Fujitsu VRF in iconic Hoover Building
15th January 2018
UK: A total of 66 compact Airstage J-IIs VRF systems from Fujitsu have been installed at the iconic Hoover Building in Western Avenue, West London.
Originally built in 1933 as The Hoover Company’s factory and headquarters, the Grade II* property has now been successfully converted into 66 studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments.
The site closed in the early 1980s and the building fell into disrepair. It was purchased by retailer Tesco in 1989 and the factory building located behind the main office building, was subsequently demolished to make way for a supermarket.
IDM Properties acquired the building in 2015, who worked closely with English Heritage and the London Borough of Ealing to ensure the historic art deco features of the property were suitably restored and preserved.
When developing the luxury apartments, IDM Properties chose HVAC/mechanical services company Carter Devlin, trading as Apex Technical, to manage the heating and cooling systems. The mechanical contractors were Shane Mechanical, who worked alongside Jon Oakes of Oakley M&E Design on the project.
As planning restrictions limited the height of any outdoor AC products, Fujitsu’s Airstage J-IIs VRF units were specified, due to their compact size and flexible piping design. These outdoor units serve multiple Fujitsu Slim Ducts located inside each apartment. The systems were supplied by Surrey-based distributor Ultimate Air.
The Fujitsu two-pipe VRF systems together with IntensisHome wi-fi controls, enable residents to remotely control and monitor their air conditioning systems via their mobile devices from anywhere in the world.
Commenting on the project, Matthew Barnett, director at Carter Devlin, said: “As this was the refurbishment of an existing listed building, flexibility was key. The demands of the client’s design team and the nature of the work required a system that could be adapted to suit fluid and changing needs.”
“Working closely with Shane Mechanical, Carter Devlin Ltd created an install programme that worked seamlessly with the other mechanical services on site. The ability to change the orientation of the universal ducted units supplied was vital in providing a quality product and on-site flexibility.”
Nick Wilks from Fujitsu added: “We are absolutely thrilled to be part of this iconic project. The Hoover Building has been described as a national treasure – and everyone who has seen the building would agree. It has been a landmark along the Western Avenue since the 1920s, so we are very proud that we have been able to play our part in bringing the building back to life.”
