The Bloomsbury Hotel

London, UK

As part of an ongoing upgrade at its Bloomsbury Hotel, owner The Doyle Collection wanted to reduce energy usage and CO2 emissions by 30%, while improving comfort levels for guests. It also needed to replace its ageing R22 air conditioning system with a more acceptable alternative. Designed in the 1930s by Sir Edwin Lutyens, the Grade 2 listed hotel has 153 bedrooms and communal guest areas on eight floors. It retains many of its original architectural features including the magnificent stone entrance, double height lobby and the Seamus Heaney Library, named after the late Nobel Laureate, a regular guest.

R22 Refrigerant replacement increases hotel’s energy efficiency and cuts costs

In a nine-month programme, carefully managed to minimise inconvenience to the hotel and its guests, installer Temperature Control replaced the old system with Daikin VRV-Q equipment. This innovative alternative to complete R22 system replacement allows existing pipework and some indoor units to be retained – cutting costs, accelerating installation and ensuring business continuity. VRV-Q uses R410A refrigerant, making it 40% more efficient in heating and 25% in cooling than R22 systems. The Bloomsbury Hotel’s new system has 56 outdoor units and 209 indoor units in the bedrooms. In communal areas VRV, splits, wall and floor mounted units were used.

"The challenge for this project was to preserve the historic interior and exterior of the building. With Daikin VRV, we knew that we could easily take on this challenge and improve our system's energy efficiency. Along with Daikin UK, this was a great team effort—showing the benefit of a strong and lasting working relationship between client and contractor."

Michael Neve, General Manager, The Bloomsbury Hotel

Innovative alternative to complete system replacement

The Daikin VRV-Q system delivered an innovative alternative to a complete replacement of the existing air conditioning system, with dramatic energy savings, no impact on the building’s historic features, and minimal disruption to the hotel and guests. Overall energy savings are reckoned to average 32% – comfortably beating the original target of 30%. Although all the outdoor and indoor units were replaced, along with branch selector boxes, installation costs were 50% less the expected cost of complete system replacement. The hotel also enjoyed an improvement in customer satisfaction, thanks to the lower sound levels of the new equipment.