RACA Journal I February 2026 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za 25
PROJECT
HVAC & R SYSTEM AND INSTALLATION The old system was a sprawl of independent split units, each running on R22. These were systematically removed and replaced with VRF systems per floor, delivering centralised efficiency with localised control. The installation demanded surgical precision – refrigerant piping, electrical reticulation and controls had to be woven into the existing building fabric. In total, more than a ton of R22 was safely recovered during the decommissioning process.
When I first saw the condensers on the roof, it reminded me of that famous scene from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, when the characters are running through the graveyard. It was an absolutely sprawling mess. Everything was disordered – the split units had just been put in wherever they happened to fit. There was no order, no structure and trying to find a unit or trace a leak would have been absolutely impossible. By contrast, the beauty of the VRF system is that it is now incredibly ordered, clean and neat. It makes all the difference in the world.
ELEMENTS OF DIFFICULTY The miracle of this project was not that challenges didn’ t appear – it was that no one ever said“ it can’ t be done”. Every time an obstacle arose, the response was the same: scratch heads, gather the team and find a solution. Whether it was routing services through tight ceiling spaces, co-ordinating multiple trades in parallel, opening ceilings or keeping the programme on track, problems became puzzles to be solved rather than roadblocks.
PRODUCTS USED AND WHY SELECTED Midea / Livance VRF systems were selected for their efficiency, reliability and flexibility. They offered the capacity and zoning flexibility needed to serve an entire 20 000m ² building floor by floor, while ensuring ease of integration with existing building services. Equipment was specifically manufactured for this project, with factory anti-corrosion treatment applied. This meant it needed to be ordered well in advance, so planning was essential.
STANDARDS COMPLIED WITH The Wembley Square project was designed in accordance with the previous edition of SANS 10400-O, which governed ventilation requirements at the time. Under this standard, fresh air provision had to meet either 7.5l / s per person or a minimum of two air changes per hour – whichever produced the higher ventilation rate for the specific space. In addition, bathroom extraction systems were specified at 20 air changes per hour, reflecting the extract ventilation requirements set out in the earlier SANS guidelines. project
RACA Journal I February 2026 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za 25