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LG plans tropical test site

SOUTH KOREA/SAUDI ARABIA: LG has held discussions to establish a tropical test site for HVAC solutions in Saudi Arabia.

The planned laboratory would be the South Korean air conditioning manufacturer’s first facility dedicated to accelerating HVAC solutions for regions with tropical climates.

The test site was included in recent discussions of joint cooperation in the academic and research fields between LG, King Saud University (KSU), Pusan National University (PNU) and the Shaker Group, LG’s Saudi distributor. 

LG and PNU have previously been working together in South Korea to research core HVAC technologies, such as high-efficiency heat exchangers.

In 2024, under the auspices of the Consortium for Advanced Heat Pump Research (CAHR), LG opened labs in the United States, Europe and China to create and test cold-climate heat pump technologies. 

Findings from the research conducted at the new lab will be presented to the relevant regional academic societies by KSU and PNU. The results of research projects undertaken at the consortium’s Alaska-based lab were shared at AHR Expo 2025 in Orlando, Florida, earlier this year. 

At the Saudia Arabian test facility, LG aims to collect valuable real-world data by operating and assessing a variety of solutions tailored for tropical conditions. Each participating party will have specific duties to perform. KSU, one of the Middle East’s most renowned universities, will provide a suitable test site environment and, in collaboration with PNU, take responsibility for conducting studies and analysing data. Shaker will offer provide system installation and device setup monitoring. 

Once operational, the new facility will be used to thoroughly examine the performance and reliability of LG’s upcoming HVAC products and to utilise the site for testing AI engine features tailored to tropical climates. 

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