Project
PRETORIA CBD RETAILER GIVES
50-YEAR-OLD HVAC SYSTEM A REFURB
By Eamonn Ryan & Dusan Stefanov Pr Eng Mech
Metro Home Centre in Pretoria CBD occupies an older building with an HVAC system dating back to the mid-1970s that was in a need of refurbishment . When bidding for the project ODA Design used state-of-theart 3D coordination software and consequently they were appointed as the mechanical consultants for various building services .
This building , located in Pretoria CBD , was originally developed for use as a Pick ‘ n Pay store . The property was subsequently bought by the current owners and turned into nonperishable goods retail store Metro Home Centre . The building itself was refurbished with a fresh open-plan appearance , thus requiring new HVAC and other mechanical systems to meet the same standards .
Mechanical engineer and owner of ODA Design , Dusan Stefanov , adds : “ They had inherited an HVAC system that was installed back in the early 1970s , and the building had no fire protection or smoke ventilation at any level .”
Because of the 2019 Covid-19 pandemic , the project has had a rather longer than expected duration . It commenced in October 2018 but was interrupted by Covid-19 and only later resumed for a successful completion in mid-2022 . The delays were not just due to the public gathering and health restrictions ,
Storage tanks for sprinkler system .
All images © RACA Journal | Eamonn Ryan
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Smoke extract fan within the trading area .
RACA Journal I March 2023
Metro Home Centre main entrance .
www . refrigerationandaircon . co . za