Daikin combines expertise in new development centre
11th April 2025
BELGIUM: Daikin’s new European Development Centre (EDC) in Ghent incorporates the company’s own VRV systems and custom-built air handling units.
The 30,600m² centre, operational since autumn 2024, brings together all the company’s R&D activities for low-carbon heat pump heating and cooling across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Standing 56m tall and dominating the skyline of Zwijnaarde along the E40, Europe’s longest motorway, the facility includes 13,000m² of office space spread over 14 floors, 12,000m² of laboratory space, including 23 test rooms, and room for 500 employees.
The facility’s five custom-built air handling units provide an airflow of 85,000m³/h and a cooling capacity of 297kW, ensuring a constant supply of fresh air for the 13,000m² office space. High-efficiency heat wheel technology ensures energy consumption is optimised.
An additional innovation is the implementation of R32 refrigerant in the direct expansion coil of the Daikin air handling units.
The VRV solution includes a diverse range of Daikin products, incorporating both air-cooled and water-cooled systems. Indoor units were carefully selected based on specific space requirements, including satellite models, cassettes and ceiling-mounted units.
Together, the system is supported by 14.5km of piping connecting the outdoor and indoor units.
The building is designed to meet the highest energy efficiency benchmarks, aiming for nZEB (nearly Zero-Energy Building) certification and BREEAM Excellent certification.
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Daikin Europe begins construction of €140m R&D centre – 19 May 2022
BELGIUM: Daikin Europe has begun construction of its new €140m EMEA Development Centre (EDC) in Ghent and announced further increases in heat pump production at Ostend. Read more…
