Chillers take the heat off the courtroom at Leeds Magistrates Court
Leeds Magistrates Court has replaced ageing mechanical plant with a 480kW chiller system designed to improve reliability, operational performance and sustainability.
The installation comprises six Panasonic ECOi-W Aqua-G Blue units, providing 80kW each, to support the court’s long-term operational requirements.
The chillers, delivered in partnership with mechanical services specialist Sub-Cool FM, use R290 propane as the refrigerant to provide an exceptionally low Global Warming Potential (GWP) of just 0.02, This, the manufacturer said, helps the building owners reduce environmental impact while supporting regulatory compliance and decarbonisation objectives.
The project also incorporated enhancements to the building management system (BMS), providing a more intelligent approach to plant control. Improved scheduling functionality enables the heating and cooling systems to operate only when required, aligning plant performance with building demand. This helps reduce energy consumption, lower operating costs and optimise overall system efficiency.
The project presented significant logistical challenges, as it was located within a busy city-centre environment, so the live-site installation required extensive planning, including overnight crane operations, partial road closures, pedestrian management measures and enhanced public safety controls. Throughout the works, court operations remained fully functional and despite the complexity of the live-site environment, the lift was completed ahead of schedule, reducing the planned duration from 11 hours to just 6 hours, the partners said.
The partners said:
The result was a safe, efficient and well-managed operation that demonstrates Sub-Cool FM’s ability to deliver complex commercial projects with precision, planning and strong teamwork
The ECOi-W Aqua-G Blue range is designed for commercial applications demanding both performance and sustainability, and combines high seasonal efficiency, advanced scroll compressor technology and quiet operation, Panasonic added.
Neil Cooke, Area Sales Manager at Panasonic Heating & Cooling Solutions said:
Leeds Magistrates Court demonstrates how public sector organisations can achieve meaningful progress toward their sustainability goals without compromising operational performance “
