Daikin has officially opened its new EMEA Development Centre for heat pump technologies, located at the Tech Lane Ghent Science Park in Belgium. The state-of-the-art facility consolidates Daikin’s R&D teams from Ghent and Ostend, and is now operational after two and a half years of construction.
The new centre enhances Daikin’s research and development capabilities across heating, ventilation, cooling, and cold chain (HVAC-R) applications. It will serve markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, and houses over 350 R&D engineers working on low-carbon solutions, including smart control systems.
The 14-floor building spans 31,000 m², with 12,000 m² dedicated to laboratories and test chambers. Equipped with advanced infrastructure such as EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) testing, water-circuit test rooms, and dedicated spaces for testing natural refrigerants and low-GWP alternatives, the facility positions Daikin among the few HVAC-R companies with such extensive internal testing capacities.
Designed for sustainability, the centre integrates Daikin’s own technologies including geothermal water systems, water-cooled VRV, and heat recovery VRV systems. It is built to meet nearly Zero-Energy Building (nZEB) standards and aims to receive ‘Excellent’ BREEAM certification.
The centre also strengthens Daikin’s collaboration with Ghent University through joint research, lectures, and student engagement. According to Laurent Van Thournout, Deputy General Manager EMEA Development Center at Daikin Europe, the new facility will deepen cooperation in areas such as district heating and the circular economy.
Ryota Takechi, General Manager EMEA Development Center, stated, “Together with all Daikin’s R&D centres in Europe and globally, we'll use this new R&D centre to combine Daikin technologies with third-party expertise, addressing global environmental challenges and expanding our business.