Zeebrugge logistics center opts for total Daikin HVAC solution

The port of Zeebrugge has gained a logistics site. Intervest Offices & Warehouses invested in a state-of-the-art platform to import goods by container to Europe or vice versa. The foundation stone was laid in 2021. A year later, the project was completed. The result is a 76,000m² logistics park where optimal indoor climate is guaranteed thanks to Daikin's energy-efficient products.  

The site, which is divided into ten warehouses, each with ten loading and unloading docks and turnkey office facilities, is one of the largest logistics projects in West Flanders. In addition to the warehouses, a container warehouse of 22,000 m², a head office, parking for 200 cars, a waiting and drop-off zone for trucks are also planned. With this investment, Intervest aims to attract and accommodate both Chinese and international logistics players who import goods by container worldwide to Europe or vice versa. The initial focus is on e-commerce, automotive and food. 

HVAC total solution for optimal comfort  

For an industrial space such as this - where offices and warehouses are combined - the challenge lay in finding the right heating and cooling solution for the different types of rooms. By choosing Daikin's total solutions, optimal indoor climate is guaranteed. For example, the headquarters and offices in the halls are equipped with a VRV system with heat recovery and associated indoor units. The warehouses - together representing a total surface area of some 7,000 m² - are heated and cooled via ten central air-water heat pumps of 400 kW each. 

"Installing the heat pumps on the roof was a tough job with tight timing. We also installed no less than three kilometers of pipes so that each hall could be supplied with the necessary heaters," said Thomas Claeren, Delvetere's Managing Director. 

Productive work environment guaranteed 

For the office spaces, the Daikin VRV system with heat recovery was consistently chosen. It is important to maintain the indoor temperature at the perfect level to optimize the comfort of the employees. Thus, it must be possible to heat and cool the rooms all year round thanks to the individually adjustable built-in devices.  

It is extremely important for warehouses to maintain a constant temperature in winter. In each case, the only correct solution is a central air-water system because of the large amount of power required. Heat pumps in combination with air heaters are therefore chosen.

"Due to the size of the sheds, we had to think carefully about the system to be used. The power required per hall is of such a considerable form that we finally settled on air-water heat pump solutions. The right temperature is guaranteed, as is indoor air quality and working comfort. Moreover, this project is BREEAM certified (label Excellent) which also means great added value," says Frank Devenyn (Ingenium engineering office). 

Efficient control via I-Touch Manager  

The large size of the entire building naturally makes it interesting to be able to manage it from a central location. The owner chose Daikin's Intelligent Touch Manager because it collects all air conditioning units into one system. Through the interface, the building is managed in an energy-efficient way. It indicates which unit or zone consumes the most energy, so the necessary action can be taken to reduce consumption and prevent energy waste. Which for an industrial site like this is a big advantage.  

Close cooperation ensures quick installation  

The biggest challenge to this project was timing. The entire project had to be finished in one year and this meant short deadlines for the installation of the heating solutions. Good communication between the manufacturer, installer and the design office are primordial here. Which system to choose and how to install it most efficiently? The VRV system is a cost-effective solution that gives the installer the necessary ease of installation just like the central air-water heat pumps in the sheds. The result is an optimized system with simple construction that meets the customer's needs.

"To make the implementation very fast, we chose to pre-fit the circulator and buffer tank on the heat pumps at our Daikin factory. For each hall, a chassis was prepared in the installer's workshop on which the necessary fittings (such as filters and faucets) were already mounted. This ensured a faster installation time for the heat pumps," concludes Kris Mertens, Product Manager at Daikin.  

The Daikin HVAC total solution summarized:  

• Fossil-free and climate-neutral solution 
• 10 air-water heat pumps of 400 kW each for air-conditioning of the halls 
• VRV with heat recovery for headquarters 
• Simultaneous cooling and heating in the offices with heat recovery  
• All deployed heat pumps use the low GWP refrigerant R32  
• Centralized control via Cloud controller