the threshold of pain is reported to be 130 decibels.)

“Even when shouting, it is nearly impossible to hold a conversation with someone while standing in the parking lot as planes fly over. However, when you’re in a guest room, the noise level is perfectly acceptable,” says Lee Crewson, vice president of construction for Eastern Hospitality Advisors, the company that built the hotel.

The System 4500 windows feature an impressive sound transmission class (STC) rating of 42, which is roughly the equivalent of double-width drywall with added insulation. Of course, the benefits of such a solid window extend beyond acoustic performance. The STC glazing also provides a U-value of 0.25, essential for guest comfort during Buffalo’s frigid winters and warm summers.

Kurt Blorstad of Baywood Hotels, the property owner, says that performance level, combined with an extremely competitive price, made it an easy decision to go with REHAU windows.

Both Blorstad and Crewson cited the architectural flexibility of the System 4500 as an added benefit. The window platform seamlessly integrates the PTAC louver, enhancing weather resistance and improving aesthetics.

The louver features an architectural Kynar^® finish that matches the architectural finishes used on the uPVC profiles while providing a clean and unified aesthetic appeal.

All of this is no small feat considering that vinyl window systems are generally not used in commercial projects for fear of performance and durability. “A thorough review process revealed that the REHAU System 4500 was up to the challenge,” Crewson says.

This performance will likely go unnoticed by hotel guests who are cozy and capable of holding conversations in their room without jet noise interfering, and that suits hotel management just fine. In the hotel business, when noise and room temperature are afterthoughts, you’re doing something right