This DESC supportive housing facility at 3501 Rainier Ave S ensures reliable hot water for its 91 residents with a space-saving, dual-unit configuration.
Photo Credits: DESC The Eetelle
In Seattle, the Estelle Apartments represents more than just multi-family housing. Operated by the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), this 91-unit building provides permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless and vulnerable individuals, featuring a groundbreaking onsite healthcare partnership with Harborview Medical Center. For a facility dedicated to rehabilitation, health, and dignity, providing 24/7 reliable hot water is an absolute necessity.
To meet the high-volume domestic hot water needs of the residents and the onsite clinic without dedicating valuable square footage to large storage tanks, the building utilizes two high-efficiency Intellihot iN401 units. This compact, all-tankless setup delivers precise, on-demand heating tailored to the heavy usage of a large apartment complex.
Through masterless cascading technology, the two iN401 units communicate seamlessly to share the daily load. If one unit needs routine maintenance, the other effortlessly takes over. This built-in redundancy protects residents from unexpected building-wide cold water events. Furthermore, by eliminating hot water storage, the Estelle Apartments minimizes its mechanical footprint and avoids the continuous energy waste of heating stagnant water—an essential cost-saving measure for a non-profit supportive housing operator.
Photo Credits: Intellihot Startup