38 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I October 2026
PROJECT project
All images supplied by VMG Consulting Engineers
REINVENTING A MEGA CONVENTION CENTRE WITH VRF
By Victor Dzwinamurungu( Pr. Eng – AESAP, MIE Aust) VMG Consulting Engineers
How Eswatini’ s ICC used advanced HVAC design to deliver flexibility, efficiency and precision control across 45 000m ² designed by VMG Consultants.
Victor Dzwinamurungu.
In the quiet valley of Ezulwini, a new landmark has emerged that is rapidly redefining expectations – not only of architecture and national infrastructure, but of what is technically possible in large-scale HVAC design. The Eswatini International Convention Centre( ICC) renamed Ezulwini Palazzo
ICC, a multi-building complex, is already hosting heads of state, royal events and international delegations, even before it is fully operational. Yet behind the polished finishes and ceremonial spaces lies a far more complex story: one of engineering adaptation, long-term evolution and a deliberate break from conventional HVAC philosophy.
At first glance, the ICC resembles many other high-profile convention facilities. It comprises a diverse collection of spaces, including multi-function halls capable of hosting over 3 000 guests for round table dinner, a fully equipped 1 560-seat theatre, a 300-seat restaurant, an exhibition hall with adjacent meeting suites, a council chamber capable of accommodating over 10 language translations, and numerous suites for highly specialised VIP and royal holding areas. Each of these spaces carries its own occupancy profile, operational schedule and environmental expectation. Taken together, they present one of the most demanding HVAC briefs ever encountered on the African continent.
What distinguishes this project, however, is not its scale alone, but the decision to abandon the traditional path. Originally conceived as a four-pipe chilled water system – long regarded as the default solution for large convention centres – the project underwent a fundamental redesign following exposure to an alternative approach: a campus-scale deployment of variable refrigerant flow( VRF) technology.
At the time, in 2014 such a decision was far from obvious. Large convention and conference centres around the world in general, and in southern Africa in particular have historically relied on large centralised chilled water systems for their perceived robustness and familiarity. VRF, by contrast, was typically associated with much smaller commercial applications. The turning point came when members of the design team were exposed to a similar, albeit somewhat smaller, multi-use development in South Korea, where VRF had been successfully
Careful co-ordination of ductwork, outdoor plant and other building services was central to delivering the convention centre ' s integrated engineering design.
38 www. refrigerationandaircon. co. za RACA Journal I October 2026