Panasonic equips Heal’s refurbishment project
Cooling and heating for the refurbishment of the Heal’s building on London’s Tottenham Court Road to provide offices over five storeys is provided by the Panasonic ECOi VRF system. Occupants include companies such as Netflix and Deliveroo. Consultants Cundall worked with Easy Air Conditioning to design and install the system.
During three phases of delivery, Easy Air Conditioning supplied 24 VRF systems comprising 42 heat-recovery and heat-pump outdoor units. Each VRF system is controlled by a Panasonic touchscreen controller. The outdoor units are installed on the roof, where space is limited.
To cope with the low ceiling heights, the MM range of horizontal slimline ceiling-mounted units were installed. However, as the architect did not want a false ceiling because of the lack of height, it was possible that cold air could flow straight down. To overcome this concern, metal plates were installed under the units around the outlet diffusers to create a Coanda effect.
The ability to control the air temperature off MM units was used to deliver an off temperature above 12°C to minimise the risk of draughts. Without a false ceiling, the units, trunking and pipes of the air-conditioning system were exposed, so the interior designer incorporated it into the stripped-back, industrial-chic design aesthetic of the building. A large number of MR1 floor-standing units were also installed, concealed in cabinets beneath windows.
