Argus Engineering revitalises the HVAC system at a Grafton office building After 16 years of operation, this central Auckland office complex’s air conditioning system needed an overhaul
Comprising an underground carpark and three levels of open office area, each floor totalling approximately 1,000sqm, the office building along Khyber Pass Road was completed and put into use in 2007. “After that, due to change of owner and tenant requirements, there were minor changes to the internal layout, but overall it has maintained the nature of an office building,” says Henry Fan, technical director at Argus Engineering. “Since 2021, due to the impact of Covid-19, the ground and first floors have been vacant – while the second floor has been in operation as the owner’s office.”
irhace.org.nz
DECEMBER 2023
The existing system Operating via a two-pipe fan coil unit (FCU), the existing air conditioning system’s air-cooled chiller on the roof of the diesel generator room behind the main building provided chilled water at a temperature of 6-12ºC, with the total cooling capacity 332.2kW. “The chilled water is sent to the FCUs distributed on each floor through the piping system. In winter, heating was provided by an electric heater installed on each FCU. The indoor air conditioning temperature was set at 23ºC and the BMS automatically selected the cooling and heating modes,” explains Henry.
