Metainy Building Services Group has specified and installed a large-scale application of Toshiba’s VRF air-conditioning system Super Heat Recovery Multi 2 (SHRM2) in an extensive three-storey premier office block in West London. The fully-glazed building required a new system that could respond rapidly to high solar gain, without losing working time whilst refurbishment took place.
Nine new Toshiba systems have been installed so far in order to air-condition one floor of the building although the whole building will eventually be refurbished using this innovative technology. Sixty-three indoor units cover a combination of open-plan, partitioned office and meeting room spaces with air being delivered via four-way diffusers.
With the addition of the latest R410A VRF systems, other extensive office air-conditioning installations are now being considered as normal applications for VRF technology. It is believed that, as a refrigerant, the R410A has increased the capacity of these systems and improved their energy efficiency.
Metainy believes that the Toshiba R410A VRF has brought all the convenience of easy to install, simple to control, highly reliable Japanese systems to the 100 kW plus office market. The system enables different areas to be heated or cooled simultaneously, and the use of new AC fan motors coupled with inverter control means that the system is virtually inaudible as it steps up.
The heat recovery capability of this system is said to deliver exceptional part-load efficiency with COP at full load being a competitive 3.83. An active oil management system enables an increase in design layout flexibility for the outdoor and indoor units and the compact lightweight design of the flow selector makes installation easier in restricted spaces - ideal for refurbishment applications such as this.
The new Toshiba system has replaced an ageing four-pipe fan coil system which affected half the building’s usage during a system failure. Metainy says, “We believe this installation demonstrates so many benefits to the client in terms of reduced downtime and future energy savings”.
In terms of controls package, Metainy and Toshiba have opted to use the Toshiba Interactive Intelligence software. This provides a full graphical interface for the system - a UK first. The Toshiba software is so flexible that it has enabled Metainy to extensively customise the interface to suit the needs of the client and has integrated some additional items of older Toshiba equipment within the installation.
On floors where the SHRM equipment is being used central remote controllers have been installed to allow a further point of control, however, the conditions are reset to a default in the evening via Interactive Intelligence.
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There is an obvious need for the industry to be more energy efficient and pay more attention to the ways in which energy is both used and wasted. Do you think we have the products on the market to meet our needs?
