Mercedes Benz Facility in the UK to be Cooled by Toshiba’s VRF System

A new state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz retail centre now under construction will be air conditioned with Toshiba’s award-winning Super Heat Recovery Multi (SHRM-e) variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system. Located on a 10.5-acre site near Stockport, the development will be the largest Mercedes-Benz facility in the UK, and includes the brand’s largest showroom in Europe, 32 workshop bays and a high-tech body and paint repair facility. Toshiba Carrier UK Ltd.is a joint venture between Toshiba and Carrier in the United Kingdom, and is part of Carrier, a leading global provider of innovative heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC), refrigeration, fire, security and building automation technologies.

The project is the first in a series of new build schemes planned by Hong Kong-based retail group LSH Auto UK, which currently operates nine Mercedes-Benz dealerships and smart retail centres in the Manchester and Birmingham areas. The main contractor on the project is RG Group with Imtech Engineering Services North responsible for mechanical and electrical services.

Air conditioning will be provided by 18 Toshiba high-efficiency SHRM-e VRF outdoor systems connected to 124 indoor units, all ducted to deliver a high-quality interior finish. In addition, Toshiba cassettes are being installed in administration offices. The equipment is being supplied by Toshiba distributor Cool Designs Ltd.

Gavin Horner, who led the project for Toshiba, said: “The showroom is a double height, open-plan design with adjoining offices, which offers significant potential for heat recovery. The heat pump-based Toshiba system will harness waste heat energy and deliver it in the form of heating or cooling to wherever it is needed in the building, making maximum use of available energy and minimising running costs for the end user.

SHRM-e is Toshiba’s latest three-pipe heat recovery VRF air conditioning system. It sets a new industry standard for efficiency and continuous heating, achieving a world first of eight European Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (ESEER ) in most capacities.

In addition to ground-breaking efficiency, SHRM-e delivers improvements across the board in terms of occupant comfort, ease of installation and breadth of building application. This has been made possible by developments in key technologies such as the compressor and intelligent control system, supported by a battery of incremental improvements in almost all system components.

The system is controlled by four Touchscreen controllers, offering quick access to key operating parameters via a highly responsive colour screen. Each can control up to 64 indoor units, offering a user-friendly interface for enhanced user comfort and system performance.