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PROJECT
applied in a similar multifunctional and complex building type. The integration of air handling unit( AHU) kits into VRF systems – allowing large-scale air-conditioning systems and associated air distribution, while retaining the efficiency and flexibility of refrigerant-based systems – proved particularly compelling.
CATERING TO THE SITE LAYOUT
On returning to the ICC project, the design team recognised that the site’ s layout – effectively a collection of large distinct buildings, rather than a single monolithic structure – lent itself naturally to a decentralised approach rather than a central chilled water system. Instead of a central plant serving the entire development, the facility could be divided into multiple independent HVAC systems, each aligned to the distinct requirements of each building type as any of them could be used independently of the others in the complex.
However, this was an extremely new concept, and it took VMG about six months( and a trip to Dubai to see large spaces air-conditioned with VRF equipment), to convince the project team that VRF equipment was ideally suited for a complex as large as the ICC.
All in all, the building is air conditioned by about 45 off VRF systems. The array of condensers at the designated plant spaces vary from the multi V4 generation to the latest multi V6 generation.
The ICC ' s expansive central atrium required a carefully engineered HVAC solution to maintain occupant comfort across a large, open volume while accommodating variable event loads and extensive glazed surfaces.
These in turn serve the various indoor units from hideaways, cassettes, AHUs etc, to provide comfort.
The result is a highly modular HVAC architecture in which each major zone – whether theatre, exhibition hall, multifunction halls, conference centre, council chamber or restaurant – can operate completely independently of the others.
The implications of this shift are significant. Using a conventional four-pipe centralised chilled water system, airconditioning even a single occupied space would typically require the operation of the entire central plant, regardless of whether the rest of the facility was in use. In contrast, the ICC’ s VRF-based system allows for precise, selective operation as and when required. A single event in the theatre can be accommodated without having to operate a central system. This will result in substantial energy and operational savings, particularly under part-load conditions, and when full advantage of the heat recovery function is utilised.
Energy efficiency was, in fact, a central driver of the design from the outset. The client’ s requirement for LEED( Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-aligned performance necessitated a system capable of responding dynamically to real demand. VRF equipment, with its full-inverter technology and variable refrigerant flow, provides exactly this capability. Rather than operating at fixed capacities, the system continuously modulates output to perfectly match the changing thermal load, consequently and significantly reducing energy consumption and resulting in energy cost savings and longer equipment life.
This responsiveness extends beyond temperature control. Each occupied space within the ICC is equipped with CO₂ sensors linked to the building management system( BMS), enabling demand-controlled ventilation. When CO₂ concentrations exceed approximately 900ppm, the system signals variable speed fresh-air fans to increase ventilation rates. As occupancy decreases, airflow is reduced accordingly. This ensures that the energy required to air-condition ventilation-air is not wasted in unoccupied or lightly occupied spaces – a critical consideration in a facility where usage patterns can change dramatically from one moment to the next. project
The ICC ' s banquet and function halls are designed to accommodate large crowds while maintaining consistent thermal comfort and indoor air quality through a flexible, distributed VRF-based HVAC system.
RACA Journal I October 2026
OVERCOMING DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES Thermal comfort requirements added another layer of complexity. While typical commercial buildings operate within a relatively narrow temperature band, the ICC includes spaces with markedly different expectations. VIP and royal suites, for example, were required to achieve temperatures as low as 18 ° C, significantly below standard comfort ranges.
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