Buckingham Palace Road Landmark Gets Equipped With 2.4 MW Of Carrier AquaForce 30XBE Air-Cooled Chillers In AC System Upgrade

A major refurbishment of London’s iconic 111 Buckingham Palace Road landmark, located near Buckingham Palace and Victoria Station, includes a new air conditioning system with high-efficiency Carrier screw chillers.

Tenants occupying the landmark building now benefit from outstanding indoor comfort, provided by two Carrier AquaForce 30XBE air-cooled chillers, installed by Leonari Ltd for Savills’ consultancy division.

Carrier AquaForce 30XBE air-cooled chillers

Delivering a combined total of 2.4 MW of cooling, the chillers are equipped with variable speed fan motors

Delivering a combined total of 2.4 MW of cooling, the chillers are equipped with variable speed fan motors, in order to minimize noise levels and maximize energy savings, delivering a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) for cooling of up to 4.6.

Due to the sensitive location of the landmark in the heart of London, United Kingdom (UK), the project was logistically challenging, and involved tight space limitations, due to the restricted rooftop location for the chillers.

Compact solution with specific dimensions

“It required a very compact solution with specific dimensions and upper weight limit,” said Stathis Londos, the Founder and Managing Director of contractor - Leonari Ltd, adding “The client also required excellent energy efficiency to align with their high environmental performance standards.”

Stathis Londos continues, “We looked at several options, and the Carrier solution was the one that fully met the requirements. We are also familiar with Carrier engineering – it is a proven design and known for its reliability.”

Chillers connected to the BMS for high-level control

The chillers are connected to the building management system (BMS), providing high-level control and monitoring and enabling optimization of performance. In the unlikely event of a fault, the chiller compressor does not switch off, but continues to operate with reduced capacity (unloaded mode), ensuring continuity of cooling to the building while remedial action is taken.

“The Carrier team provided excellent support throughout the project,” said Leonari Ltd’s Stathis Londos, adding “Due to the site sensitivities, it required careful planning over an extended period, with no room for error. Carrier was embedded in the planning process during the year-long preparations, effectively becoming part of our team.”

The chiller lift

Phase two of the project involved reconciling existing systems with the new Carrier chillers

The chiller lift, requiring a 450-ton crane, took place over a weekend, with London’s busy Buckingham Palace Road closed for less than a day. The building remained fully occupied during the project, requiring particular attention to the needs of occupants.

As the building’s HVAC services had been developed over time, in order to meet changing needs, Phase two of the project involved reconciling existing systems with the new Carrier chillers, to deliver a unified, modern system that fully meets current needs.

Project delivered to the highest standards

Evangelos Rodis, the Head of Design & Projects and Director at Savills Engineering & Design Consultancy (Savills), said “The successful outcome is testimony to the close collaboration between all parties throughout the project. From the initial consultation with stakeholders and building occupiers, to the design, installation and commissioning, the project was delivered to the highest standards.”

Evangelos Rodis adds, “It is imperative for such work to be completed with minimum impact on the operation of the building, and this was managed extremely well, through careful planning and teamwork. It is great to see the new system in operation, providing high quality indoor comfort and environmental standards for those who occupy the building.”