Spotlight on the Hitachi Chiller Project at London’s Caledonian Club
The Caledonian Club is a members’ club for the Scottish community of London – a high-end home-from-home for Scots in the city. Voltix Services had the pleasure of upgrading their chiller systems in November 2022.
The Clubhouse Buildings
The Caledonian Club was founded in 1891 and the clubhouse is located in the distinguished district of Belgravia. The club offers modern cuisine and an assortment of fine wines and more than 200 whiskies in its elegant bar and restaurant, accommodation for members in 39 rooms, and the buildings are the location for events, weddings, and venue hire. This historical building covers four storeys.
The Brief and the Challenges
Prior to the upgrade, the previously-installed chiller was failing to cool the function rooms and kitchens and a new system was required for cooling in the summer months.
The challenge was to perform the installation within the parameters of historical building regulations and to preserve the building’s interiors.
This started with finding the right system to fit within the limited space on the building’s rooftop.
The Solution
At Voltix Services, our experienced team specialises in the commercial installation and maintenance of chillers and boilers. The team opted for the Hitachi Samurai air-cooled screw chiller. The twin screw compressor and small size made it the only off-the-shelf chiller that could be installed in the limited space available on the building’s rooftop.
The installation allowed the team to marry modern equipment with the club’s strong historical imperatives. The system was upgraded and the old air handling units were retained, which allowed the late-Victorian interior to remain completely intact.
The efficiency of the system also means air conditioning has been extended to the club’s Glengoyne Room, Snooker Room, Card Room, and Library.
The Future
When it comes to the smooth operation of chiller systems, installation is the first step. Voltix Services will continue to perform facilities maintenance services for the Caledonian Club into the future and, at the time of writing, are surveying existing water supply systems to identify potential areas of improvement.