A former Marks & Spencer building in Stockport has been transformed into a modern office, retail, and leisure facility, equipped with high-efficiency air conditioning based on an award-winning Toshiba SHRM-e heat recovery Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system.
Toshiba Carrier UK Ltd (TCUK) is part of Carrier Global Corporation, the provider of healthy, safe, sustainable, and intelligent building and cold chain solutions.
VRF systems
The project, by developer Glenbrook, involved remodeling the 64,000-square-foot building, including the creation of a new full-height glazed atrium, an outdoor terrace, and high-end office accommodation across two open-plan floors, with leisure and retail facilities in the basement and ground floor, all efficiently heated and cooled by Toshiba Air Conditioning solutions.
Five separate Toshiba three-pipe VRF systems were installed by Coolair Services, working for Medway Heating under the main contractor City Build, with Toshiba VN heat recovery ventilation systems installed by Ventilation Design Services providing fresh air to the building.
fresh air system
The remodeled building has completely open ceilings, giving a contemporary, spacious feeling"
“The remodeled building has completely open ceilings, giving a contemporary, spacious feeling," said David McSherry, Head of Sales, Toshiba Air Conditioning UK, Carrier Global Comfort Solutions Europe. "This means ductwork is exposed to retain the clean, industrial design."
"To accommodate this and prevent the risk of condensation forming on ducting, the fresh air system is engineered to operate with a maximum of 14 degrees Celsius air-off temperature."
ceiling-suspended cassettes
The Toshiba ceiling-suspended cassettes are painted in a bespoke black livery to match the contemporary lighting frames. Outdoor condensers are mounted on the rooftop, on a specially constructed support frame. "The project was very much a collaborative effort," said Ben Marland, Contracts Manager, Coolair Services.
"The TCUK team provided excellent technical support, producing the engineering calculations and system drawings, with timely updates when there were changes on site. Their design and support capabilities were an important factor in the decision to go with the Toshiba Air Conditioning solution, due to the project's design requirements."
efficiency and performance
When introduced, it broke new ground in compressor design, controls, and wireless communications
Each VRF system is connected to a central touchscreen controller, enabling the landlord to set comfort and performance parameters separately for each zoned area of the building.
Toshiba’s SHRM-e system has won every major UK air conditioning accolade for its outstanding efficiency and performance. When introduced, it broke new ground in terms of compressor design, controls, and wireless communications, extending the application envelope for VRF into new territory.
ESEER ratings
The system achieves an ESEER (European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) of 8 and above in most capacities, an industry first, and an ESEER exceeding 7 for all capacities.
The Toshiba VRF system supports Carrier’s 2030 Environmental, Social & Governance goals of reducing its customers’ carbon footprint by more than 1 gigaton.
